2018: A Year to Remember for Avid Ratings
by Paul Cardis
Happy 2019! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are enjoying the beginning of the new year. While I’m excited for everything 2019 has in store, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on significant milestones that took place over the past year.
In 2018 we…
1. Closed on additional funding to better support YOU.
Last fall, we closed on $6 million in new funding, which we’ll use to expand our workforce by up to 100 people over the next two years and bolster our ability to support builders with new tools and technology. These new capabilities will allow builders to respond faster and smarter to customer feedback. The result? Enhanced customer loyalty and closing rates for homebuilders like you. (Check out press coverage in the Wisconsin State Journal, MarketWatch, Milwaukee Business Journal, and the Calgary Sun.)
2. Partnered with KB Homes as they built the smart home of the future.
Last year, we lent our expertise to the KB Homes ProjeKt: a full-scale prototype of a smart, sustainable home that may become a reality within the near future. This Nevada home is the first of its kind and features technology and gadgets designed to make the lives of its residents easier and more enriching. Read more about it in USA Today, Business Wire, and Builder.
3. Served our community by supporting nonprofits HomeAid and Homes for Hope.
In early 2018, we announced our partnership with HomeAid: an organization that builds houses for charities sheltering the homeless, giving them solutions to get back on their feet. We also began a partnership with Homes for Hope, a nonprofit that works with builders and trade partners to build and sell aptly named “Homes for Hope,” the proceeds of which are used to fight global poverty.
4. Presented at a number of national events, sharing our knowledge of customer experience management to help fellow homebuilding industry professionals.
In January, we presented at “Sales Central”: a sales and marketing workshop at the International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando that drew thousands of attendees. We also had the opportunity to present with Meritage Homes and KB Home, and were honored to speak to our industry’s largest homebuilders at the PCBC Leader-to-Leader Forum in June.
5. Won a few awards… and gave out some of our own!
This past year, we were thrilled to be awarded a Constructech Award and a Techhome Brilliance Award, both of which honor companies that have applied innovative technology to the construction / homebuilding industry. We also gave out a few Avid Awards of our own, recognizing homebuilders that provide the best customer experience in the industry. This year, we created spotlight videos for all of our clients that won — find them here.
6. Saw Google ban “review gating,” which encouraged businesses to focus on improving CX.
In April, Google began to ban companies that practiced “review gating,” or selectively pushing only positive customers into its review platform. In doing so, they pushed the business community to respect the integrity of customer reviews and to avoid unethical practices. This milestone also saw more companies focus less on “gaming the system” and more on improving customer experience.
In addition, we grew our executive team by four, bringing on new talent that will be critical to enhancing our product and driving innovation.
As we look forward, we couldn’t be more excited for what the future will bring. Be on the lookout for platform enhancements that will help you connect with your customers and improve their experience with your organization to an even greater extent.
Go forward,
Paul
