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December 2, 2021

Ideal SF leverages software integrations to improve client experience

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Location: San Francisco, CA

Founded: 1973

Industry: Commercial restoration, including high rises and affordable housing


Challenge:
Software solutions that didn’t speak to one another

Solution:
Custom software integration utilizing Encircle’s public API

Result:
A customized software solution to streamline sales, marketing, and field operations.


‘Wowing’ clients is key to half a century of business success.

Proudly serving the Bay area for more than 50 years, Ideal Restoration specializes in commercial property restoration. Innovators in utilizing technology to establish consistency in their business processes, they set out to build a custom integration that would update client data in real-time between their CRM software and the field.


THE CHALLENGE

With many years as Ideal’s Sales and Marketing Manager under his belt, Dan Richards recalls his disappointment with software providers that claimed their platform would work effectively across all parts of the restoration business. With a tendency for these platforms to favor office administration, they inevitably delivered a subpar experience for field technicians and project managers. The result was a disconnect in data flowing between the field and office, leaving administrators in the dark about what was happening on the job site. “A strong office system with an incomplete tool to gather the data in the first place is an incomplete solution. When project administrators lack information in the job file, they are less effective at communicating with the client. This has a very direct effect on the client experience and reputation of Ideal,” explained Richards.

With their clients' experience on the line, Dan and his team were unwilling to accept lost and incomplete data, duplicate entry into multiple, siloed technology systems, and time-consuming manual processes.


THE SOLUTION

Ideal worked with an outside developer, leveraging Encircle’s public API, to build an integrated solution that improved the field and office users’ experience. Combining the Encircle all-in-one, field documentation solution with their preferred office management software, they were able to automatically sync data from the field to the office staff and provide real-time visibility into the progress on a client’s claim.

Now, when a file is created at the office in HubSpot, that file automatically opens a job in Encircle. Field technicians are able to complete all of their field documentation within one app. Photos, notes and videos taken on site are visible to administrators within seconds. When a document is signed in Encircle, it’s instantly available in the office management platform. These features, combined with the new moisture and contents features in the Encircle app provide the complete field experience that was lacking with previous solutions.

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Project managers and claims administrators now have all the information at their fingertips right away. Dan calls this an absolute game-changer for improving the client experience with live updates and immediate answers.



THE RESULT

For the team at Ideal, a primary requirement when investing in new technology is that the solution must help them secure and manage more business. The key to acquiring new clients and repeat business is by meeting or exceeding client expectations on every job. This can only be achieved through the implementation and management of standardized, automated processes that are repeatable and consistent for the client.

Dan remembers a recent inquiry from a client to resolve a dispute regarding the true extent of damage on a property. The project manager had everything they needed right away. With the click of a button a professionally branded PDF report pulled all of the relevant time-stamped pictures and notes and sent it to the client. The client was impressed with the level of detail and speed with which their request was met, providing the unequivocal evidence to settle the dispute quickly.

Dan states “In today's market if a client is going to pay for something, they’re going to want top notch service. They don't want to deal with mediocrity. They want a company that is able to provide them with what they need when they need it. Our Encircle integration empowers us to surpass clients expectations through a fully customized system.” Thanks to the integration of Ideal’s HubSpot CRM with the other tools necessary to the business, there is a complete communication loop and information flows automatically from pre-sales to field operations, to office administrators, and back around to sales and marketing to drive business growth. Silos, be gone!

“HubSpot and Encircle gave us the best of both worlds for the operational needs of the field team and the sales and marketing needs to grow the business. Integration is the way to go for a fully customizable system that is suited to your needs.”

- DAN RICHARDS, SALES & MARKETING MANAGER,
IDEAL RESTORATION, SAN FRANCISCO

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