Businesses need to evolve to succeed. Companies that continuously adapt climb the ladder of success, while those that don’ t quickly feel the consequences of moving too slowly. Netflix for example could see the future of online viewing so evolved its business model from a simple DVD rental company to an online streaming hub. Similarly, Apple was established to sell computers but adapted to a wider range of electronic devices to meet market demand. Meanwhile brands that didn’ t adapt so quickly, like Kodak who didn’ t want to alienate customers by changing too much, and Nokia who thought their brand was strong enough for them to join the smartphone revolution later than everyone else, did not fare so well.

In the home improvement sector, companies are currently having to adapt to meet higher consumer expectations. Homeowners want more digital interaction, a more personal service, and quicker response times. But in order for installation businesses to stay ahead, they need suppliers that are evolving too.

AdminBase has continuously evolved since it was established 30 years ago. The changes we have implemented have come from our own expertise from working in an installation company, our knowledge of the digital and home improvement markets, and from the consultative approach we employ. This multi-faceted tactic ensures we have every angle covered when it comes to understanding the challenges and opportunities faced by our customers.

Improving efficiencies

With online shopping, including managing orders virtually, now the norm, installation businesses that can offer a level of self-service are more likely to win the sale and be recommended for future work. That is precisely why we developed the Customer Portal for our users. Homeowners can log in, confirm appointments, check on the progress of their survey and installation, and as importantly, report any snagging issues after the project has been completed.

The My AdminBase Diary feature is another example of a development in the system, introduced as a direct result of customer feedback. Installers told us they wanted a simplified way of passing relevant appointment details from AdminBase to on-site personnel, and vice versa, so we gave our developers the brief and they came up with the app. Users can attach PDFs, pictures, videos, voice recordings, and any other useful information to each lead or record so that everyone with

access to the system can see the very latest information on any job at any time.

No compromise with collaboration

More recently we have evolved by collaborating with other suppliers. Through working with WhatsApp for example, Admin- Base users can see live messages associated with a record because everything is centralised. This allows our customers all the convenience and immediacy of using the messaging app, without the compromise of potentially crucial information sitting on one individual’ s device. We have also collaborated with What 3 words, the app that gives more precise positioning than postcodes and is often better for installation teams looking for those more remote project locations.

As well as these more generic apps, we have also upped the ante with our industry specific collaborations too. The aim of this is to allow installation businesses to enjoy all the efficiencies of

AdminBase and all the benefits of their favourite industry software, without having to manually share data between the two. We have so far established successful partnerships with PricepointTM Sales, helping home improvement companies sell their wares in the home, Windowlink, a one stop solution for 3D design, quoting, ordering and automated pricing, and Tommy Trinder, industry quotation software that helps to create stunning quotes and visuals.

As in the case of Netflix and Apple, every business needs to evolve to stay relevant. Installation businesses need to stay ahead of changing consumer expectations and suppliers should constantly be listening to customer feedback and designing and developing fresh solutions that deliver tangible benefits. AdminBase has been carefully and considerately evolving for the last 30 years and will continue to do so to keep its customers ahead of the curve.

www. abinitiosoftware. co. uk