Behind the Business

Behind the business: Building relationships with clients through construction tech (Part 2 of 5)

This is the second post in a five-part series taking an in-depth look at how AFT Construction builds bigger and better with residential construction management software.

Photo of Brad Leavitt, president of A Finer Touch Construction.

Behind the Business series: This week, we bring you the second post in our series highlighting AFT Construction, a leading home builder in Scottsdale, Arizona. Throughout this series, you’ll hear from the team firsthand and learn what jobs were like before construction software, the transformative effect Buildertrend had and how they use it today to bring epic builds to life.

Did you miss the first part of our series? Check out Part 1: AFT life before construction software vs. now.

Brad Leavitt, president of A Finer Touch Construction, found that trust is crucial in the customer-company relationship. And with large custom homes and out-of-town clients, gaining that trust was what was helping him win more jobs.

AFT Construction’s been in the business for nine years, but it competes against established firms that have been building custom homes for 30 or 40 years. So how does Brad stand out? With the help of construction tech!

Check out these three tips on how to build trust in your business through a home builder app.

1. Prove you’re better than the competition

Construction software like Buildertrend isn’t just for project management – it’s also an effective sales tool. A tip for an initial client meeting while giving your sales pitch? Tell them you use tech that can make their lives easier throughout the process. It’s a clear way to show you have more to offer than the competition.

Hiring a Buildertrend contractor comes with a host of benefits for homeowners, including a simplified way to choose selections, online payments and progress updates – just to name a few. Clients will see this as a huge plus knowing they’ll have more communication throughout the home building process. And as Brad highlights in the video above, separating your construction company in the sales phase can hinge on client experience.

2. Have a streamlined way to communicate

Before Buildertrend, Brad was asking himself, “So how do you communicate with clients? How do you open that channel?”

The Customer Portal gave his clients an avenue where they can feel like they’re part of the process. Having a channel to communicate was especially important for AFT Construction, whose clients don’t live in the area.

At its core, the portal allows for quick, streamlined communication between contractor and homeowner – without anyone ever having to step foot on the job site.

3. Share information throughout the build

Clients want to see the progress on the home they’re building – it’s often one of the biggest pain points. With a construction app, you can continue building trust with your client and keep them updated without creating extra work for yourself. Gone is the past of sending emails every week or taking phone calls from eager clients.

With the portal, customers get their own login. There they can access pictures and videos that the construction company uploads right from the job site. This convenient online platform allows customers to see progress on their build and track down payments and documents all in one place.

“What I found especially early on is that clients specifically hired us because of the trust factor,” Brad said. “The homeowner portal became a huge liaison and ally for us.”

Communicate with your clients through construction management software

Want to give the Customer Portal a try? Get Buildertrend on your side to see how you can transform how you do business. Schedule a demo to get started today.

More great content from AFT construction is coming your way. Be sure to come back for next week’s installment that focuses on Brad’s secret to training his team on tech.

About The Author

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Lizzie Long Lizzie Long is a Content Specialist at Buildertrend.

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