We have an exciting show planned with many experts available to answer your questions about our products, recent acquisitions, and real-world best practices. To register for these sessions, please click on the session name in the schedule below.

Over the past year, we have seen huge changes in our industry and technology in general. While many builders were focused on their business and making many tough decisions, we were focused on providing world-class customer service, enhancing our products, and developing or acquiring new technologies to meet the needs of the changing home builder, home buyer, and home owner.

To meet these demands, we have released major enhancements to our core production, accounting and sales solutions, completed two significant acquisitions, developed two new products, and offer many of our products in hosted configurations. Our track record with new acquisitions demonstrates Constellation’s commitment to customers with world-class service and ongoing product support and enhancements. This means that home builders can rely on Constellation for stable products, dedication to the industry, and proven expertise. With more than 100 employees focused on homebuilding software, and over 2,400 customers we are the largest software company in the industry with the resources to deliver mission-critical solutions for home builders of all sizes.

With several booths at the show this year, please be sure to stop by to share some stories, or just ask our experts a few questions. We would like to learn more about your business and offer our assistance in any way we can.

See you in Vegas.

Constellation Booth Schedule

*if you are unable to attend any of the scheduled events, please contact
sales@constellationhb.com.

Constellation BuildSERV’s Home Ownership Guide, the 2009 Innovative Housing Technology Award Winner, is used by Shea Homes to enhance home builder-to-home owner communications using  content management services, online messaging and warranty management software solutions throughout all phases of the new home construction process to keep new home buyers informed and engaged both during and after construction.

In the recent 2009 J.D. Power New Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Study reveals that customer satisfaction and new home quality has improved dramatically from 2008.  Shea Homes, Walnut CA performance in this survey was enhanced and strengthened through the company-wide implementation of BuildSERV Ownership Guide.   Shea Homes ranks 1^st or 2^nd in customer satisfaction in all 5 markets where they competed (Phoenix, San Francisco Area, Denver, Inland Empire, and Orange Co/San Diego), and ranks highest in Shea Trilogy Active Adult communities where they compete in 6 U.S. markets.    Year over year, Shea Homes places in the Top 10 for number of homes built each year with approximately 2,400 homes being sold this year.

Shea Homes expanded their commitment to utilize BuildSERV throughout their 11 regions with built-in milestone notification e-mails and web-based appointment scheduling.  Shea Homes expanded from 3 to 11 regions for three principal reasons.  Firstly, BuildSERV helps Shea Homes internally by allowing everyone to upload, share and collaborate regarding the same documents and information for consistency and unification of their branded image in all locations.  Externally, they’re able to proactively communicate with home buyers using milestone-based messaging and appointment scheduling to keep homebuyers informed and positively engaged.  Secondly, Shea Homes tracks and monitors home owner activities and warranty performance with activity timeline reports giving them a clear picture as to how the home owner is learning and using the system while helping Shea Homes meet their legal obligations.  Finally, the implementation process is quick, easy and cost effective so they save time, money and resources.

Once BuildSERV is delivered to the home buyer by CD ROM, web or e-mail, Shea Homes receives campaign management results with reporting on recipients who’ve received, responded to and are using their information and services.  “In essence, instead of delivering the Home Owner’s Manual as a paper 3-ring binder that gets shelved, BuildSERV delivers twelve copies of their Manual electronically during their first two years in their home using BuildSERV’s milestone messaging and web-based Home Ownership Guide”, Chip Pennington, Corporate Director of Customer Service, Shea Homes.

“The next generation of home buyers are expecting more information online, and BuildSERV delivers the effective communication tools they’re looking for with a comprehensive, web-based Home Owner Manual, providing quick and easy access to regular updates about their home and enhanced information services to create better home buying experiences,”

- Robb Pigg
Corporate VP Operations
Shea Homes

Constellation HomeBuilder Systems is the largest home building software supplier helping builders manage their information technology costs with cutting-edge, integrated software solutions to run their businesses more effectively.   Constellation continues to invest in new products and services, while providing regular updates  to keep builders current with today’s technology trends. 

