“We Are A ‘Traditional’ Home Builder”

by Steve Ormonde on 09/16/10 at 8:21 am

Folks often consider us a “technology” company.  I’m cool with that, though I tend to consider us a communication company (hence our Architectural Communications trademark) that happens to use 3D technology as our method of choice.  But because of the technology moniker, we occasionally meet up with home builders that are lets say, technically challenged or even phobic. And I don’t mean that in an “I don’t know how to turn on my computer” sort of way, but more in a “technology is for the younger generation” sort of way.

Comments we hear include “Social networking is for kids” and “We have always done it this way”.  Perhaps the most interesting comment I hear is that “we are a ‘traditional’ home builder” with the emphasis on “traditional”. Now, they don’t mean they build “traditional homes”, just that they go about their business the way they always have. For some, this could be 25+ years.  And this tends to be the crutch they use to avoid leveraging technology.

One example of using technology is the use of virtual model homes.  Mike Moore, President of Making Customers suggests “To do this effectively builders need to change the sales environment from the traditional sales office or model home and truly use technology as the sales engagement and presentation environment. When they do it will be at less cost than model homes and more effective. Until they do they will be stuck in a sales process transition that isn’t serving the consumer or their business to it’s fullest.”

Are you stuck in a sales process rut?  I don’t have a PhD in consumer behavior, but it seems to me that in today’s “new economy”, those of us in the building industry need to learn to adapt to how our home buyers are getting their information, experiencing our new communities and making decisions.  What do you think?