Time is money: IT software improves your speed and your sales

Whether you’re a domestic window and conservatory installer or working on a commercial contract for thousands of properties, you can guarantee you won’t be the only company your potential buyer is getting a quote from. You don’t need me to tell you competition is high and getting the sale can be a battle. Making the best impression and getting your price right so you’re the top choice is fundamental to you making money. So how do you go about it?

Don’t be cheap

Winning a sale by being the cheapest is a hollow victory. No one wants a price war. All too many installers are relying on being the cheapest to get the orders. If they’re not the cheapest, they’ll often undercut competitors’ quotes to win the sale. Sometimes to the point where they lose out! Price-driven selling is not a wise long-term option. You’ll squeeze your margins and your reputation will fall. Customers know that cheap windows and conservatories aren’t going to be the best quality.

There are other ways to improve your sales and get better margins. Making your sales team more efficient and improving your service by refining the way you generate leads, survey, quote, and make the sale will grow your reputation, enquiries and profits dramatically. But before you groan at the prospect of going through all the paperwork and assessing every part of your business, consider the benefits of IT software packages designed to do it for you.

Super-slick selling

Having a long history in window fabrication, at MBN International we’ve developed the Profitmaker software package that’s specifically suited for the window industry. Throughout the many stages involved in process of window selling, a lot of paperwork and duplication of information occurs. IT software eradicates any time wasting with re-inputting data that’s already been stored. For example, with Profitmaker Pocket a salesman can produce a quote, make the sale and relay the information back to the office whilst the homeowner’s making a cup of tea.

And it’s not just a time-saver. The possibility of human error is reduced by software linking every stage from the original lead to the installation. You also don’t have to employ people to manage this data as it’s all controlled by the system so your overheads can be reduced as well.

Looking the part

Profitmaker Pocket, a PDA allowing salesmen and installers to input all the measurements for the installation and information onsite, gives the homeowner a fantastic first impression. Salesman and surveyors look professional using the electronic Bay Window or 3D Conservatory Calculator to show the homeowner CAD drawings and print out a professional quote onsite and immediately. It’s a world away from the unprofessional stereotype that our industry unjustly has.

Improving service and productivity

When Colin Crothers became Managing Director of James Harcourt (NI) Ltd earlier this year, one of the first things he did was to introduce Profitmaker’s software. Colin was familiar with the lean management software, which was used throughout the installation company he worked for previously. Colin comments: “We save up to a week and half in turn around time because of Profitmaker’s software. Our customers are impressed with our service and we’re able to be more productive. Profitmaker Pocket is linked to Profitmaker.Net with an updated price list so margins are instantly checked and orders can be closed that day. If the homeowner signs electronically, it’s downloaded from Profitmaker.Net and imported straight into Profitmaker Office’s system ready for survey. Without Profitmaker software it could take more than a week to complete this process.”