It is an understatement to say that every builder’s needs are different. While there are common, core issues that almost every builder faces, each has specific concerns and priorities that can be improved through computer support. Whether capturing sales, managing the administration process to site start, or preparing sales and tender documentation, there will be specific needs of a builder that must be addressed.
A comparison has been made between a volume homebuilder and a manufacturer – essentially – instead of the conveyor belt moving the house along the production line for assembly, the house stands still and the production line moves through it. There are many parallel’s to be made from manufacturing, and the methodology we implement takes what we can from those processes.
Simplify the process.
What we need to do – is simplify the process of selecting and selling the house – so that people can choose what they like – so long as they stick within the parameters of our own production line ability. To do this – for each of your homes, we need to determine a standard list of the things we will let customers choose as options or variations to this. Many builders’ already work in this manner and have a variation price book to refer to for the sales consultants. The biggest problem with this is quite often the book is unwieldy, and unused. When the client says “I’d like to have a deck out the back of the house” – then the sales consultant will reach for the pad and pen, and ask how big they would like the deck – and submit a custom variation request, rather than pointing the customer in the direction of the three different size decks you have quoted in the variation price book.
Sale Estimating
Sales Estimating can be quickly and easily managed, and depending on how you sell and manage your construction process we have various options;
Use a screen like this to select your base house, and options to quickly get your customers their tender.
Production Estimating
Production Estimating is a very simple process – just select the geographic area or supervisor that is going to be looking after the job – to automatically select the different suppliers and trades to use – then issue purchase orders.