Every company today must provide an outstanding customer experience or risk having clients move to a competitor. Ready mix concrete producers are no exception to this rule. They must know a customer’s pain points and provide solutions.
Customers in the construction industry often have complex and specific requirements that must be addressed. However, they want to use the internet whenever possible, as doing so makes their lives easier. Moving to a digital world also allows concrete producers to reach more customers. They gain access to tools for ready mix concrete producers that improve the customer experience.
Tasks a Concrete Producer Must Handle
A concrete company is more than the team of workers that come out and pour the material. From the moment a potential customer contacts the company to the billing of the job, numerous people work with clients to ensure they have a satisfactory experience.
The customer works with the sales team to determine which products they need and the amount required. The scheduling department determines when the job can be completed and dispatches a team on that day to handle the work. Once the work is complete, the billing team prepares an invoice. Platforms and apps help to simplify these tasks so the employees can work on improving the customer experience.
The Ordering Process
With the help of apps and platforms, customers can now place orders online, in a retail location, or over the telephone. Ordering online allows them to see the entire product selection and place an order immediately. They don’t have to wait for a salesperson to become available or sit on hold on the telephone to speak to someone. The order can be placed in less time and when it is convenient for them.
Product Information
In addition, when a customer has a question about a product, they can get answers online. They can speak with someone over the internet to ensure they get the right product for their needs. Many platforms and apps today use a chatbot to ensure the customer is directed to the right person quickly. In addition, the chatbot can answer many questions for the customer, so they don’t need to speak to a person.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence
Many chatbots found on platforms and apps today make use of artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure customers get answers to their questions. In addition, companies are using AI to improve their back-office operations. However, many organizations aren’t using this technology fully, and it is hurting their businesses.
Artificial intelligence only works when it has data coming in. Once data has been received, the program must receive feedback to refine the provided answers. Furthermore, the program must be integrated with downstream systems and processes. Then, the AI program can benefit from the data, predictions, and decisions generated by the model.
To make the most of AI, a company must have technologies designed to complement and enrich the offerings of artificial intelligence. This may include analytics, low code development, and workflow and routing engines. AI benefits these areas while they enrich the AI deployment within the business.
Concrete Producer Pain Points
Concrete producers often report the same pain points. For example, employees might be required to rekey data between systems, and the right technology can eliminate this step. Outstanding invoices need to be prioritized and a platform or app will help with this task.
Ready mix concrete producers must invoice faster to reduce customer onboarding time, and employees need to be able to find critical documents regardless of where they are located. IT rarely gets involved with these steps, so they may be overlooked when new technology is purchased. Nevertheless, small changes add up to major improvements in business operations.
AI-Enabled Platforms and Apps
In the past, companies would need tools and workers capable of using these tools to accomplish tasks an AI-enabled platform or app can handle independently. That is no longer the case. An AI-enabled content services platform does all the work. It provides the necessary tools, and staff members can use the platform with little training. Concrete providers see major improvements in day-to-day operations with the use of one of these programs.
Using AI-Enabled Platforms
Many companies don’t know how or where to begin using these platforms. Doing so doesn’t have to be difficult. However, a company must implement its first AI-enabled tool. As this tool gets used, it refines its models and predictions. Start small, as minor changes lead to major improvements. Additional AI tools can be added over time.
Ensure everyone in the organization is committed to using AI on a widespread scale. Some people may be hesitant. They must be brought on board if this technology is to succeed. Workers must also shift their focus when AI is introduced to the organization.
Workers need to execute fewer tasks. Their jobs will be to supervise and refine these tasks for the AI technology. As a result, they have more time to focus on those tasks with added value and jobs that provide them with mental stimulation.
What Platforms and Apps Can Do
Platforms and apps take on many tasks for businesses. These programs handle analytics, customer relationships, and logistics. With the right program, a company can see the ready-mix production volumes, sales revenue, batch accuracy, and more. Customer data can be accessed anywhere the user has internet access, and an employee can create quotes on the go.
Maximize truck use with the help of the logistics feature found in many of these apps and platforms. Learn about real-time material demand and communicate with customers using the app. Ongoing communication is key to an excellent customer experience, and these apps ensure the customers know what is going on at all times.
When choosing an app or platform, look for one that continues to add new features. This ensures the app or platform meets the needs of customers in the coming months and years. Some developers release a program and never update it. Ensure that isn’t the case with the selected program.
Every ready-mix concrete provider needs to be using all available tools and resources to improve the customer experience. Competition in the industry ensures customers have more choices than ever before. With the help of these platforms and apps, a concrete provider can gain an edge over the competition and meet the needs of customers in every way.