Constellation HomeBuilder Systems (“CHS”) is a division of Constellation Software Inc. (“CSI”), and is a publicly traded company.

About Constellation HomeBuilder Systems

As the largest home building software company in the industry, Constellation HomeBuilder Systems has helped more than 2,100 builders manage their information technology costs with integrated software solutions to run their business from dirt to warranty. From planning to homeowner services, we have land development software, new home sales and marketing software, production, purchasing, scheduling, accounting, warranty, electronic homeowner manuals, vendor portal solutions, and web site solutions designed exclusively for the home building industry.

Media Inquiries
Cathy Kotsopoulos
(888) 723-2222

The award program, owned by CE Pro, TecHome Builder and Electronic House magazines honors the most innovative products, builders and CE pros serving the homebuilding industry.

A panel of tech building industry experts and journalists evaluated the 2009 finalists and made the tough choices.  The winners represent best practices by CE pros, builders, home technology makers and IT innovators.

Visit www.techomebuilder.com for product information and slideshows of the winners and award finalists.

Constellation Sales was nominated as a finalist.

An existing customer that has been using one of our systems for a long time was blown away with how much more they could be doing with our software.  They could be using scheduling better, they could be following up with leads quicker, they could be providing all their warranty materials online, they could be tracking supplier quality better, and they could be using more of our built-in reports.

As a software partner, I feel that we have let them down. They should know that we have been working hard to improve our products and provide them with tools to make them more effective and efficient.  I encourage any builder with a slight interest in wanting to do more with technology to run their business to give us a call.

I’m looking forward to Seth Godin‘s talk on Friday.  Should be fun.

We had some great conversations with builders looking for integrated software systems like BuildSoft, Builder 360, NEWSTAR and FAST.  Builders are looking for sales systems as well, so it was good timing when Mike Lyon came by the booth to chat about how Constellation Sales, NEWSTAR Sales and FAST Sales are helping home builders improve their websites and prospect follow-up processes to help close more sales. (starts at about 2:45)

I am frequently asked about the effectiveness of e-mail/on-line media versus printed United States Postal Service (USPS) letters for communicating important information or for soliciting a response.

While I am not claiming to be an expert in print to draw out all the comparisons, one advantage of e-mail is that it gets past the “gate keeper” who opens, sorts and prioritizes mail, in contrast to e-mail which will often get to the actual intended recipient.  In the same home you could also have multiple recipients recieving the same e-mail message directly to their desktop.

Several recent research studies have describe that higher response rates were achieved among certain audiences when using of e-mail/on-line versus paper surveys.  Although customer survey responses are not a perfect analogy for determining the most effective mode for customer interaction; the studies do show a significantly higher response rate for e-mail vs. USPS when recipients are already “on-line” and have been conditioned to use e-mail as the primary means of communication with a particular vendor or service provider.

Certainly more and more home buying customers fall into this “on-line” category….but the most effective way to get a high response rate from this kind of audience is to use a combination of media…e-mail/on-line, phone and perhaps a post card or two.

Here are some helpful blog links on the subject:

E-mail versus snail mail: which ever is better for you…

E-mail vs. Snail Mail: Creative Criticism…

Marketing – Snail Mail versus E-mail, MoneyBlog…

Direct Marketing News, Views and Opinions: E-mail

As the largest homebuilding software provider, Constellation reported an increase in sales from smaller home builders between March and May of 2009. Unlike many other software providers in the homebuilding industry, Constellation is committed to supporting our customers, participating in industry events and supporting trade publications regardless of the current market conditions. Recently, home builder confidence has started to return as demonstrated by a strong commitment toward technology investment. As home builders prepare for improved market conditions, investing in technology ahead of growth can help delay staff increases with better control systems in place to ensure future profitability.

If you need better software to manage your home building business, visit us at the show to learn how the best builders are transforming their businesses and utilizing Constellation products. Don’t forget to ask about our PCBC 2009 show specials.

