A whole host of variables and stakeholders exist when it comes to managing the busy world of the construction industry. Between vendors, clients, contractors, and employees, companies spend quite a lot of time and effort in maintaining their business processes and consolidating information. Such a complicated and data-sensitive procedure, not only needs to be constantly optimized, but also managed in such a way that the company can continue to cultivate good customer relations.
All these purposes are best served by CRM platforms such as Sugar. Sugar enables its users to optimize their business processes by organizing their company’s day-to-day process in such a way that all stakeholders, projects, leads, as well as accounting details are easily navigable and allow users to focus on the general direction of the company. This can be made even easier if the CRM platform is specially tailored to fit the needs of the construction industry in particular.
So how exactly does a CRM help businesses in the construction industry? And how can SugarCRM be leveraged to optimize processes in construction? Let’s find out!
Monitor Project Progress
With the help of a custom project module, users can track the progress of any project underway. From the very conception of a project, all the way down the pipeline, users can maintain an overview of the deliverables at each stage and make any changes to the pace of the project accordingly. Project modules can also be used to determine which project managers are assigned on what projects so that any communication and evaluation can be done easily.
Additionally, the project module allows scheduling to be done for the timeline of the projects. Based on this schedule, users can measure the progress of the project and determine if the performance is up to the mark. Moreover, any changes in schedule can be communicated to the entire team in this manner. The budget of projects can also be set up and assigned using the module, along with respective vendors and contractors. In this way, all the relevant information about all the projects is consolidated in one place.
Share Information With Stakeholders
Information regarding the project, be it the schedule, budget, vendors, or contractors, needs to be communicated to several different stakeholders and users within the organization. The sales team might need the pricing details for a particular phase of the construction project. Similarly, the administrators might need to access the data to monitor the performance of the project managers. Schedules need to be shared between various departments so that the overall timeline can be established and the entire organization can adhere to it.
Access Information Off-Site
The nature of the construction business requires employees to spend quite some time on site. At the same time, much of the work needs to be done from offices, and even remotely, from homes. In order to do so, data must be easily available everywhere. This is made possible by CRM platforms such as Sugar, that enable users to access their leads, contacts, and accounts form various locations.
Keep Track Of Clients
Client management is a huge concern made easy for construction companies due to SugarCRM. All current and previous clients can be managed can be recorded in a specific module designed for this purpose. The details of clients could include their contact information, project specifications, as well as history. A record of client meetings can be maintained where users can determine what agenda was covered in the meetings, as well as update any meeting notes so that they could be made available to the entire team.
Manage Vendors
In the construction industry, vendors form an essential part of every project and are essential to much of the work progress on-site. Vendors are specialized according to what materials they bring to the table, such as cement, wood, or bricks. Detailed information on vendors can be incorporated in a specified module in the SugarCRM and it could contain information such as the type of vendor, what materials they specialize in, how much do they charge, and what history has a particular vendor had with the company in question.
Organize Contractors
Contractors can be categorized on the basis of their skills, which can vary depending on the type of work that they provide. Contractors can offer various services useful in the construction industry, such as plumbing, electricity, sanitation installation, etc. Different companies have different go-to contractors and have an established relationship with them. It is important to maintain a log of the history of the contractors hired by the construction company as well as their detailed contact information and their charges. This could make it easier to search for the right contractor with the right services within the CRM platform.
Rolustech’s Industry Solutions
Rolustech offers industry solutions to its clients in the construction industry. For a more in-depth look at how we handle Sugar, you can read our Complete SugarCRM Guide. With a construction specified CRM, Rolustech has enables companies to manage all the different variables at play when it comes to handling vendors, contractors, or clients. All this is done to ensure efficient and smooth operations of the business and enables the entire team to be on the same page when it comes to projects and their progress.
Rolustech is a SugarCRM Certified Developer & Partner Firm. We have helped several firms with various SugarCRM Customizations, Migrations, and Integrations. Contact us today for your FREE consultation session. We will be happy to assist you!
