Builders Get Creative with Technology
November 20, 2009
In the past week, two builders have ramped up technology plans, in an effort to improve customer service. With the coming year quickly approaching, these builders are preparing for the future with new technology initiatives.
Move over Twitter, iPhone Apps are now one of the newest customer service tools for homebuilders. Leading the way, Shea Homes, www.sheahomes.com, Walnut, Calif., announced it has developed an App for Apple’s, www.apple.com, Cupertino, Calif., iPhone and iPod Touch. This application aims directly at improving customer service.
With the launch of this new App, Shea Homes is able to provide its customers with access to community information.
According to the homebuilder, its App allow buyers to browse plans available at each community, share the plans with friends, and view pricing. With the App, potential buyers can also call, email, or get driving directions to any community, as well as gain access to Shea Homes’ Facebook and Twitter pages.
Overall, this App allows buyers to stay up-to-date on information, helping guide the customer through the homebuying process.
Bert Selva, president and CEO, Shea Homes, says, as the company is moving forward into the future it is dedicated to using technology as a method to share information. The company is also working on applications that would be available to other mobile device users by the end of the year.
This type of technology caters to a specific type of audience—the younger and more technologically-savvy homebuyer. Still, with the extension of the first time homebuyer, this might be an ideal time to put this type of technology in place to sell more homes.
Another way builders can improve the customer service and the sales process is through improved internal processes and technology.
Last week, Beazer Homes, www.beazerhomes.com, Atlanta, Ga., announced it is using technology to improve its customer care processes. The homebuilder is using Salesforce CRM (customer relationship management) from Salesforce.com, www.salesforce.com, San Francisco, Calif., to improve customer interaction, improve data quality to drive more sales, decrease time to generate sales reports, and improve sales visibility and collaboration across the entire company.
With the help of Bluewolf, www.bluewolf.com, New York, N.Y., a consulting firm, Beazer Homes was able to replace an older CRM solution with Salesforce CRM. Bluewolf helped the builder implement the technology and integrate it with the Beazer Online Sales System.
Improving customer relations and sales are high priorities for homebuilders these days. For Shea, its strategy is more of a social-marketing plan with core social-networking platforms and iPhone apps. For Beazer, the strategy relates more to internal management and customer care processes, and using technology to help improve those processes. While these are just two examples, there are a number of different technology initiatives builders can develop to help sell more homes.