Constellation continues to demonstrate an unmatched commitment to invest in new technology and services for home builders of all sizes, whether you build 5 homes or 10,000 homes annually. In addition to the numerous enhancements in Constellation’s industry leading ERP product suite, NEWSTAR, FAST, BuildSoft, Builder 360, as well as Constellation CRM, and LandDev, we are introducing six, leading-edge products specifically designed to help home builders meet the challenges of today’s recovering market.

At PCBC, builders can see firsthand why Constellation’s industry commitment and product enhancement efforts continue to make our technology solutions the first choice for home builders seeking world-class software and services.

Please join us to see the latest new products at the Pacific Coast Builders Conference 2009, June 17-19, 2009, Moscone Center at Booth 1316 in the South Hall.

Constellation’s most recent new products include:

Website Sales Integration – WebLeads

Constellation WebLeads is an automated web-based lead qualification and prospect management tool for home builders. WebLeads allows you to quickly qualify, personally respond to, and narrow your focus on prospects that are ready to purchase. Never lose another lead and convert more prospects into homebuyers by immediately responding to new prospects’ online inquires by effectively qualifying and communicating in real-time.

NEWSTAR Enterprise Workflow Management Software

Constellation NEWSTAR Workflow Management is a web-based solution designed for all commercial, residential or condominium property managers with remote building locations and any locations outside head office. It delivers consistent, timely and accurate information to internal or external users for faster, automated and more efficient invoice status, approval and payment control.

Warranty and Homeowner Expectation Management: Driving Referral Sites

Constellation BuildSERV – Ownership Guides is a hosted web portal and e-mail service for the delivery of home care and warranty information to new home buyers. Multiple touch-point communication tools help you track responses and reinforce your warranty and customer service standards. Integrated lead referral programs offered during and after the warranty period will help you drive referral sales.

Constellation Extended Hosting

Constellation Extended Hosting offers homebuilders a cost-effective alternative to upfront hardware and software licensing costs. The NEWSTAR Enterprise and FAST homebuilding production and accounting systems, available in a stable, secure, scalable and supported environment, gives homebuilders instant online access from any location with Internet connectivity.

Constellation Promotional Marketing – Constellation Forms and 4-Color Printing

Constellation Forms is an easy, affordable and effective marketing solution for all home builders. No job is too small or too large. We specialize in creating high quality, four-color marketing materials that look amazing online and in print. We offer design and printing services for stock and custom printed promotional materials. Constellation will work with your marketing staff to translate and develop your concepts into exceptional promotional pieces designed specifically for any target audience. Produce powerful images that best represent your company and deliver the right message to your prospects, all while saving time and money.

Constellation Builder Broadcast – E-mail Marketing System

Constellation Builder Broadcast provides you with affordable e-mail campaign management tools tailored to your requirements to produce polished, professional and targeted e-mail campaigns and services. Measure the effectiveness, impact and overall results with detailed, accurate tracking, reporting and analytics to give you target audience feedback so you sell the right product to the right customer, and open doors to discover and explore new channel and market opportunities.

About Constellation HomeBuilder Systems

As the largest home building software company in the industry, Constellation HomeBuilder Systems has helped more than 2,100 builders manage their information technology costs with integrated software solutions to run their business from dirt to warranty. From planning to homeowner services, we have land development software, new home sales and marketing software, production, purchasing, scheduling, accounting, warranty, electronic homeowner manuals, and vendor portal solutions designed exclusively for the home building industry.

Media Inquiries:

Cathy Kotsopoulos
ckotsopoulos(at)constellationhb.com
(888) 723-2222

###

Markham, ON, January 8, 2009 – Constellation HomeBuilder Systems, the largest provider of homebuilding software, announces the availability of nine new homebuilding software technologies. Instead of cutting back on development, in a time when many homebuilding software companies are struggling to meet the most basic customer support requests, Constellation is taking this opportunity to increase its investment in new technology and solutions for home builders. “We are continuing to invest in new products and services for home builders and maintain our long-term commitment to the home building industry”, says Dexter Salna, President of Constellation HomeBuilder Systems. “As everyone knows, the home building industry and real estate in general are very cyclical and, as a result, there has been very little long term investment in software for homebuilders. The long-term stability of Constellation ensures that we will continue to support our customers and bring new solutions forward to help builders and land developers compete in any type of market condition.”

