CRM Construction Services: A Complete Guide

Managing a construction company is no walk in the park. On an average day, you're probably running around:

• Dealing with suppliers and contractors
• Inspecting multiple job sites
• Looking for new projects
• Putting out fires

It seems like your job never ends, does it?

Then there's the matter of acquiring new clients and providing excellent customer service. This arduous task involves gathering leads, categorizing them, contacting them, creating proposals and bids, sending emails, making calls – the list goes on and on. And all of this before you even close a deal!

In the construction industry, landing a contract can take up to several months.

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But we're here to tell you there is a way to take the load off your shoulders. It's called CRM (customer relationship management) software, and it will make dealing with your clients as smooth as a newly paved road.

Compared to other industries, managing customer relationships has always been hyper-personalized in construction. That is, construction companies rarely use software and other technology: just think that up to 36% don't use construction industry CRM software!

If you move past the dark ages and into the 21st century by using a CRM, you'll be getting ahead of 36% of your competition.

Sounds good?

Let's take a closer look at your CRM construction services needs.

What Makes Construction Company CRM Unique

A CRM is software that enables you to manage prospects and existing clients efficiently. It serves as a single repository for all customer data, making sure that employees have access to the same information.

But what makes a construction company CRM unique?

It's designed to meet the specific needs of a construction business.

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Well, beyond that, using a CRM in construction means that you can easily:

• Track projects and bids
• Collaborate with team members
• Make accurate project pipeline and sales forecasts

With a construction CRM system, your contacts, bids, invoices, and relationships with architects, engineers, contractors, and other stakeholders are organized in one handy location.

Plus, the construction business relies heavily on word-of-mouth referrals. Since a CRM helps sales teams provide better client interactions, using one results in happy customers. And happy customers = referrals.

Types of CRM Construction Services Can Use

There are two main types of CRMs you can choose from – a cloud-based or an on-site CRM.

The difference between on-premise or cloud-based CRMs is:

1. On-premise: An on-premise CRM is stored on the company's internal servers.
2. Cloud-based: A cloud-based CRM is much more popular because it offers real-time access from anywhere.

Most construction CRMs are cloud-based, and for a good reason.

Functionality increases significantly with the more accessible cloud-based software. It also requires fewer upfront costs, especially compared to an on-site CRM which requires funds for a physical setup.

Benefits of Adopting a Construction CRM System

The main benefit of a construction CRM system is improving relationships with your clients. We'll talk about this in-depth in a bit, but more than this, you get a host of other benefits.

Enhanced collaboration

Communication and organization are immediately improved when everyone has access to the same tool. A CRM serves as a shared knowledge base. Team members are kept in the loop, making it easy for everyone to give their input. Since construction requires a lot of input from different departments, having a central source of information makes collaboration seamless.

Real-time monitoring

A CRM allows you to track a project's progress at every stage. You can use it to track deals, quotes, and work orders and see at a glance what needs to be done. Everything is recorded and updated in real-time, so you can immediately address tasks and allocate resources where needed.

Automation

A construction company CRM can automate tasks for you. Handing over repetitive administrative tasks to your CRM is such a time saver! Since employees don't have to deal with a thousand small tasks every day, they can focus on more important ones.

These tasks include updating current client records, generating reports for stakeholders, integrating notifications for developers and contractors, general scheduling, as well as project reviews.

Taking advantage of automation means more consistency across each project. It also helps to create professional and meaningful relationships with customers, contractors, and suppliers.

Easy access

Having 24/7 access from the office or home is a big selling point for CRM software for construction companies. When managing a construction business, problems don't magically stop when you leave the office.

You can address time-sensitive tasks using your laptop or mobile device. A good CRM will have a mobile app with all your information and a 360 overview of every project. All past and present data is available at all times so that you can resolve any problem that crops up.

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Improved decision-making

With a CRM, the days of wading through old emails to find exactly what you need were in the past.

Everything is at your fingertips and organized for easy access. Having all this information at your fingertips helps you make better decisions because all the moving parts and potential outcomes can be seen immediately.

Better relationships with customers

Now we come to the show's star–customer relationship.

It can make or break your business, so you want to ensure that your clients are happy with your services.

