Features
- Like Clockwork
- C.P. Morgan transformed itself from an also-ran to Indianapolis's largest builder in eight years. The company couldn't have managed such rapid growth without bulletproof IT systems. Scheduling and quality control software has made the company more efficient, lowered home prices, and decreased callbacks. And the company is gradually extending its IT system to trade partners, making them more efficient in the process. As a bonus, data gleaned from B2C systems has helped Morgan better anticipate customer demands.
- Distributed Audio Awards Honor Top Products
- From digital music storage to amplification, whole-house audio systems are catching on with consumers. This second annual awards program will highlight the best entries in several categories.
- Night School
- Brookfield Homes Southland development has found an effective way to help make buyers comfortable with new home technologies. It uses model homes jammed with electronics, and a special Tech Night, where small groups of buyers learn about electronic options in an atmosphere free of sales pressure. The events help make buyers more focused during their design center meetings. The company holds similar, but more broadly focused, events for prospective buyers.
- The Mass Market Challenge
- The average tech home has $5000 to $10,000 worth of built-in electronics: monitored security systems, simple lighting controls, computer networking, and basic distributed audio-video. Unfortunately, these midrange installations are also the most disappointing for homebuyers. We look at why homebuyers lose confidence in mid-level integration projects, and what builders must to do to guarantee success.
Departments
- PATH Tech Check: Heat Pump Water Heater
- New drop-in replacement models use the same footprint as a conventional electric tank. And they can be installed by any plumber.
- CR What?
- There are customer relations management (CRM) systems available for every size and type of company. Their ability to capture and analyze company mind share results in better leads, more cooperative buyers, more reliable subcontractors, and more.
- Move Over, Palm
- Tablet PCs offer all the power of a conventional laptop, but are used like a clipboard. Here, we look at the leading brands of tablet PCs, including costly models that are tough enough to withstand a 3-foot fall onto concrete.