Madison, WI – Released June 27, 2014
Charis Homes of Summit County, Ohio, has hired Avid Ratings to draft and implement four customer experience surveys, as part of the custom homebuilder’s strategy to become the best builder in its markets. Charis has also engaged Avid Ratings’ GoTour division to produce an interactive, web-based full-motion tour of its model home to attract new homebuyers.
Avid will survey homebuyers at key points during the construction process and after homebuyers take possession of their homes.
“Using four surveys,” says Paul Cardis, Avid Ratings founder and CEO, ” we develop a fluid, comprehensive model of how the builder’s processes, services, products and home quality impact the customer experience over time, so that the builder can identify key strengths and critical opportunities to affect customer loyalty.
A progressive builder of “green” homes, Charis is no stranger to innovation and forward thinking. Charis’ marketing strategy includes GoTour, Avid’s interactive web-based application that combines hi-definition video, photography and animation with a product options catalog and customer review portal.
“GoTour draws shoppers to sales models because it gives them everything they need to decide if they would purchase a home from the builder,” says Cardis. “It does what Amazon and Google have done for years to sell billions of dollars of products: it creates the zero moment of truth for the shopper.”
The Zero Moment Of Truth (ZMOT) is a marketing concept developed by researchers at Google to explain why the Internet, PC and mobile device have become the dominant medium and vehicles for selling products. Cardis explains ZMOT’s relevance to selling homes.
“Last year, nine of ten homebuyers began their searches online. People have become accustomed to the web as a shopping resource. Given easy access to product information in engaging formats like video and photography, and opportunities for emotional attachment like shopping carts and wish lists, online shoppers have all they want to make purchasing decisions. GoTour delivers that same shopping experience. Instead of a credit card transaction, a shopper will share the tour on Facebook and visit the model.”
Cardis adds, “Facebook and other popular social media networks have tremendous marketing power, and people who buy green homes tend to be promoters.”
Charis Homes
Established in 2003, Charis Homes is based in Summit County, Ohio. With communities in six counties, Charis Homes specializes in building energy efficient homes that exceed Energy Star standards. For more information about Charis Homes, visit www.charishomes.com.
Avid Ratings
Founded in 1992, Avid Ratings is a full-service customer loyalty management firm, providing customer loyalty research, organizational strategies, employee training, and proprietary solutions to improve the home buying experience and referral sales. Serving over 2800 companies in throughout North America, Avid maintains the largest customer satisfaction database within the home building industry. Avid assesses homebuyers’ experiences and then provides focused business solutions via its flagship software Avid 3.0 to improve customer engagement, referrals, and overall profitability.
Contact: Melissa Berry, General Manager, GoSurvey Division, 608-239-0354, or via email at melissa.berry@avidratings.com.