And a construction company CRM will do just that.

Since it contains all the data on your clients – existing and potential – a CRM equips everyone on your team to handle communications with the right information. This ensures that your clients get:

1. The right information at the right time
2. A personalized experience

Let's look at an example.

Say you land a new client. This means having to deal with a ton of paperwork without a CRM.

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With a CRM, you simply have to input all the data pertinent to the client and everyone – from project managers to marketing to finance to client relationship managers – can access it whenever necessary. And when the customer reaches out to the company for whatever reason, you can give them an accurate answer immediately without giving them the runaround.

When businesses run smoothly with fast access to data, on-demand reports, and task automation, all other areas improve. A well-run business translates directly into better client relationships.

Construction is a competitive field, and one of the best ways to stand out is with excellent customer relations.

What to Look for in a CRM for a Construction Company

So, now you've seen what a CRM can do for your company.

What are you waiting for?

Ah, probably a guide on how to choose a CRM service. You can click that link right there for CRMs in general, or you can continue reading for construction-specific information.

Let's look at the features you'll want your CRM to have.

As you go through each feature, keep in mind what you need and the ones you don't. This will ensure that you don't overpay for things you won't even use.

Effective pipeline management

This key feature increases the visibility of the sales funnel so that you can see where prospective clients are in the process. It also helps you assess which projects have the most significant potential and which might need a push. Effective pipeline management optimizes the sales process to get the most out of your work.

Activity management

Tracking sales activity boosts the chances of getting new clients and retaining old clients. It can also be used for project management because it allows you to keep track of project quotes, contracts, and compliance.

Contact management

Contact management allows you to keep all of your contact details in one place – and we don't mean an Excel file.

A construction company CRM will have a database where you store information about current clients, lead lists, vendors, suppliers, and much more.

A good CRM will make it easy for you to organize and retrieve these details.

Depending on the CRM you go with, you may also be able to pull information from LinkedIn and other social media platforms. This can significantly enhance your networking efforts.

Data Analysis

Having all of your essential information laid out in an understandable format is invaluable, but a good CRM goes beyond that. It takes the information, analyzes it, and delivers a report based on the parameters you indicate.

This lets you see how your team works and what may need improvement. It also allows you to see if you're meeting KPIs and understand how your business is doing at the macro and micro levels.

Forecasting

A CRM is not exactly a crystal ball, but it does enable you to see at a glance which deals are likely to close and how much they are worth. This is essential for business planning and an excellent tool for your sales team.

This feature is also useful in project cost forecasting. Costs may change in the middle of a project due to factors such as fluctuation in the prices of materials. A CRM comes in handy when considering these fluctuations and ensuring all stakeholders know what's going on.

Reputation

The software might look great on the surface but may have serious flaws upon implementation. Ask others in the construction business what they use. Research the provider's user reviews.

Don't get caught unaware of a common problem in the software. Make sure you ask around to learn about a CRM provider's reputation.

Cost

CRMs come in a variety of shapes and sizes – and costs.

Some charge a base fee and then charge extra for add-ons. Others will charge depending on the number of users. Find what is suitable for your company by considering which features you need and how many employees you want to have access to it.

But just like you should not overpay for features you aren't going to use, don't go for a CRM that lacks vital features your business needs to grow.

Setup and Integrations

Despite the fact that CRMs use a lot of data, they should be easy to set up and use. Their whole purpose is to make your job easier.

Don't invest in software that is overly complicated and that no one wants to use. All the data from your old system should easily be imported to the new CRM, making the transition as smooth as possible.

Also, a construction CRM system should also work well with the other tools you already use. This includes email, accounting software, and marketing software. Without good integrations, the company will have to update the records twice. This increases the chance that information will be entered incorrectly or lost entirely.

Here's a handy table to sum up:

Top 5 CRM Software for Construction

With so many options, identifying the right CRM construction services you should use can be a daunting task.

Don't fret. We're here to help narrow down your choices.

Here are our top five picks for construction CRM software.

1. Ringy

Ringy is the solution to your construction CRM problems.

Okay, that's us, and it may sound like we're tooting our own horn. But we do provide you with what you need to streamline your customer relationship management processes.

