What is construction CRM?

What is CRM for construction?

Keeping customers satisfied is crucial in every trade. Projects can also be complex, so using a dedicated construction CRM is an important aspect of running your trade business.

CRM stands for customer relationship management and it does what it says on the tin. The technology is there to enable tradespeople to manage customer relationships better.

But construction CRM does much more than bring you closer to your customer. This type of CRM that allows you to monitor and control all aspects of building project work.

How can CRM software for construction help tradespeople?

Construction company CRM puts you in control. Everything you need to run a construction job more efficiently is at your fingertips.

Here are the main benefits of using CRM software for your construction company:

• Keep on top of all your projects, all the time
• Communicate in real-time with customers, staff and contractors
• Improve collaboration between staff and contractors
• Reduce errors and mistakes by automating and monitoring tasks
• Increase the accuracy and consistency of information on jobs
• Learn from every job how you can improve the way you work
• Win more work by being more professional
• Increase your profits by keeping on top of costs and expenses

As you can see, in general terms CRM can deliver plenty of business benefits.

What are the functions of construction CRM?

There are plenty of CRM systems available for all types of trades. Choose one with all the functions you need to run your construction trade business better.

That means it must cover the special requirements of construction businesses. The main features of the best CRM for a construction company include:

Communicate easily

Construction jobs often involve people working on different things at once. For larger construction companies, using a CRM can help your team keep in better contact.

This includes group messaging, direct messages and emails. Deadlines can be flagged up in diaries. Messages can go to computers, laptops and smartphones.

Track your work

Keep abreast of all the moving parts of a project using CRM software for construction. Track each stage, who is working on it and how they are doing. Plus, you can schedule jobs more efficiently.

You can also track the availability of your materials, plant, machinery and equipment for jobs. That way, you’ll have all the right tools ready at the right time.

Monitor costs

Without careful control, construction costs can spiral. The best CRM for a construction company allows you to closely monitor expenses and costs.

You can monitor costs as they are incurred. It helps you plan, budget and avoid project cost overruns.

Improve administration

Lots of administrative work related to projects can be done within your construction CRM. This includes:

• Estimates and quotes
• Tender documents
• Timesheets
• Invoices

Your CRM will store documents digitally. That makes them easy to find and hard to lose.

Manage deliveries

The timing of deliveries to construction sites has to be managed very carefully. It’s another area where construction CRM can help. By seeing a project all on a single software system, you can manage projects far more effectively.

Manage people

Making the most of your people resourcing is another essential way to ensure construction projects are profitable. With CRM for construction, you can assign tasks to individuals. Then you can manage and monitor progress.

It can be a two-way process, as well. Employees and contractors alike can use your CRM tools to keep you updated.

Improve customer satisfaction

The ‘C’ in CRM is all about the customer. Technology such as this can play a big role in maintaining good customer relationships.

Keeping projects on time and keeping customers updated is easier if you have all the facts to hand. CRM software for construction gives you an instant ‘real-time’ snapshot of progress on projects.

Use your customer relationship software to:

• Send customers personal messages
• Follow-up on actions they have asked for
• Send them reminders whenever you need
• Identify potential problems that a customer may have before they crop up and find a way to prevent them happening
• Solve problems and issues that do occur with customers quickly so you keep them on your side

Generate new business

Like all types of CRM, one focussed on construction will offer tools that go beyond the actual work you do. Use your CRM software for construction to hold details of business leads and prospective customers. Track leads more effectively and build your own database of potential future work.

Analyse jobs

When jobs have been completed, construction CRM comes into its own. It shows you what went well and what didn’t.

Analyse data from construction projects to:

• Identify what you can do better
• Check profitability
• See what resources were used
• Compare your forecasts on things like expenses and revenue with the actual figures

Integrating with your existing business technology

Deciding on construction CRM is one thing. Making sure it operates with the technology you already use is crucial.

After all, it is meant to make your working life easier – not harder. It can be annoying to constantly jump off one computer system onto your CRM and then back again.

Before you settle on a software provider, check what integration is available. Make sure that it can be used seamlessly with your main business technology.

For example, using a CRM should be able to blend with your:

• Marketing activities
• Customer details databases
• Customer service activities
• Customer invoicing
• Supplier payments
• Email and email marketing

What is the best CRM for a construction company?

There are plenty of general CRM systems to choose from. Look closely at whether the functions are right for your trade business.

The best CRM to use depends on what you want to get out of it.

Once you’ve decided what you want, make sure to do your research. The following construction CRM software specialises in this sector and may be suitable for your trade business:

Fieldwire

Fieldwire is a jobsite management software that provides construction CRM. It helps you share information easily with teams to coordinate work activities.

Pipedrive

Pipedrive specialises in supporting trade businesses to keep track of projects and contracts.

Procure

Procure is aimed at trade business owners, as well as main contractors. It is used on over one million construction sites.

Simpro

Simpro CRM helps trade businesses improve efficiency and decision-making. It is aimed at a range of trades.

What to look for in construction CRM

Whatever options you are looking at for your software solutions, make sure to check a range of things and not just the price tag.

Here’s a handy checklist for when you review the best construction CRM

• Does it offer all the functions you need?
• Can it integrate easily with technology your trade business already uses?
• Is it easy to use?
• Will you and your employees and contractors need any training to use it?
• Can you customise it to fit the way you run your business?
• Will it keep pace with your business as you grow and expand?

Find more ways to keep your customers satisfied

By choosing a construction CRM, you’ll take a big step forward in running your trade business better. What you’ll want to add for your software are new sales leads and customer prospects.

That’s where we can help. Thanks to the existing customer interest we receive, Checkatrade members get help finding new enquiries.

There are many other reasons to consider bringing your construction company on board:

• Dedicated membership advice team
• Work guarantee up to £1,000 (T&Cs apply)
• Exclusive offers and discounts
• Up to 20% off Public Liability Insurance
• Reduced cost of workwear and branding
• Savings on other business essentials such as vans, fuel and materials
• Access to a dedicated members app – giving job management, profile management, reviews and quoting/invoicing tool

Key takeaways

• CRM stands for customer relationship management and is a type of technology for running businesses better
• Construction CRM helps you keep your customer happy but also controls many aspects of construction projects
• Choose a construction CRM that has all the functions you need to operate more efficiently and profitably
• Make sure the construction CRM will integrate with the other technology your business uses
• The best construction CRM will depend on the size of your trade business and the types of projects you undertake