Selling Homeowners a Better Experience

A CRM can help you sell and keep selling.

By Michelle Mittleman, AccuLynx.

It’s important to your roofing business to hire sales representatives who not only know how a roof is installed but who also know the importance of what they are selling and how to sell it. Some of the best salespeople will tell you that believing in the importance of what you sell and the why behind it can help you connect with potential customers and help you upsell additional features that they might not have considered before.

Having your sales team use a CRM in the field can help them add value to not only their own sales and commission, but also to the customer they are servicing. At the same time, a CRM can help teams stay organized and on track with the project, keep the homeowner informed, and earn their trust and future business should the opportunity arise.

Editable contracts allow for customization and flexibility. Most businesses have some kind of estimate and contract template to help them manage how these documents are used for clients and office staff processes. If these documents are connected to your CRM they can automate the process of adding customer information, saving your sales team from tedious data entry and mistakes that can come from entering the information manually. Having these documents accessible is important, but even more so, making sure those templates are editable from a mobile device makes it easier for your reps to manage what they need to close a deal on the device they are carrying.

After a home inspection, a sales rep might notice that the gutters, windows or siding on the home may also be in need of repair or service. Having templates that can accommodate on-the-fly add ons not only let's your sales team up-sell those additional services, but does so in a quick and professional manner that homeowners will appreciate.

Additionally, if these templates are also directly connected to your preferred materials suppliers, sales reps can provide accurate pricing on estimates without having to call the office, refer to a database or even guess and suffer the consequences if they are wrong.

Better communication with the homeowner throughout the process. CRM’s can provide quick and easy contract turnaround when homeowners are ready to sign. Using Smart Documents and legally binding eSignatures enable sales reps or office staff to send packets to clients via email or on-site, without the tedious process of having to print, scan, re-email several documents, and wait for their return before scheduling the work.

Once the Job is underway, a CRM can track the project in its entirely, including delivery schedules, labor start dates, on-site job photos and any communication between the homeowner and the project manager, keeping everyone involved informed and happy.

Job site flexibility. A CRM can also help crew chiefs or anyone else at the job site by giving them instant access to the most current material orders. This allows everyone to know what color and quantity of materials should be in the delivery or can help a runner tasked with picking up extra items if they run low.

All of that information is right in the palm of their hand, which keeps the job moving ahead and on schedule.

Future business. Homeowners that see competent, organized craftsmen and have a good understanding of the process, are more likely to recommend you to others, as well as keep you in mind for future services. Having a CRM that can track finished jobs not only means you have that person in your files, but future sales reps can pull up previous work done, what materials were used, any notes, and ultimately, continue to deliver a seamless experience for a homeowner who will reward that professionalism and organization with continued business.

AccuLynx is designed to help contractors see their business more clearly and communicate better — there's nothing to download or install — you just log in and get to work. Learn more at www.acculynx.com

Editor’s note: This article first appeared on the AccuLynx blog and can be viewed here.