BM JOURNAL ARTICLE – DEC 2015

KEY ELEMENTS FOR INSTALLED SALES

Installed Sales is very different than retail or contractor sales, you are essentially in the Remodeling Business. The most successful Installed Sales departments have the understanding and support of Owners and management. The rest of the store and even yard staff need to know what projects are installed as they can be a key source of qualified job leads.

And installed sales business should follow standard construction processes. That includes lead tracking, professional, detailed scope of work on contracts, using change orders, completion and warranty certificates, customer satisfaction surveys and having a service call or follow up process. Close attention needs to be paid to contract and document legal wording for both the protection of your business and the customer. Payment terms like 50% deposit, 40% on delivery of material and 10% on job completion is good for cash flow and you stay in control of the project. Along with other normal construction or remodelling documents, checklists are key in ensuring proper processes are followed and to minimize errors, which all eats into profit. This helps ensure productivity and a professional consistent customer experience.

Contractors and installers need to be properly informed on what your installed program consists of. Contractors with good reputations rely on repeat and referral business. Many customers don’t know who they can trust and go to big-box retailers based on perceived trust and experience. So independent retailers are filling a need with customers who the contractor would ordinarily not have access to, so we are not really competitors.

Leads are invaluable, 5 key customer details should be tracked on a lead form. Sales staff need to be well trained in asking questions and qualifying customers so the installs department receives quality leads. In my experience many stores have an administrative person who looks after the details like leads, accounting, POS, scheduling and some customer/installer contact. Sales staff can focus on design, estimating and selling.

With a comprehensive installed sales program and software in place you can have proper reports for this type of business (quite different than retail/contractor). Management should know what estimated versus actuals are at the end of each job; periodically, sales and gross margin percentage by project type, payments, work in progress, etc. We must know what sales staff productivity is by having report on close ratios, sales and gross margin by project type, etc.

With this key information one can measure and thereby manage a profitable Installed Sales business.

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PRESS RELEASE

RenoWare Technologies Inc.

RenoWare is a NEW software app developed specifically for Kitchen & Bath and Home Improvement companies. It is the ONLY app that EASILY HANDLES the entire PROCESS from LEAD to COMPLETION, all supported by experienced industry personnel.

After creating 3D designs and material lists, from one or multiple design/estimating systems (i.e. 2020 kitchen design, Luxwood deck, post/frame, Window & Door manufacturers and many more estimating programs), manage the sales and production process with RenoWare. Then pass the information over to your POS or Accounting system.

Collect customer information on a smart phone or tablet in the field to start a new job in RenoWare. Reduce repetitive typing and unmanageable paperwork, eliminate using multiple programs like Word, Excel, or hand written incomplete quotes. RenoWare Templates ensure more complete, accurate, legal, Professional Contracts.

Complete the process with Installer Agreements, Change Orders, Completion & Warranty Certificates, Satisfaction Survey, and even Service Tracking. And theres many more construction forms and documents, easily emailed, all from one program. Customize all Documents to suit your business. Comprehensive, relative Reports allows you to measure job & project type profitability and staff productivity, so you can improve and support to increase profits.

Effectively build on existing relationships, reach new customers with a unique, powerful marketing program. A simple to use, fully-integrated marketing program maintains personalized contact with your customers and attracts new ones. The personalized post cards from your store can include references to completed neighbourhood jobs and relevant offers or promotions.

IMPROVE your PRODUCTIVITY and PROFITS