Did you know there are Houzz Pro tools for many different aspects of running your renovation business? From marketing your firm, attracting leads and communicating with clients to managing a project from start to finish, there’s a feature that can help.
So for each article in this series, we’re highlighting a particular business process and suggesting Houzz Pro features that can assist. This time, we’re focusing on keeping a project on schedule.
More in this series:4 Ways to Use Houzz to Win New Clients; 4 Ways to Use Houzz Pro to Boost Client Relations
1. Get everyone on task
Tool to use: Schedule
When there are multiple tasks to complete at different stages of a project and by various team members, contractors or clients, it can feel as if you’re spinning plates. Having a system where you can coordinate with everyone involved will make this so much easier.
“We work on several projects at a time, all at different stages, so it’s important to have a checklist for each of the tasks to be completed by a certain date,” interior designer Chantal Elshout says. “I try to divide the tasks between the team to avoid getting snowed under.”
Houzz Pro’s Schedule tool is ideal for keeping everyone on track, as it allows you to build a project’s timeline from scratch or by using templates, and then assign tasks to clients, team members and contractors at specific points within the schedule.
Everyone is notified when a due date is coming up, and when a task is crossed off the list. And you can view everything at a glance, either on your computer or on your mobile while on the go.
2. Reduce admin tasks to focus on the project
Tools to use: Templates, such as Estimate Builder and Proposals
Keeping track of all the elements within a complex renovation project requires time, and it can be quite frustrating when that time is taken up with administrative tasks. Creating proposals, quotes and invoices from scratch can be time-consuming, so it’s a good idea to devise a more efficient system.
“We use interactive templates for everything from developer or homeowner proposal documents through to different stage invoices,” Jake Hinchliffe of Orange Design Studio says. “This has turned a two-hour proposal task into a five-minute one.”
You can use templates with Houzz Pro tools at all stages of a project. For example, the Estimate Builder and the Proposals tools allow you to build your quotes from templates and send them over to the potential client efficiently for quick approval.
3. Streamline your processes
Tools to use: Takeoffs and Clipper
As well as saving time on admin jobs, it pays to add efficiency to tasks within the design process. Tech tools can help to speed up processes, so you can double down on the creative details of a project.
“The advancement in technology has definitely improved our efficiency as designers,” Omar Bhatti of Space Shack says. “We’re able to manage our time and free up time to focus on the design and management of the projects.”
Omar frequently uses the Clipper tool in Houzz Pro, as it allows him to build up a library of products that he can quickly add to a list or mood board, and his clients can easily approve or decline every option presented to them.
For builders and contractors, the Takeoffs tool is a game-changer for improving efficiency, as it lets you measure and mark-up plans on screen in minutes, and then turn them into an estimate.
4. Have one handy point of contact
Tool to use: Dashboard
For a smooth-running project, client communication is key, but it can take time to manage phone calls, text messages and emails – not to mention the delays when a client misses a call or doesn’t spot your last email.
“I always think it’s super-important to keep your client in the loop on as much as possible,” Sarah Davies of Floella Designs says. “The more the client feels part of the project without having to get into the nitty-gritty, the better. The key is communication and building up a trustworthy relationship.”
So how can you keep this dialogue going without eating into your schedule with a game of telephone tennis? The Dashboard feature in Houzz Pro is a great place to start, as it keeps all your communications in one central place that you and your client can access at a glance.
You can share everything from Schedules, plans, daily logs and messages on the Dashboard, so your client can see what’s going on in real time with their renovation without having to call or message you constantly for an update.
