House Builders implement COINS House Sales module on the “Front Line”

Encouraged by advances in communications technology and the release of the Open Architecture version of COINS House sales, an increasing number of customers are rolling out the module to development offices for use by their site-based sales representatives.

Implementing COINS House Sales on site offers a number of significant time and cost saving advantages:

• Visitor information is captured at the first point of contact, improving accuracy, providing real time data and removing the need to transpose the data from off-line or hand written documents.
• Representatives have easy access to previously captured information relating to the visitor they are dealing with.
• Visitors can be automatically referred to other developments that they are likely to be interested in.
• Follow up mailings, faxes or emails can be generated immediately thus preventing the likelihood of opportunities being missed through delays.
• Developers can implement and control a standard, agreed approach to managing the relationship with their customers and prospects, which opens the door to measuring improvements in quality and conversion rates.
• Sales representatives will spend less time on administration and will therefore have more time to invest in converting sales opportunities.

Kier Residential are one of the pioneers of site-based use of the COINS House Sales Module. The company is in the process of rolling out the module for use by 80 site sales representatives. Andrea Cornwell, Business Systems Manager at Kier, comments “The COINS House Sales module is now an integral and indispensable part of the way that we manage our sales process. Not only does it improve the way that we manage the relationship with our customers but it provides timely, detailed and high quality management information that it would be difficult, if not impossible to obtain without such a solution.”

Andrea continues “OA takes the COINS House Sales implementation to the next level. It provides greater flexibility and much improved presentation options, including graphical output. We will be able to present the sales data in any style or format that may be required by the Sales team or Group management.”

Historically, concerns over remote communications cost and reliability have been a disincentive to the site based deployment of COINS. Recent advances have changed this. Richard Vale, Commercial Manager in the COINS House Builders team, observes “ADSL, Broadband and VPNs are no longer novelties. They are understood by customers, technical and non-technical alike and have opened up a solution to site-based computing that is fast, flexible, low cost and easy to deploy. It is possible for our customers to add all of their site offices, even the smallest, to the company network with a minimum of fuss or expense. With COINS Open Architecture, there is no COINS software to install on the site-based computer so deployment becomes even easier.”

Another advantage that COINS customers have identified, in implementing the module on site, is in improving the corporate image presented to prospective purchasers.

Laing Homes, a George Wimpey brand, have developed a reputation in the sector for being at the forefront of innovation in home design and the use of technology and viewed the implementation of OA House Sales as a logical part of their branding. Similarly Enfield-based Higgins Homes and retirement specialists Churchill appreciated that there was an opportunity to raise the stakes in their continuous work to improve the professional image that they present to their clients. Jeremy Marcus, Sales Director at Higgins says “With COINS Open Architecture, we can modify the screen layouts and the page style sheets, so all the screens that our prospective purchasers see are presented with Higgins livery and logos and are laid out in the exact style and order that we want them to be. They look great and are certain to impress. Purchasers are reassured that we are using a professional system to capture their requirements and are more likely to believe that purchasing a home from a Higgins company will be a smooth, stress free experience.”