How Committing to Their Team and Adopting New Technology has Helped C&L Ward Drive Their Home Improvement Business Forward
Gaining a 7.5% increase in closing rates for hard to sell products
C&L Ward has been a leader in home improvement in the Midwest since opening their doors in 1972. After expanding into in-home sales in the 90’s and making it their focus in 2006, the second-generation family-owned company has grown into one of the most trusted names in home improvement. Their success is due largely to committing to their team and their openness to adopt new technologies. According to Adam Pierson, Sales Manager of C&L Ward, people are visual - especially when it comes to investing in their home - and having technology to show a visual timeline of a project from start to finish can completely transform a business and drive growth.
Prior to 2020, the sales team at C&L Ward was using a combination of standard sales materials, like flipbooks, and an in-house designed app that featured brochure-style visuals and no analytics data. With an uncontrollable range of sales materials, Adam found that consultants were saying different things to clients, making it impossible to streamline his sales process and coaching. After being introduced to Ingage at the ProRemodeler Extreme Sales Summit in 2019, Adam immediately saw the value it could offer the C&L Ward team. He knew right from the start that Ingage would provide him the tools he needed to get every single consultant on the same page, which could then increase sales and retention.
Adam is the first to admit that getting everyone on board was not easy. Sales consultants often have their own individual processes, even if they’ve only been in the business for a short time. At first, the handful of consultants who adopted Ingage on iPad saw immediate improvement while those opposed to iPad selling were struggling to adopt the changes. Adam was eager to get everyone on Ingage, especially because he could use the analytics to help him build integrity among his sales team. He began training new employees using Ingage and started leveraging the success stories of consultants who used Ingage presentations to convince non-users to adopt the platform. With some time, he was able to get his entire team onto Ingage, which allows him to isolate the different coaching needs for each rep while also ensuring that every presentation fits the needs of each customer.
As a company with multiple product lines and a distributor of Owens Corning roofing products, having multiple presentations is essential when working with a new client. Sharing every option with a customer is not only time-consuming, but it also causes the customer to tune out the entirety of the presentation and feel forced to find another company who fits their needs. That’s why C&L Ward has created different presentations for every product line, including roofing, siding, windows and outdoor living. Adam and his team rely on these different presentations during sales consultations. When a customer comes in for a new deck but mentions their roof might need replacing in the next few years. Adam can use the Open Presentation button to move to the roofing product presentation after presenting deck options, making the customer more interested in working with C&L Ward for all of their home improvement projects. He’s found that this method can increase sales and also creates long-term relationships with customers that increases their brand loyalty.
When it comes to sharing best practices for other home improvement companies, Adam always recommends embracing technology and using it to its full potential. Whether that’s adding time lapse videos, before and after photos or diving into analytics to understand which consultants are performing best, it’s essential to use technology to grow your business. For C&L Ward, that also means working with manufacturers who embrace technology as well. That includes companies like Owens Corning who built an Ingage presentation designed for dealers to utilize with the Open Presentation button. Now, consultants can easily show all Owens Corning options to clients with just the click of a button and C&L Ward didn’t have to create another presentation.
Aside from saving time, C&L Ward has also seen some incredible results from using Ingage. They had a consultant who was struggling with selling decks because they’re often a want, not a need. But as this consultant developed and really grew into the Ingage platform, he saw a 7.5% increase in his closing rate. Plus, their overall sales have increased since implementing Ingage along with other technology solutions that help make in-home sales a breeze.
To learn more about how Ingage can give your team the tools it needs to close more sales, schedule a demo below!
About C&L Ward
Since our founding in 1972, C&L Ward has remained committed to providing homeowners throughout the Midwest with top-of-the-line home remodeling services. Today we are proud to be a second-generation family-owned company upholding these same values and principles. You can rely on us for a wide range of home renovation services, including window, door, siding, roofing, and decking projects. Whether you need a complete roof replacement or need some minor repairs on your house siding, C&L Ward is the company you can trust with your home improvement project.