And while Ringy is not strictly a construction CRM, our system is highly customizable and will fit your business's needs. Plus, we provide account/system optimization and onboarding for free. Other providers charge anywhere from US$300 to US$1,000+ for this service!

Other features that you will love:

• Lead management and distribution system
• Drip campaigns to nurture your leads
• Custom reports and analytics
• Integration with other tools like Zapier, Facebook and Google Calendar
• Mobile app

Remember when we said to ask around about a provider's reputation? Take a look at what our customers have to say about us.

Ringy costs US$109 per month (accurate as of November 2023).

2. Pipedrive

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Pipedrive is a CRM built by salespeople for salespeople.

It offers a visual of the entire sales pipeline, allowing you to see how your sales are going at a glance and better understand the next steps for your sales teams.

Other handy Pipedrive features:

• Fully customizable
• Sales automation
• Lead management
• Insights and reports
• Email and communications
• Integrates with 250+ tools and services

Plans start at US$12.50 per user per month, billed annually (accurate as of July 2022).

3. Hubspot

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Hubspot is a popular CRM platform that combines marketing, sales, content management, and customer service.

It's also not a construction-specific CRM, but its features can be customized for the construction niche:

• Lead generation
• Analytics
• Marketing features like blogs and SEO
• eSignatures
• Email features like smart send times and drip campaigns
• Workflow extensions
• Data and datasets recording

Hubspot has a free version, which meets the basic needs of small businesses. You'll have to get a paid plan for increased user limits, automation, white-labeling, and more. The pricing depends on what service you need (Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Customer Service Hub, Content Management Hub, or Operations Hub).

It can be quite complicated, but expect to pay a minimum of US$45 per month for 2 users, billed annually (accurate as of July 2022).

4. Zoho

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Another familiar name in the niche, Zoho CRM prides itself on being “built to be used less.” It's an all-in-one CRM solution that connects sales, marketing, and service teams on one platform.

It has comprehensive features that can be customizable to the construction industry:

• Lead, funnel, and pipeline management
• Contextual customer service across multiple channels
• Agent productivity tools
• Self-service customer support
• Marketing tools
• Business analytics
• Automation and process management
• Team collaboration
• Mobile apps

Zoho All-In-One: CRM Plus starts at US$57 per user per month, billed annually (accurate as of July 2022).

You can also choose only the platform you need: Sales, Service, or Marketing.

5. Procore

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Of all the CRMs in this list, Procore is the only one built specifically for construction companies. Its solutions cover all aspects of construction including:

• Preconstruction: prequalification, bid management, and estimating
• Project management: quality and safety, design coordination, and BIM
• Training management: training and certification center
• Workforce management: field productivity and workforce planning
• Financial management: project financials, invoice management, and accounting integrations
• Business analytics

However, a lot of features come with a high price… and you have to get in touch with their team for a custom quote (accurate as of July 2022).

CRM Construction Services FAQs

“What are the three basic CRM functionalities?”

The three basic CRM functionalities are salesforce automation, marketing automation, and customer service automation. Each of these basic functionalities covers more specific features that a construction company needs to improve its business processes. Some of these features include customer journey and marketing funnel automation, lead or opportunity management, contact management, accurate forecasting, and insights and reports.

“What does CRM stand for in construction?”

CRM stands for customer relationship management. A CRM for construction businesses allows you to manage the data of prospects and current customers. This results in better relationships with your clients. A construction CRM can also be used to automate sales processes, track bids and project proposals, and make an accurate project, cost, and sales forecasts.

“Which CRM is best for small business?”

Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer to this question. Choosing the best CRM for your business will depend on factors such as the number of employees/users, your industry, and the features you need. However, we can say with certainty that Ringy offers a simple, affordable plan packed with features that you can customize to your heart's content.

CRM Construction Services: Final Thoughts

Construction companies are part of a unique industry that requires the right CRM to get the job done. A CRM for construction management makes your life easier through:

• Automation
• Pipeline management
• Contact management
• Improved collaboration
• Project management
• And much more

With a customized platform, your construction company can set up your CRM exactly how you want it. Ringy offers all of these features – and then some.

Ready to modernize your construction company's processes? Get in touch to schedule a demo today.