One of the concerns many have with technological advances is the loss of the human touch in business. However, if we look at the effects that technology has for business, very often it is the opposite which occurs. Simply put, that’s because when people are relieved from dull, repetitive tasks, the quality of their work increases, and they have more time to focus on what really matters. And just about every business is a people business – so that means your people can engage better with your customers.
This is one of the fundamental principles behind the introduction of Soft Tech’s Dealer Web Module – a cloud-based software which is easily deployed to the point of sale at your dealers. The module extends your customer service team directly to the end users who are creating quotes, effectively multiplying your order entry.
Putting your configurable product offering into the hands of your dealers has multiple benefits, such as making ordering fast and easy which is exactly what the end user wants. The people that are most connected to the project details are the ones creating the quote, therefore eliminating mistakes and removing the hassle of re-keying the order. Another benefit is as you make changes to your product offerings, updated information is instantly available to your dealers in real time. Also, there’s no special knowledge required to use Dealer Module, and because it integrates with your V6 software, as soon as a dealer salesperson takes an order, you receive it.
For the longest time, people have worried about the impact of technology on humanity. Before social media and smartphones, the concern with mechanization was that it would put people out of work.
When Richard Arkwright invented the spinning frame around the time of the Industrial Revolution, workers felt so strongly about the potential negative impact on their employment that they burned down his mill. In due course, this gave rise to an ‘anti-technology’ movement, known infamously as the Luddites.
While the Luddites believed machinery put people out of work, the long-term result of that machinery was actually an overall gain in the numbers of people employed in producing textiles.
Dealer Management through technology
But what’s that got to do with Soft Tech’s Dealer Module, I hear you ask? A lot, actually. Technology which removes dull and repetitive tasks is the ‘raison d’être’, or reason for being, for all of V6, and just about any business software we use today. Computer technology is the modern equivalent to Arkwright’s spinning frame. Even the simple stuff we take for granted, like spreadsheets or word processors fit this description. Thanks to these tools and their more sophisticated cousins, we all do more, faster and with greater ease than ever before. Imagine accounting without accounting software!
When applied to Dealer Module, the same concepts apply. By giving your people better tools for the heavy lifting, they are freed up to do the things people are good at and prefer doing. Since every business is a people business, this means your dealers can engage meaningfully with their customers, handle orders faster and more efficiently, and improve the quality of all their interactions as well as the customer experience. All while selling your windows with ease.
In the next piece, I’ll discuss how Dealer Module supports your competitiveness with benefits including demand management. Until then, if you have any questions or comments, do get in touch – we’re a people business too and always love hearing from our customers.
For a demo on how Dealer Web Module can help improve getting your product to market and increase customer experience, request a free demo now:
