BuilderTREND Solutions, Inc. exhibits at 2010 Las Vegas at the International Builders Show. January 19-22nd

Booth# C552






BuilderTREND will be exhibiting at the 2010 International Builders Show in Las Vegas. We welcome current customers and prospective customers to stop by and say hello at booth# C552. We will have 4 live computer kiosks available for demonstrations on the showroom floor. Please take 15 minutes and visit with a member of our BuilderTREND team to see how our web-based software will help you succeed in this tough economic environment.
The upcoming International Builder's Show in Las Vegas Jan. 19th-22nd is the most exciting week of the year for our company. We get the opportunity to exhibit among 1200 other exhibitors and get to connect with our existing clients while developing relationships with new clients.

For our "Client Spotlight" we are featuring Lee Knight Construction. Mr. Knight came to the IBS in 2008 looking for solutions that would separate his business from competitors, and make his company more successful. Finding the benefits of BuilderTREND, Mr. Knight signed up at the show two years ago and has been a BuilderTREND user since.

I had the opportunity to catch up with Mr. Knight and wanted to share his feedback for the "Client Spotlight" Feature.

Dan Houghton EVP of Sales
BuilderTREND Solutions, Inc.


Lee Knight Construction
East Texas
www.leeknight.com


BuilderTREND: How long has the company been in business?

Lee : We have been operating as a full-time home builder/construction company since 2001.

BuilderTREND: How many employees?

Lee : We currently have 5 full-time employees, as well as some excellent part-time associates.

BuilderTREND: What type of builder would you classify yourself as (Custom Builder, Spec Builder, Remodel Firm, and Commercial)?

Lee : We are primarily known as a Custom Home Builder. We always try to have a Spec Home under construction, and fortunately we have been able to continue this practice even in this challenging market.

We also do some light commercial projects, and this past year we were heavily involved in numerous renovations and remodels. Our goal starting in 2009 was to diversify. We were already known as the leading homebuilder in the area, and we felt the time was right to expand into other areas we could better serve our clients, both new and existing.

Also, operating in East Texas, we build a lot of projects on waterfront areas. It was a natural move for us to expand into constructing boat docks for our customers. This "side project" has grown exponentially in the past few years, to the point that we recently purchased a custom barge to better serve our customers.

We feel it's another way for us to offer a "full service" building company to our clients.

BuilderTREND: How long have you been using BuilderTREND?

Lee : We are entering our third year of offering BuilderTREND as a service to our customers.

BuilderTREND: What was the biggest factor in making the investment to start using BuilderTREND?

Lee : As I stated earlier, we build on a lot of lakes here in East Texas, so naturally a lot of our projects are lake homes. Often these are second homes, places to spend weekends and summers. Since most of our clients do not live locally, we thought that BuilderTREND was another way we could make them feel involved in the project, even though they weren't physically on the job site. We try to make the "remote build" as stress-free as possible. BuilderTREND definitely helps to facilitate this goal.

BuilderTREND: How much have you saved in (time or money) by adopting BuilderTREND in your business?

Lee : By allowing the clients to see their projects as they progress, we have greatly reduced down time. Before BuilderTREND, we would either have to wait for a client to visit their project in order to make a decision about which texture to use in certain areas, or how the kitchen might lay out, etc.

Now, with the ability to view many aspects of their project in real time, we can move forward without having to wait until their schedules permit a visit. This has been a huge time saver.

BuilderTREND: How much time do you spend using BuilderTREND per day?

Lee : I would say between our office and Superintendents, we probably average a couple of hours a day.

BuilderTREND: What is your favorite feature of BuilderTREND?

Lee : Definitely the ability to download photos of a job. We supplied our Superintendents with digital cameras, and part of their responsibilities is to download images of the projects as they progress. We usually update each project with new photos 2-3 times a week. Clients really look forward to seeing the new pictures of their home or dock.

Also, we can tell by how often they log on to their site the day's new photos are posted. It's fun to be able to share the progress with them, and hear their excitement as their project takes shape.

BuilderTREND: Do your trade/vendor partners utilize BuilderTREND?

Lee : We have several vendors and subs that utilize BuilderTrend. This is an area that we definitely plan to grow in the New Year.

BuilderTREND: Do you use BuilderTREND in you sales presentation, if so how do prospects react?

Lee : We have used BuilderTREND in our sales presentations since we first utilized it 3 years ago. We were the first builder in our area to offer this type of service, and we could definitely tell it made a great impression on potential clients. The ability to see their house take shape, even though they may live hundreds of miles away, really helped to put their mind at ease. Also, it helped to separate us from our competitors who weren't offering this type of service.

