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IN DEPTH: Technology Tools

Using Existing Features
In many cases, becoming more efficient means making better use of existing programs. “Much of it is a matter of using the information they already have,” says ECi’s Maiuri. “There is a great deal of data embedded in their main platforms they can leverage for better marketing and analysis of customers’ needs. They can manipulate and analyze that information to fine-tune their customer service. But they also can add new data now that they have ways to analyze it to create more depth to their relationship with the customer.”

DMSi’s Limas agrees. “We’re seeing dealers recognize the valuable data they have stored in their ERP systems. They’re looking for ways to harness that data and tie it into the ways they serve their customers. There is more focus on using available data in new ways to get a better understanding of what is working and what isn’t.”

Leveraging that data can be frustrating if systems don’t talk to each other, which is an all-too-common challenge. “Compatibility among programs is going to be one of the biggest requirements in the future,” says PrebuiltML’s Lentz. “Dealers aren’t happy with programs that can’t talk to each other and work together. They’re going to demand more compatibility with every program.” Newer programs are being designed to make it easier to mesh with other programs, he notes, and older ones also are getting updates that include capabilities to adapt to other popular programs.

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“Some dealers are now looking at alternatives because they’re recognizing that while their system may still do what they need it to do, it won’t talk with other systems,” says DMSi’s Limas. “They’re losing efficiency because they can’t share between incompatible programs. We can usually find a path to convert from an older system to a new one and reduce the effort they need to work together.”

Mobility Options Expand
The desire for more mobility is one factor in the demand for compatibility. “Dealers are finding that their older systems sometimes can’t provide the sales and customer information in the field and on mobile devices,” says Epicor’s Rigby. “This need for mobility is causing some dealers to consider more current systems. They see the benefits they can achieve as they expand their capabilities.”

Mobility is definitely a driving force for many dealers, he notes. “Mobility is the biggest thing right now. It used to be enough to have a mobile add-on for specific information. Now dealers and their customers want to be able to get information from anywhere on any device, both professionally and personally. They want access on their own devices wherever they are. They don’t work 9 to 5.”

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Brian McCormick, director of the residential supply chain at MiTek Inc., agrees. “Mobility is absolutely growing in acceptance and importance, but the key is to have more than a mobile app that can access a file. It needs to be an integral part of a larger system that accesses other parts of the broader environment, through a portal or the ERP system. It needs to be a branch of the tree.”

sapphire viewer from MitekWith the Sapphire Viewer from MiTek, designers can quickly review structural models in Plan and 3-D views using zoom and pan. The mobile app can show the design in full 3-D on an iPad or iPhone, allowing collaboration in the field. Models also can be sent via email for viewing on devices, providing virtual tours of the design at any location.

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