Constellation will be at the 2009 International Builders Show in Las Vegas, NV from January 20th-23rd 2009; booth #C4299. Please contact us to request an appointment, or visit our booth during the show. All of our new solutions will be available for demos and our product experts will be available for detailed discussions.

With Constellation, home builders have security and stability with their software investments and the comfort of knowing that they will be supported now and in the years to come. Our continuing investment in software for home builders and land developers will help Constellation customers manage costs more effectively and respond to changes more quickly in 2009 with the following new technologies and solutions.

Land Development

Constellation LandDev, an integrated web-based land development system designed exclusively for land developers with flexible “best practices” to automate workflow, reduce and control costs, view cash flow and job schedules, while at the same time automating many tasks that are now manually performed. LandDev includes a vendor portal and supports detailed and summary level budgeting, estimating, bidding, contracting, and payment processing with easy to manage security and approval settings.

Marketing and New Home Sales

Constellation CRM Marketing is an industry-proven new home sales and marketing system that enables you to capture all relevant customer information for targeted, customized campaign management. The hallmark of every great marketing strategy is to know and communicate effectively with your prospects. Who are they, individually or as a group? When, where and how are they likely to buy? With easy-to-use tools to help you ask the right questions, you’ll understand and meet your customers’ budget and lifestyle preferences every time. Stay ahead of the competition; improve productivity and profitability with personalized marketing campaigns to turn qualified leads into new homebuyers. This highly disciplined, flexible system gives you the unique ability to design, build and deliver buyer-qualified products with every home you build.

Design Center Upgrades and Options Selections

OnLocation-Design Center is an integrated mobile device software application that helps design center staff easily manage options, upgrades, and color selections while helping to maximize the amount of each sale. During option and upgrade selection appointments, sales staff can walk through available options and upgrades while keeping running totals and making suggestions within the home buyer’s budget. With fewer errors and no additional data entry, the sales documents and addendums are printed and signed immediately.

Executive Dashboards and Reporting

NEWSTAR Enterprise and FAST have been updated with enhanced executive dashboards and reporting functionality. With FOCUS and FAST Insight, managers, field staff, vendors, and other partners can have access to production and accounting information as needed. Key business indicators are visible in a graphical format with the ability to drill down and look at the data in additional detail when making critical decisions.

Accounting and Production System Enhancements

Constellation’s core products include home building accounting and production systems used by over 40% of the top 100 home building companies in North America and over 1,400 home builders in total. Our mission critical production and accounting systems include FAST, NEWSTAR, Builder 360, BuildSoft, Constellation CRM (formerly Computers for Tracts) and LandDev. We continue to support and enhance these systems with the latest regional and regulatory requirements and bring new functionality to each system to help our customers improve their core operations.

Field Scheduling and Quality Control

OnLocation-Construction Manager is the latest solution in the award winning software OnLocation family of mobile device applications for home builders. In addition to core scheduling functionality and payment approval, field staff and inspectors can easily identify and record quality issues at any point during the building cycle and beyond. Not only can vendor payment be withheld, but issues can be addressed easier and tracked over periods of time. Using the camera capabilities of many mobile devices, you can capture photos from the field and automatically categorize them within the system. Once they are in the system, they can easily be made available for all employees and distributed to managers, vendors, and home buyers as necessary. The photos and easy identification of quality issues becomes a key tool in supplier and trade negotiations.

Warranty and Homeowner Expectation Management: Driving Referral Sales

Constellation BuildSERV – Ownership Guide is a hosted web portal and e-mail service for the delivery of home care and warranty information to new home buyers. Multiple touch-point communication tools help you track responses and reinforce your warranty and customer service standards. Integrated lead referral programs offered during and after the warranty period will help you drive referral sales.