BuilderTREND: What do you believe it takes to be a successful builder in today's tough economy?

Lee : We believe the only way a builder, or any business for that matter, is going to be successful in today's economic climate is to provide the customer with fantastic service, both during construction and beyond.

The past few years have seen unchartered waters for all of us in the industry, and you can easily see which businesses were prepared for these difficult times, and which ones weren't. I truly believe that the builders who were able to survive the past 18-24 months will thrive in the coming years. We look at the recession as more of a correction than anything else. It has weeded out the ones who were not providing a sound, quality product.

Additionally, these past few years have certainly changed the shape of our industry; at least we know it did for our area. The days of casually signing a contract to build someone's dream home are over. The fiduciary management of our client's budget has always been a top priority for us, but we feel it's just as important to provide unparalleled service from start to finish.

Offering our clients the service of a program like BuilderTREND is not something we consider an "option" any longer. Its part of our core philosophy.

To learn more about Lee Knight Construction please visit them on the web at www.leeknight.com

Tell us your story?

If you are interested in being featured in our Builder Spotlight please contact Dan Houghton at 402-905-2506 x 1002 or dhoughton@buildertrend.com

Connect with these BuilderTREND Employees attending the 2010 International Builders Show!

Steve Dugger - EVP of Operations
sdugger@buildertrend.com

Dan Houghton - EVP of Sales
dhoughton@buildertrend.com

Jeff Dugger - EVP of Technology
jdugger@buildertrend.com

Scott Siegert - Director of Client Services
ssiegert@buildertrend.com

Paul Wurth - Vice President of Sales
pwurth@buildertrend.com

Clint Johanek - International Sales Manager - Canada
cjohanek@buildertrend.com

Alex Suarez - Regional Sales Manager - USA
asuarez@buildertrend.com


Facebook Integration is Live!





Our photos tab is now integrated with Facebook. With over 350 million users, Facebook is a social networking site that presents another excellent marketing opportunity for your company. You, and your client, can now copy photos of each jobsite directly from your BuilderTREND account, into your Facebook account. Simply click on the Photo Actions button, and you will be provided a quick set of instructions that allows you to easily copy photos from BuilderTREND to Facebook. The photos are automatically enscribed with your company name and website so that thousands of friends, and friends of friends can see your work!





New Message Tab Features!

If you have not already noticed, we have recently updated our Messages tab. When you read a message, it will show up on the same web-browser as your Inbox, instead of opening up a new window. This will help decrease issues some users may have previously experienced with pop-up blockers, and will improve the overall usability of the messages tab.

We also have adjusted our Messages tab so that the full content of the message will appear in an email alert that is sent to the recipient. This will make messages more accessible by allowing users to immediately view the content of their message without having to login to their BuilderTREND account.




BuilderTREND Customer Feedback

We are always looking for your feedback to improve BuilderTREND. Our goal is to have the most effective and easy to use software program in the marketplace. To accomplish this goal we count on our customers for feedback to make BuilderTREND even better.

Please submit all suggestions and product enhancements to support@buildertrend.com

Be Rewarded for a Customer Referral:



Participating in the customer referral program is easy.

1. Complete the form - Complete the online referral form. We will then verify your eligibility and check that the form is complete and accurate. If we are not already working with the prospect, and you meet other requirements, BuilderTREND will give you a $10 credit on your account.

2. Complete the form & make an introductory 3-way call - Complete the online referral form and introduce us on a 3-way telephone introductory call with the potential prospect. We will then verify your eligibility, make sure we're not already working with the prospect, and BuilderTREND will give you a $50 credit on your account.

3. Successful referrals - If this referral results in a new signed contract for BuilderTREND, your company will receive a $200 BuilderTREND credit.

FAQ

What is a referral?
- a referral is a potential prospect you notify us of that you feel would be a good fit for using the BuilderTREND system. This prospect cannot be someone that our sales team has already been involved in the sales process with.

When did the program begin?
- The program began in 2009. All NEW referrals starting January of 2009 are eligible for the referral program.

What if I have more questions?
- We sincerely appreciate your business and support. If you have any questions about this program please feel free to call us at 402-905-2506.

For more info or to submit a referral click here: http://www.buildertrend.com/contactreferral.aspx




BuilderTREND Presentation and Speaking Engagements:

Are you looking for a guest speaker or sponsor for your next association meeting? If so please contact Dan Houghton at 402-905-2506 x 1002 or dhoughton@buildertrend.com
Are you new looking for House Plans?

As a BuilderTREND client you can receive discounted house plans of 50% through Advanced Designs, Inc.

To learn more please visit www.advancedhouseplans.com or call 402-445-0489

Discount Code: BTC