It’s been an eventful growth curve, having run a pilot, launched the service, endured an unprecedented downturn and ultimately evolved to be the market’s leading customer care provider. What started as no more than a good idea over a coffee and a bun back in 2002, became a fledgling pilot shortly after. Later on we opened up our service to the wider UK market to see business really take off.
Then came the economic crash and we were faced with a fight or flight choice – needless to say we opted for fight and, instead of contracting our offer, we increased it. As the recovery began to impact around 2010-12 we began to significantly increase our customer base.
Further investment in technology meant that by 2014 we had a CRM system using the highly developed Microsoft Dynamics platform. Portals allow our clients and the occupant each to securely access the system (independently) 24/7 to see calls, actions, appointments, trends and analysis (clients) and to report and track defects (occupants).
The After Build training programme has provided us with a team of highly qualified property coordinators, all equipped to operate to the various but growing array of warranties, such that our focus when taking every occupant call is to professionally diagnose the issue to determine legitimacy of defect.
Of overriding value and uniqueness are these two points:
We built our service on a ‘FIXED-PRICE’ approach i.e. no matter how many occupant calls or property defects are reported during the Builder’s Rectification Period (years 1-2 of the 10 year warranty), our client pays a pre-agreed fixed rate – per plot. This has been exceptionally well received as it overcomes the concern of spiralling costs;
Not only do we handle the occupant (becoming their single point of contact), but we also manage the original contractors; this removes a vast amount of pressure, freeing the client up to focus on the development of their business.
Throughout, the client remains in control without having to participate on a daily basis. It is a perfect arrangement and one that has allowed us to celebrate 15 years of new-build customer care while looking forward to 15 more.