Transforming the Home Buying Experience by Digitizing the Build Process with Custom Apps for Customers and Vendors

The Challenge: Identifying Inefficiencies within the Cumbersome Home Buying Processes

The client sought to modernize the home buying and building process to improve efficiency and the overall experience for customers and vendors. Due to the decentralized and multi-participant nature of home development (involving multiple product options and vendors), the adoption of technology to improve business processes had been slow. The selection process for homebuyers typically began with a cumbersome paper catalog, consisting of hundreds of pages of options, from kitchen tiles to electrical outlets. This manual process took months and was further delayed by inevitable reconsiderations, decision changes, and constantly shifting inventory. The continuous interaction and time commitment from sales personnel was a drain on resources, prolonging the sales cycle. The homebuilder sought to streamline the selection process by integrating technology and providing user access to online catalogs with product availability, aiming to reduce the cycle from three months to three weeks and free up salespeople to focus more on selling homes.

The Solution: Implementing Technology Solutions for Process Improvement

Judge Consulting met with the client and key stakeholders to better understand the pain points. Additionally, Judge took time to review and understand the current business processes and systems. After a deep dive and evaluation, Judge recommended a suite of technology solutions to revolutionize and digitize the homebuilder’s buying process. A custom-built product catalog application automated the selection process for customers and streamlined workflow utilizing a customizable rules system for tracking and maintaining complex construction requirements.

To support the new application, Judge Consulting provided their Resource as a Solution (RaaS) model. This allowed the homebuilder to scale their technology resources as needed, bringing in a technology “SWAT” team to help support and manage the system.

Training was crucial for successful end-user adoption. In addition to full documentation on the use and support of the application, Judge provided a full program centered around change management to ensure a successful roll out and full user adoption.

The Result: Achieving Significant Improvements and Competitive Advantages

The success of the online product catalog led to additional technological advancements for the homebuilder. The vendor portal streamlined the previously manual bidding and project management process. Vendors could now submit information and charges online, allowing for faster assessment and awarding of bids. The automated creation of contracts and legal documentation significantly reduced errors and process gaps.

Technology allowed the homebuilder to refine processes and discover more efficient ways of working, leading to the development of a home care portal. This portal replaced on-site visits with real-time updates, including rich media from the construction site, enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction while reducing safety and liability concerns.

The comprehensive solutions provided by Judge Consulting resulted in immediate process improvements and a quick return on investment. The home buying process saw a 70% improvement in efficiency, reducing the cycle time from three months to three weeks. The integration of the product catalog and home care portal created new revenue opportunities, enabling customers to make additional purchases and upgrades during and after the build process. This project has been critical to increasing customer goodwill and providing the homebuilder with a greater competitive edge in the luxury homebuilding market.