In this video, Franchise Support Manager Matthew Wright and Cammeron Gale, our Melbourne Outer Eastern builder, discuss the incredible systems that are in place to assist our builders with running a smooth operation, streamlining tasks such as estimating, quoting, workflow management, and sales.
Video Transcript:
Matthew: Well, here we are again, guys, with Cam Gale, the director of our Stroud Homes franchise at Lilydale, looking after the outer eastern areas of Melbourne. Cam, what we do at Stroud is we try and systemise a builder like yourself. So your background is obviously coming from that residential, doing extensions and things like that. What sort of systems were you running back then when you were handling that kind of work?
Cammeron: Look, they were pretty basic. A lot of it was, you know, a manual system transferred onto an Excel sort of program, basically, and running around getting quotes, and a lot of chasing suppliers for quotes for every job, which can draw out the quoting process.
Matthew: Yeah, make it take much longer than it needs to.
Cammeron: Correct.
Matthew: So having, I guess, now a systemised approach in your business… I mean, we’ve got systems for estimating, for quoting, for your workflow management, and for your sales, even though you’re early in the piece, how are you seeing that sort of all come together and fit the big picture, and how are you seeing that sort of be a help for your business?
Cammeron: Definitely, well, the accuracy and the confidence in being able to get out a quote very efficiently is fantastic and makes that process a lot less daunting. As far as quantities and everything, the systems in place takes a while to set it up, but once you’ve set it up, it’s very… Saves a lot of time, basically, in that process, which can streamline the whole process from concept through to quoting through to production estimating.
Matthew: What do you do with that time you’ve saved?
Cammeron: Spend it with the family, of course, or quote again.
Matthew: Yeah, rinse and repeat.
Cammeron: Yeah.
Matthew: Look, what we find is that, with those systems, you do get your sort of initial use of them, but then you’ll find that the time you save, if you invest that back into your system and do another lap, eventually you’ll iron out all those wrinkles and you will have that time, it will speak to your more, sort of, I guess, your franchisees that have been in the group for much longer. And definitely, we’ve seen the amount of time that they get now, where they’re spending their weekends as they should be spending their weekends. And that’s what we hope as the guys looking after you on the ground, is that the investment that you make, yes, it’s hard work at the start, but there’s definitely a reward at the end, which is what were you hoping in joining the franchise? What were you sort of hoping to achieve and to gain?
Cammeron: Definitely the systems was one of my thoughts going, or one of my decisions in the decision making, basically. To be able to streamline that and grow a business into, one, a profitable business but a successful business, where I can give secure employment, and using systems that are provided, I can foresee that being a great asset, to be able to allow me the expertise in training staff eventually, to fill those roles and do it to a proven system.
Matthew: Yeah. Fantastic. And how do you reckon it’ll make you feel at the end of that…when you hit those milestones in your business?
Cammeron: I’ll probably challenge myself with something new, I think so.
Matthew: Do something new? Yeah, absolutely. Well, you can’t stand still.
Cammeron: Exactly.
Matthew: That’s great. Well, thanks, guys. You’ve been here with myself and Cam, Stroud Homes. Give us a call on 0435 803 411, drop us an email, shoot us a text, whatever you like, it would be great to have a chat with you about how we can help your business.
More Information:
If you’re looking to give yourself a 10 year advantage and join a successful home building franchise, we would love to hear from you. We have a number of franchise territories available around Australia and are looking for like-minded builders to join the Stroud family. Get in touch with us today to learn more.