Creating a community
A successful CRM system shouldn’t work in isolation, argues Business Pilot’s managing director, Elton Boocock.
When Business Pilot was launched in 2019, it was designed to meet the demands of a modern window and door industry, because existing CRM systems on the market were limited in their reach, according to its founders.
Since Cherwell Windows’ Jim and Ryan Breslin, and Thames Valley Windows’ Ryan Schofield, had struggled to find an alternative to their existing systems that they said didn’t meet their requirements, they worked with system development specialist, Elton Boocock, to devise a modern alternative.
“Not only was Business Pilot established to provide a front-end management system that worked with every element of a window installation business – regardless of size – it was created to be flexible and reactive,” Business Pilot’s managing director, Elton Boocock says. “It’s interesting to think that if there was ever a constant in our industry, it is that it is ever-changing.”
Any solution had to have flexibility and future development built in. To achieve this, the designers of Business Pilot set about developing partnerships that would enhance the overall experience, and create efficiencies that would help window companies improve their profitability.
“What we didn’t want to do was create a piece of software that worked on its own and didn’t talk to other pieces of software,” Elton says. “That’s why partnerships are key to what we do, and we see them taking many forms.
“Something that directly impacts the installer most, is the partnerships with other bits of software. Take our hugely popular Fensa API, for example, where Business Pilot users can register their Fensa installations right inside Business Pilot.”
At a click of a button, window installers can register an installation by using the information that has already been recorded by the software. This removes double-entry, speeds up the registration process, and significantly reduces error. All of which improves an installer’s profitability, Elton explains.
“The Fensa API was launched at last year’s FIT Show, and it was a runaway success,” he says.
“More than 6,000 Fensa registrations have been completed through Business Pilot since the API went live, and we expect the popularity to keep growing.”
Business Pilot created a number of other APIs (application programming interface) that allow users to speed up operations by allowing the CRM software to partner with other pieces of software the company could be using, such as accounting software and pricing software.
“A lot of businesses use Xero for their day-to-day accounting,” Elton says. “And with our API, there is no more exporting data, import sorting data, or double entry. There’s just a button – you simply connect the two systems so everything stays up to date.
“It’s the same with front-end pricing tools such as Tommy Trinder and Windowlink. Again, with our APIs, there is no more room for discrepancies because there is no need to export or import the data. It is connected and live.
“The other thing you don’t want is the inaccuracy. If you put something in wrong, it can cost a lot to you as a business, and I find it really exciting that we can take away all of that with our modern software solutions.”
Elton explains that while APIs offer a tangible benefit as partnerships between pieces of software, Business Pilot is creating partnerships in a wider sense in a bid to create a community where everyone benefits.
“Take our Business Pilot Barometer as an example,” he says. “That is creating partnerships with the industry media and with industry bodies.
“With the Business Pilot Barometer, we are creating industry reports that put valuable up-to-date data at the fingertips of business leaders. There are plenty of opinions from so-called industry experts about where they think the market is going, but nothing is more accurate than taking real-time data from those on the ground to say definitively what the market is demanding, and where companies should invest.”
Elton concludes by saying that the strongest partnership – the one Business Pilot has with its users – ultimately drives the software’s development.
“We absolutely encourage feedback from those who use our CRM software on a daily basis,” Elton says. “We are proud to create the best system available for installers, but to keep that reputation means we need to continue to develop and maintain that position, and that means working closely with our partners.
“So, ‘partnership’ for me isn’t just a buzzword – it’s key to what we are at Business Pilot.”