Home Owner Portal and Customer Self-Serve

Constellation HomePlate is a home owner web portal designed to enhance the home owner experience by providing 24/7 Internet access to construction schedules, warranty requests, and home purchase information from contract to warranty. It’s designed to deliver instant information to your customers anytime, anywhere, without phone calls or phone staff. HomePlate is easily customized to match your website and data flows seamlessly between your production system and the HomePlate website.

Database and Technology Flexibility

NEWSTAR Enterprise, FAST, Builder 360 and Constellation CRM all operate on Microsoft SQL, which is essentially becoming the industry standard database technology. Microsoft SQL, familiar to many home building professionals, provides self-tuning for database performance, replication built-in for faster and easier reporting, more security with failover clustering, and enhanced automated out-of-the-box scheduling and alert services.

About Constellation HomeBuilder Systems

As the largest home building software company in the industry, Constellation HomeBuilder Systems has helped more than 1,400 builders manage their information technology costs with integrated software solutions to run their business from dirt to warranty. From planning to homeowner services, we have land development software, new home sales and marketing software, production, purchasing, scheduling, accounting,
warranty, electronic homeowner manuals, and vendor portal solutions designed exclusively for the home building industry.

Media Inquiries

Cathy Kotsopoulos

ckotsopoulos@constellationhb.com

(888) 723-2222

The most recent edition of Green Builder Magazine has an interesting article about Constellation BuildSERV and its ability to help builders better manage home owner warranty and service.  With electronic media, e-mail communication, and internet websites, builders can provide better information related to warranty guidelines and home maintenance.  BuildSERV helps builders communicate with new home buyers as generation X, Y and millennials would expect.

“Homeowners using a web-based portal to access information reduces the need for a paper manual and the related environmental costs,” says Brad Brickman. “The exciting story is our ability to use the web and e-mail to build an ongoing relationship with the homeowner – to update and deliver maintenance and product information on the specific products in their home.”

The full article can be found on page 42 of the December 2008 issue.

It can be downloaded from the following location.

http://www.greenbuildermag.com/files/current_issue/gbm_122008.pdf

We are also announcing an exciting 30-minute webinar series that can help you with the following:

• Reduce production costs
• Improve management insight
• Build stronger customer relationships
• Work more efficiently with suppliers and trades
• Maximize upgrades on each sale

Sales and Home Buyer Solutions

Constellation BuildSERV’s hosted document library and online collaboration systems help builders manage home ownership documents and related warranty information. Our comprehensive services ease the task of organizing and compiling home ownership guides, and provide a method for delivering and tracking important buyer communications.


– Tues. Nov. 11 @ 2PM EST

Constellation HomePlate – Home Buyer Portal

Constellation HomePlate offers home builders a secure, web-based portal for their homebuyers and homeowners from contract to post-warranty. It’s designed to deliver instant information to your customers anytime, anywhere.


– Mon. Nov. 24 @ 2PM EST

Constellation Online Virtual Showroom

Constellation Online Virtual Showroom is a web-based lead generation tool that creates qualified prospects through unique visualization technology. Visitors to your website can mix and match exterior and interior colors and materials and see their choices instantly rendered on photographs of your model homes.


– Tues. Nov. 25 @ 2PM EST

Constellation CRM

Constellation CRM is a comprehensive suite of customer relationship management solutions for all sizes of home builders. Designed to help improve customer communication, options selection, and upgrade sales, now is the perfect time to take a look at Constellation CRM.


– Tues. Nov. 18 @ 2PM EST

FAST E-Leads and FAST Sales

FAST SALES and FAST E-Leads arms your sales team with the advantage they need to close the sale. FASTSales helps you streamline your sales process by automating follow-up and leveraging process-based workflow. With every sale a precious commodity you need a sales system that provides flexibility while maintaining accountability, that is FASTSales.


