Increase in serious
buyer leads
OUR APPROACH
THE IDEA
Improving the Sales Process
Clayton offers home products to fit the needs of many types of buyers. With expansive product inventory, an in-person retail experience was largely driving the buying process. While the company does have a robust digital catalog, the inventory offers customers static imagery. They lacked the ability to combine design elements together and visualize bringing their home to life. Clayton also was unable to gain insight into their customers’ build preferences in a home before engaging them in the buying process.
These challenges meant that:
•
Clayton spent time working through low quality sales leads, slowing down the sales process
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Customers lacked a way to self-identify what they wanted out of a Clayton home
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The digital experience was unable to help the sales team identify and predict purchasing behaviors from interested buyers
Because real estate is a cyclical business, Clayton needed to meet a target window of peak buying. So, their new tool had to be in place before this fixed deadline.
THE PROCESS
A Flexible, Collaborative Team in Design and Development
To meet their goals and deadline, we recognized that there were four crucial elements that would be required to deliver on their vision — and within their timeline. In every step, we supported them with a cross-functional, collaborative team.
Element 1: Full-Stack, Cross-Functional Delivery Team
We launched our work with a versatile team who would be available throughout the project. They could support front- and back-end development and easily respond to our client’s needs and pivot whenever a challenge arose.
Element 2: Software and Data Design and Development
Clayton had a vision for what they wanted — and needed a team who could design and develop the software, and build the data-management foundation. From start to finish, we advised them and created the framework and tool that would make the Home Designer a reality.
Element 3: Agile Delivery Method
Our agile process enabled us to stay efficient, break up the workload, and focus on specific tasks at hand. Further, this method opened up transparency so that everyone stayed aware of the project’s needs, goals, and action steps.
Element 4: Collaborative Partnership
Collaboration was integral to the project’s success. Not only did our team work together throughout the process, we collaborated with Clayton across the project. At every step, Clayton remained informed of the project’s timeline, process, and progress. When challenges arose, we were able to easily make Clayton aware and know our plan to overcome roadblocks.
THE IMPACT
Our versatile team and agile design approach helped Clayton meet their goal within budget and ahead of schedule. Today, the company has a consumer web application in select markets that deepens and improves how homebuyers explore their catalog. Potential customers can customize their home design before even talking with a sales rep and see these updates in real time. Clayton has also seen a 2.5x increase in leads from serious buyers in pilot markets. The tool has been so successful that it’s featured as a standout project in the company’s Annual Report. Further, this digital toolset is a foundation for continuing to digitize their homebuying process and improving the experience for both their customers and their company.
