Success story: Stress-free online payments

“There’s no reason – no excuse – to not move to online payments,” said Brian Ensminger, general manager of Waunakee Remodeling Inc.

With upward of 500 contracts open at once, Waunakee Remodeling Inc., doesn’t have time to waste time. They’re the premier remodeling company of south-central Wisconsin. As such, they need a premier way to accept client payments and keep their cash flow moving as fast as their business does.

Buildertrend Payment Processing has proven to be their right financial fit. By collecting from clients in the same system that helps them power through projects, the company has centralized operations into one simple system.

Today, Buildertrend is Waunakee Remodeling’s one-stop-shop for success.

Industry

Remodeling

Location

Madison, Wis.

Established

1977

Winning solution

Payment Processing

Their story: Remodelers renovating the client experience

Waunakee Remodeling is proof construction companies don’t have to sacrifice quality for the sake of quantity. Hundreds of projects are open at any given moment, yet the client is always kept top of mind.

How do they manage it all? Their formula for success depends on three things. First, comes the team. It’s made up of more than 100 top-notch experts with years of industry experience in material selection, design and custom craftsmanship.

Next is the fact they know what they’re really good at – and they do a lot of it. First founded as a siding company in 1977, Waunakee Remodeling has evolved into a full-service interior and exterior remodeling resource. However, they specifically put a focus on window and door replacement, even serving as the area’s Renewal by Andersen affiliate.

Finally, this team can accomplish an extra lot of the extraordinary because they don’t shy away from innovation. Instead of settling for what they’ve always done, Waunakee Remodeling has evolved alongside the industry to find new efficiencies and methods of winning over clients.

“Anytime you can show to your customers that you’re professional, hold standards of high quality and are putting their best interests first by making things easier for them, it’s a no-brainer,” Brian said.

Their goal: Construction management software to contain the complicated

Get in. Get back to work. Waunakee Remodeling needed a system that saves the team time – not wastes more of it. Like many remodelers, they were challenged by the sheer volume of current and potential jobs they had to stay on top of.

Though the team had tried their hand at remodeler software that strictly managed leads, a more robust and encompassing solution was missing. They needed a way to break-free of doing business by three-ring binders.

“As soon as you write something on a piece of paper, the only person who knows about it is the one who has the piece of paper,” Brian said. “That was the primary reason we started looking for some software – so that all the info was accessible to everyone. We found that with Buildertrend.”

Waunakee living room
Custom living room by Waunakee Remodeling Inc.

Their solution: Improving cash flow with online payment processing

The core features of Buildertrend – including Messages, Scheduling and To-Do’s – allowed Waunakee Remodeling to accomplish their goal of bringing everyone and everything together in one shared space. But that was just the beginning. Payment Processing added a deeper level of connectivity.

After adopting Buildertrend, Waunakee Remodeling almost instantly began using Payment Processing. Its value was apparent and undeniable. Beyond just lead or project management, Buildertrend also becomes a company’s one place to pay and get paid with Payment Processing.

Integrating payments in construction management software is a win for Waunakee Remodeling and the many, many clients they simultaneously serve.

“We have a diverse client base, and they appreciate having that ease of payments,” Brian said. “Payment Processing absolutely adds one more avenue to make that client experience a positive thing.”

The benefits of Payment Processing run deeper than just providing clients a more convenient option. It helps keep financials organized – which is doubly important for a business as big as Waunakee Remodeling, which receives as many as 32 deposits per day – and ensures a steady stream of income.

When an online payment comes through Buildertrend, there is no second guessing. A builder knows with certainty that money is in their account.

“When electronic payments are made, they’re final. That deposit is 100 percent versus getting a call from your bank that a check didn’t clear,” Brian said. “Then you potentially have to face fees and an awkward conversation with homeowners.”

With online payments, Waunakee Remodeling is secure in their knowledge that their deposits are solid. That security does more than just keep their business in the black at the present moment. It helps drive successful business decisions and functions for the future.

This is the power of a faster cash flow. Construction companies don’t have to wait for payment from one client to kick off a job for another. Taking this piece of the project puzzle online allows cash to come in more quickly, so there are always funds available to keep a business moving toward its most ambitious goals.

“Online processes absolutely speed payments up,” Brian said. “If you’re not participating in Payment Processing, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity.”

Waunakee kitchen
Custom kitchen by Waunakee Remodeling Inc.

Their success: Simple processes for increased efficiency

“Today we notice our people are spending a lot more time on functional processes and much less time on tasks like driving around,” Brian said. “There’s been a measurable increase in efficiency … a measurable increase in our productivity.”

Things are a lot smoother for Waunakee Remodeling now that software is on their side. That’s because, right in Buildertrend, job information is now tracked down to the last detail – and cent.

“Buildertrend gave us a centralized info hub. Having payments through Buildertrend consolidates that info hub even for clients,” Brian said. “It was a simple decision on our end. This is one more opportunity to take care of them.”

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