– Thurs. Nov. 20 @ 2PM EST

Constellation CRM Design Center

Constellation CRM Design Center provides your design staff with the tools to quickly, accurately and profitably prepare complex measured goods configurations, such as flooring or custom countertops. If you are looking to maximize the profits from your dedicated Design Center, now is the time to consider Constellation CRM Design Center.


– Wed. Nov. 12 @ 2PM EST

Construction Management and Communication Solutions

Constellation FOCUS is an integrated, web-based Business Intelligence (BI) solution designed to improve business performance through monitoring and proactive exception-based reporting. FOCUS can easily distribute pre-configured reports and notifications to suppliers, managers, employees and other business partners.


– Wed. Nov. 19 @ 2PM EST

FAST Insight

FAST Insight helps you to make the critical business decisions necessary in today’s economy on a daily basis, FASTInsight provides dashboard level views and detailed decision support in real-time so you can make those decisions with confidence. Know in an instant your financial and operational health with FASTInsight.


– Fri. Nov. 21 @ 12PM EST

Builder 360 – JobView 360

JobView 360 is a secure web-based project management solution designed exclusively for home builders to powerfully advance the flow of communication and develop reliable, partnerships between trade partners, subcontractors, and homebuilder employees.


– Mon. Nov. 17 @ 2PM EST

Constellation LandDev

Constellation LandDev supports detailed and summary level budgeting, estimating, bidding, contracting, and payment processing with user configured authorization processes. Find mistakes on paper before they happen in the field and become too expensive or too late to fix. LandDev allows users to eliminate the paper chase with workflow technology that sends e-mail messages to targeted individuals for budget approval, change order approval, payment approval and notification, as required, leading to an unprecedented control of cost and schedules.


– Mon. Nov. 10 @ 2PM EST

OnLocation-Schedule

OnLocation-Schedule is an award-winning, fully-integrated, wireless software application designed to meet the needs of field staff, home builders and suppliers. This easy-to-use application offers effortless monitoring and tight control of construction schedules and payment processes, while improving the efficiency of supplier communications.


– Thurs. Nov. 13 @ 2PM EST

PocketFAST

PocketFAST works seamlessly with your FAST schedules to extend the benefits of an integrated management system to your production line. Field managers and vendors will be more efficient, more effective, and more accurate with PocketFAST, providing essential, time sensitive information throughout your organization, as it happens. That’s what you should expect with an enterprise system, and PocketFAST delivers.


– Thurs. Nov. 13 @ 2PM EST

Constellation BuildPro

Constellation BuildPro is the leading, integrated, scheduling and vendor collaboration system utilized by home builders to effectively manage tight construction schedules and improve homebuilding efficiency. Over 10,000 builders and suppliers are using BuildPro and SupplyPro to help build thousands of homes more efficiently, communicate more effectively, and build stronger trade relationships. As an internet solution, the system is always available in the office, at home, or in the field.


– Fri. Nov. 21 @ 2PM EST

New Product Preview

OnLocation-ConstructionManager allows you to schedule jobs, control payments, control production quality, and communicate with trades. With real-time exception control and quality monitoring, you can identify quality issues before it’s too late or too expensive. Your superintendents and quality control staff can quickly run though a checklist and identify problems. Not only are the problems identified and stored in NEWSTAR Enterprise, but you can take photos with your mobile device for management oversight and supplier communications. These photos serve as a record of deficiencies for suppliers and trades and ensure that everyone has the ability to see problems when they occur.


– Thurs. Nov. 20 @ 2PM EST

OnLocation-DesignCenter

OnLocation-DesignCenter is an integrated software application that helps design center staff easily manage options, upgrades, and color selections and maximize home builder design center profitability. Using a barcode scanner, options, upgrades, and colors are easily captured and recorded in NEWSTAR Sales. From there, design center staff quickly generates the contract addendum and present it to the customer for approval. Design center staff no longer need to waste time keying product codes into the system while the customer waits.


– Fri. Nov. 14 @ 2PM EST

Additional Information

If you have any additional questions, please contact Cathy Kotsopoulos at (888) 723-2222 or via e-mail at ckotsopoulos@constellationhb.com.