02 May Voice for Home Improvement: Remodeling Seasonal Demand

As the weather starts to warm, trees start to blossom, and patio furniture re-emerges from the garage, home improvement stores across the country prepare for a springtime peak in demand—and a strong remodeling market. The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies Leading Indicator for Remodeling Activity (LIRA) points to strong growth, as does the Remodeling Market Index (RMI) published by the National Association for Home Builders.

While a remodeled kitchen or bathroom may make for a more functional living space when the project is complete, in-progress home improvement projects can be highly disruptive to everyday life. That’s why it’s important for home improvement distributors to ensure that their products are available to building contractors and DIY customers when they need them. Time is of the essence, and when an item isn’t on the shelf many customers will simply select another item already in stock or they will buy from another retailer altogether.

Fortunately, companies that have invested in technology to streamline distribution operations can expect to have more products immediately available to customers. Voice automation technology, when deployed for item selection in the warehouse, regularly leads to efficiency improvements of 30%. We’re fortunate to serve a number of companies in the home improvement sector, all of which are better able to serve their customers thanks to voice. Some new additions and long-time partners include:

Mohawk Home: Mohawk Home manufactures hardwood and laminate flooring, carpet, ceramic tile, and area rugs and distributes to retailers all over the world from its Calhoun, Georgia base. Mohawk has been a Voxware customer since 2007 and recently recommitted to our Cloud VMS solution.

The Baker McMillen Company: Since 1874, Baker McMillen has manufactured fine wood turnings and supplies. Today, all Northern White Ash used in their products comes from sustainably managed forests in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. The company prides itself on offering superior quality products, which is why each product down to the smallest dowel is handpicked and sorted before being shipped to retailers across the US. Baker McMillen is one of Voxware’s latest customers with a new multi-year Cloud VMS deployment in their Stow, Ohio facility.

Artex: This UK-based manufacturer and distributor of home improvement products ships 2 million items every year. After the company’s paper-based processes led to errors, Artex turned to Voxware to improve accuracy. After deploying voice, accuracy improved 12% above its previous levels, reducing the need for potentially costly reshipments.

The faster a remodel is completed, the faster homeowners can enjoy themselves in their new space. Learn more about how Voxware has helped companies from the home improvement sector and more here.