Last updated on December 28th, 2022
In today’s digital age, it is more important than ever for architects, home designers, and home construction builders to have software that helps manage client flows. From nurturing leads through proposals to staying on top of signatures and contracts, managing the various stages of the client lifecycle can be a daunting task without the right tools in place. A great software platform elevates your brand, makes your life easier, communicates confidence to your clients, and moves your growing team out of spreadsheet hell.
One of the first steps in the client lifecycle is nurturing leads through proposals. This involves identifying potential clients and then presenting them with a proposal that outlines the services you offer and the costs associated with them. Without software to help manage this process, it can be difficult to keep track of which proposals have been sent to which clients and what their responses have been.
Once a proposal has been accepted, the next step is staying on top of signatures and contracts. This involves ensuring that all necessary documents are signed and that the terms of the contract are being followed. Without software to help manage this process, it can be difficult to keep track of which documents have been signed and when, which can lead to delays or even legal issues down the line.
There are some key elements of a successful proposal that you will want your tooling to support:
- When looking for a tool to manage proposals, consider one that allows you to easily create professional-looking proposals and customize them with your own branding and logo.
- Make sure the tool you choose allows you to track which proposals have been sent to which clients and what their responses have been.
- To get to a successful start of the relationship, look for a tool that allows you to easily capture digital signatures to seal the deal digitally.
After the contract has been signed, the next step is drafting and sending estimates to communicate costs. This involves creating detailed estimates of the materials, labor, and other costs associated with the project and then communicating these costs to the client. Without software to help manage this process, it can be difficult to keep track of all the various costs involved in a project and to ensure that the client is fully informed about the budget.
In the estimates phase, you’ll always want to look for software that supports your business in specific ways:
- A tool that allows you to create detailed estimates of the materials, labor, and other costs associated with a project can be particularly helpful.
- It is also useful to have a tool that allows you to easily communicate with clients and make any necessary revisions as clients will often have questions or will want to add, subtract, or revise line items that have been listed.
- For easy tracking, consider a tool that allows you to see the status of estimates and which ones have been accepted and which ones are still pending.
Once the project is underway, it is important to keep track of project and time tracking to communicate tasks and progress. This involves keeping track of the various tasks that need to be completed and the time that is being spent on each task. Without software to help manage this process, it can be difficult to keep track of the progress of a project and to ensure that all tasks are being completed on time.
You’ll want to have a project management system or software solution that covers these key aspects:
- When it comes to managing projects, a tool that allows you to easily track the progress of a project and see which tasks have been completed and which ones are still outstanding can be invaluable.
- Assigning tasks to specific team members and tracking the time they spend on each task is also important, so look for a tool that offers these features.
- To stay organized and on schedule, consider a tool that allows you to create project schedules and set deadlines for each task.
- Good communication with clients is key, so look for a tool that allows you to easily communicate with clients about the progress of a project and provide updates as needed.
- Collaboration with team members is also crucial, so look for a tool that allows you to easily share documents, images, and other project-related materials.
Finally, invoicing and payments are an essential part of the client lifecycle, as they ensure that the architect or business is getting paid on time. This involves creating invoices for the work that has been completed and then following up on any unpaid invoices. Without software to help manage this process, it can be difficult to keep track of which invoices have been paid and which ones are still outstanding, which can lead to delays in payment or even legal issues.
A tool that allows you to easily create invoices for the work that has been completed can save a lot of time and effort.
- Make sure the tool you choose allows you to follow up on any unpaid invoices to ensure timely payment.
- It can also be helpful to have a tool that allows you to track which invoices have been paid and which ones are still outstanding.
- Some tools even allow you to accept payments online, which can streamline the payment process for both you and your clients.
- Consider a tool that allows you to customize invoices with your own branding and logo to add a professional touch.
In conclusion, software that helps manage client flows is essential for architects, house designers, and construction builders. From nurturing leads through proposals to staying on top of signatures and contracts, drafting and sending estimates, project and time tracking, and invoicing and payments, the various stages of the client lifecycle require careful management in order to ensure the success of a project. By using software to help manage these processes, architects and construction professionals can streamline their workflows and better serve their clients.
Does your process currently get in the way? Clientary has functionality specifically designed to help architects and home builders make their client workflows more efficient.