Frequently asked questions about H.O.M.E.S. Customer Service System

Q:

Can the H.O.M.E.S. Customer Service System be used as a stand-alone, without H.O.M.E.S.?

A:

At this time, the H.O.M.E.S. Customer Service System is fully integrated with H.O.M.E.S. and cannot be used as a stand-alone because all lot/unit/purchaser information comes from the main H.O.M.E.S. system. This is of great advantage to H.O.M.E.S. users since there is no double-entry. Your service department need not enter lot/unit/purchaser information, since it already exists in the H.O.M.E.S. system by the time a service issue arises.

We have had numerous inquiries regarding a stand-alone customer service system, therefore we plan to release one in the near future.

Q:

What historical information is retained by the H.O.M.E.S. Customer Service System?

A:

Every time a work order is issued or the status of a work order is changed, a dated entry is made in the Service log not only by lot/unit but by trade/contractor. Since the Lot History Report can do an analysis not only by lot, but by trade/contractor, you can easily track trends related to a specific contractor.

Q:

Can we track information other than work orders, such as customer complaints etc?

A:

Yes, you can make manual entries regarding anything you like into the service history log. These can be linked to trades and individual contractors for later reporting purposes.

Q:

Does the H.O.M.E.S. Customer Service System allow you to report work orders by status as well as by contractor and lot/unit?

A:

Absolutely. As with all other H.O.M.E.S. reports, you can make specifications on any relevant information in any combination in order to filter out only the information you are interested in. The Work Orders by Lot and Work Orders by Trade reports allow you to specify lot/unit, dates, trade, contractor and status in any logical combination. This makes it easy to retrieve reports such as: List all incomplete work orders for the electrical contractor for lot 14 between June 1st and July 15th.

Q:

We want to put the project logo on work orders to ensure there is no confusion between adjacent projects. Can we customize our work orders by project?

A:

Yes, as with all other documents used with the H.O.M.E.S. system, work orders are generated using Microsoft Word document templates for maximum flexibility in customization. Templates are assigned by project, so your work orders can be as dissimilar as you wish from one project to the next.

Q:

Can we control what information our after-sales service department has access to?

A:

Yes, in fact despite being fully integrated with H.O.M.E.S., the H.O.M.E.S. Customer Service System is a separate program with its own icon. It displays only construction related information such as what upgrades and extras are installed, what colour chart selections were made, etc. No financial information is displayed in the H.O.M.E.S. Customer Service System. To access financial information, your personnel must be granted access to the main module of the H.O.M.E.S. system. In addition, you have full control over which features each employee may access.

Q:

We sometimes have disputes with contractors regarding their directions for the installation of extras. Will our service department personnel be able to see the original instructions given to contractors, without needing access to the purchase order system?  

A:

Yes, the main lot/unit information screen includes all upgrades and extras installed, including the contractor's instructions that were used on the purchase order. In addition, with the click of a button, a detailed report of all upgrades & extras pops up on-screen.

Q:

Does the H.O.M.E.S. Customer Service System work with a hand-held device for pre-delivery inspection checklists?

A:

No, at this time the H.O.M.E.S. Customer Service System is not yet compatible with any hand-held devices, however this is planned for a release in the near future.

Q:

Can we track the origin of each purchase order, such as P.D.I., 30 Day, 1 year etc?

A:

Yes, the system tracks work orders by origin, and the list is user-definable so you can track by whatever origin categories you wish.