But there are downsides to customers having access to so much information.
“Clients are able to research pricing much more easily, which can put us at a bit of a disadvantage at times,” Vogel says. “We go to mark something up to cover our warranties, and clients don’t understand why.”
In the end, though, technology can certainly help a remodeler increase his bottom line. But it will never replace good old-fashioned person-to-person communication.
“We use technology, such as Chief Architect, as a closing tool, as a way of letting people know what’s on the menu,” Breithaupt says. “For clients, it’s more about the relationship with a remodeler.”
Kathleen Stanley is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C.
Lessons Learned Designers don’t always watch the training videos that come with software. That’s why Chief Architect makes so many auxiliary options available.
At a breakfast session at February’s International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Fla., the folks from Chief Architect posed a simple question: “How many people here have purchased a design software product from our company?” Most every hand in the room went up. But there was very little upward movement when the next question was asked: “How many here actually watched the training video that came with the software?”
“Going in, a lot of people start designing what they need to, and then move on without further [exploring] what can be done with Chief Architect,” says Scott Harris, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing. His hunch is that designers intend to come back to the training video but that they just get too busy.
With that in mind, Chief Architect offers a variety of options: There are add-on training videos available ($395); two-day in-person training sessions ($595); individual online sessions ($125 per hour); plus any number of intermediate measures including user chat groups, online question-and-answer programs, and customized, hands-on instruction.
For more information, call Chief Architect’s training services at 800.482.4433 or e-mail training@chiefarchitect.com.