Implementing software to help you run your business can seem like a daunting task, but Rhonda Ridge of Ab Initio, the creators of the installer management system AdminBase, explains how to choose the right system, and how making a simple change could make life a lot easier very quickly.
Installation businesses are feeling the squeeze. The cost-of-living crisis is affecting employees and customers alike, leaving employers stuck in the middle trying to do the right thing by their staff, while continuing to supply affordable home improvements. It’s a fine balancing act to ensure longevity, so wherever possible installation businesses need to achieve this stability by making life easier for themselves. Implementing the right business wide management system can simplify processes, save time and money, and improve customer service. But it must be easy to use.
This is where the importance of GUIs (sometimes pronounced gooey) needs to be understood. You may already be aware that a GUI is a Graphical User Interface – the point at which someone interacts with a screen either with a mouse, stylus, or more commonly, a finger – but the importance of this interface is often underestimated. The right GUI allows a system to be used by anyone, regardless of how technically savvy they are. This is a nice to have when shopping online for example, but an absolute necessity when using software to run your business. Ab Initio has always believed that it is this user interface that is central to the success of any business management system, to ensure it benefits installers and homeowner customers alike.
The AdminBase installer management system was created especially for installation businesses 25 years ago and was established with ease of use in mind. The interface is intuitive and simple to navigate, and it always has been. But we have never rested on our laurels, and to this day continue to develop and improve our offering. The most recent adaptation we have made to further improve the GUI, and the overall benefits of AdminBase, comes through our partnership with PricepointTM.
Better business
PricepointTM is an online system that helps installers sell their products and it has enhanced our offering with more support for sales teams selling in the home. PricepointTM is a great fit for AdminBase because its interface is so simple and intuitive to use. The system holds endless product types and uses professional high-definition images to support a professional sales pitch. Installation sales teams can even use the system without an internet connection saving any embarrassing down time trying to connect to Wi-Fi. The system helps the entire sales process go more smoothly too, with its Manufacturing IntelligenceTM highlighting any restrictions that may occur with certain product combinations. And when the final selection has been made, it creates customised quotations to leave with the homeowner using an installer’s own pricing structure, depending on which fabricator you want to use for that project, or for example allows for the use of multiple fabricators. Every step of the way is easy to navigate, ensuring sales teams aren’t let down with overcomplicated software.
Added value relationships
In addition to supporting sales teams in the home, the AdminBase system assists installation businesses through the entire process of an installation, and even helps with after sales service. From the start of a new business relationship, through to the completion of an installation, homeowners can log in to a Customer Portal to track the progress of their project, interact with their supplier, pay invoices, and report any snagging issues when the project is complete. With this 24/7 access to information, homeowners feel closer to their installer and attach more value to the relationship.
Improving the customer experience through better online communication, while also enhancing internal efficiencies should be a complicated and lengthy task, but with AdminBase it’s easy. The system’s ease of use for employees and customers, means that it can be implemented into any installation business quickly and easily and the benefits can be enjoyed immediately. Something every installer needs in the current climate.