In industries like construction and manufacturing, it is extremely beneficial to have the best communication possible with customers since the customer base that you acquire and keep are crucial to the overall success of your organization. We’re all well aware of the old saying that it’s much cheaper to keep existing customers than it is to acquire new ones. Companies that do not have solid customer service and follow up are those that struggle to stay on top of the market.
Thankfully, much of the modern software designed for both the construction and manufacturing industries is designed to keep the communication flow between company and customers wide open. Advanced construction software, for example, is capable of constantly updating clients about the progress of their project, including changes in costs, completed milestones, problems resolved, and so on. The best part is that this communication can be completely automated, meaning the construction company can deliver better customer service without spending any additional man hours delivering it.
The communication features that you look for in your next software package are important to consider and must not be overlooked. If you find a software package that does not include a customer account management module, you’re probably better off looking elsewhere – even if you can get a great deal on it.
In addition to keeping customers abreast of the progress of their projects of jobs, some construction and manufacturing software packages can be used to schedule periodic contact for marketing purposes. Things like scheduled mailers or email blasts can be sent to existing and potential customers with the help of solid software that allows you to save valuable time.
These “friendly reminders” of your services can often be all that it takes for a past customer to remember your quality of work and decide to use you for any upcoming projects or jobs.
Another way that software can be used to improve customer relations and internal efficiency is in cases where companies have an ongoing contract with a customer. In these cases, software can be used to automate the billing and cost tracking so that overall contract reconciliation is a breeze when the time comes.
One thing to be aware of when implementing new software that will allow you to take advantage of improved customer account management is the “cleanliness” of the data that is put in the system at first. Companies using outdated account management software likely have the system clogged with a lot of useless information that doesn’t need to be in the new system. As such, it is important that all data is cleaned before being transferred to the new system, allowing you to have a “fresh” customer database.
Additionally, it is important to know the requirements for record retention in your state or jurisdiction. In some areas, contractors are required to keep old records for customers for a certain period of time, even if that customer is no longer an active client. Look for software that has the ability to manage and archive old records if you operate in one of these areas.
Finally, keep in mind that the entire system is useless if new (and old) data is not input correctly. The importance of adequate end-user training can never be understated and is an area where you need to invest the necessary resources if you want to get the most out of your new software.
Using construction or manufacturing software to improve customer relations and communication is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve the quality of service that your company provides. Since much of the communication can be automated, there is typically only a need for a “set it and forget it” use of the account management for each customer.