If you’ve visited a home improvement site or done business with a home improvement company, you may already have experienced this company’s services. improveit! 360 builds customer relationship management (CRM) software for the home improvement industry.
At one time that software was actually installed on a client’s computer system. Today it’s delivered via mobile apps and through the cloud. Read more about this 30 employee firm from Columbus, OH, in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.
THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE THE BUSINESS OFFERS:
CRM software for the home improvement industry.
In fact, the company says it’s built its own business management platform. That platform is based on Salesforce and it helps home improvement companies track leads, schedule appointments, manage jobs, and report on their activities. The software integrates with a client’s existing software whether delivered through mobile apps or in the cloud.
THE ONE THING THE BUSINESS IS KNOWN FOR:
Being more than just a CRM software provider.
While that certainly is what the company sells, their mission is whole lot bigger. The improveit! 360 also provides education to the company’s users and prospects to help them run their businesses better.
improveit! 360 Director of Marketing Justin Showers explains:
“We create content and distribute it to everyone with articles, blog posts, videos, webinars, and more on such topics as sales, marketing, business management, and operations. We give away what a lot of other companies charge for by taking advantage of the wealth of knowledge and experience of our team. And we’re not a bunch of stuffy software developers – you should see our Meet the Team page or our Limbo contest video – we go the extra mile to give our customers what they need, make them smile, and help them succeed.”
HOW THE BUSINESS GOT STARTED:
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Basically, improveit! 360 is the offshoot of another successful business. When Big 50 Remodelers of Columbus, OH, needed a better system to run their business, the company created its own. The result was a CRM software product that worked so well, other companies started to ask whether they could buy it to manage their own businesses.
You don’t get a clearer signal than that!
THE COMPANY’S BIGGEST WIN:
Moving to the cloud.
It was 2009 when improveit! 360 said goodbye to physical software installations and migrated its software service to the cloud – and they haven’t looked back!
Showers says:
“This gave us the chance to offer this solution to everyone with Internet access. With no software to buy or upgrade, i360 was easier to use, easier to update, and faster to improve. We take input from our users and apply the most popular changes several times a year.”
INTERESTING TIDBIT ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS:
NERF battles!
Yeah, you heard us right. Hey, all that stress from making a popular software application has to come out somewhere, right?
Showers again explains:
“We enjoy our Nerf guns. Nearly everyone has a Nerf gun a collection of foam darts at their desk. It’s not unusual for a late afternoon battle to erupt and for darts to be flying through the air. And even if someone is in a meeting, a few darts might get launched over the wall, into the conference room.”
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Find out more about the Small Biz Spotlight program.
Image: improveit! 360
Aira Bongco
I guess it is better because it is geared towards a particular niche. Unlike other CRM softwares that are good for any type of business, this one is only for home improvement allowing more customized features that reflect the needs of its market.