BidList: Streamlining home improvement and saving $300,000 annually with a single app

Summary

In this case study, we explore the success story of BidList, a US-based company that leveraged Zoho Creator to overcome operational challenges and enhance customer engagement. With a team of approximately 10 internal users and close to 800 customers interacting through their customer portal, BidList needed an efficient solution to manage business processes and cater to a growing user base.

The company

BidList is a modern marketplace startup revolutionizing the home improvement industry. Since its establishment in 2020, the company's main objective has been to streamline the home improvement experience by providing a seamless shopping platform for homeowners and contractors. Their mission is to simplify the process of shopping, selling, and managing home improvement projects, making it convenient for all parties involved.

With BidList, homeowners and contractors have the power to access a comprehensive range of services and products at their fingertips, ultimately making the home improvement journey easier and more efficient for everyone.

The challenges

BidList faced several challenges as they grew. They needed a centralized platform to provide customers with accurate quotes and project details. Additionally, customizing the front end of their application to align with their website's aesthetics proved challenging with their existing drag-and-drop builder.

The journey

Alex Parker, co-founder and head of technology and development, discovered Zoho Creator during his previous role. Frustrated with the limitations of SQL databases and full-stack development, he sought a more flexible solution and found Zoho Creator. When BidList was established, Alex chose Zoho Creator as the foundation for the business, utilizing his knowledge to build the necessary architecture.

The solution: Streamlining with one app

BidList leveraged Zoho Creator to build a comprehensive application that addressed their specific needs. Within this single application, they developed robust modules, including a quoting system, project management tool, and integrated Zoho apps to enhance operations and workflow.

Custom app modules

They built modules tailored to specific needs, creating a hassle-free experience for stakeholders, namely:

The quoting system

BidList automated the process of generating accurate quotes for customers. Through scripting on Zoho Creator, when customers submitted a new request for a home improvement project, BidList collected project information and presented multiple options within 20 minutes. This streamlined process improved customer experience and sales cycle efficiency.

The project management tool

With Zoho Creator, BidList can now effectively track and manage projects, assign tasks to team members, monitor progress, and ensure timely completion of deliverables. By centralizing project-related information and facilitating collaboration, they minimized delays and confusion.

Integration with Zoho apps

BidList integrated Zoho Creator with other Zoho apps, such as Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, and Zoho Sign. Zoho CRM allowed them to store and manage customer data, track interactions, and gain valuable insights into their customer base. This integration empowered them to nurture client relationships and optimize sales and marketing strategies. Zoho Books facilitated invoicing and accounting, while Zoho Sign streamlined contract management.

Benefits & ROI

By implementing Zoho Creator, BidList achieved significant cost savings, equivalent to what would have required four to five developers with just one or two developers. This amounted to approximately $300,000 per year. The platform's user-friendly features also enabled individuals with minimal coding knowledge to master Zoho Creator and develop their applications quickly.

Looking forward

As BidList continues to grow, they're excited about their future possibilities with Zoho Creator. They're particularly focused on leveraging the expertise of Incquet Solutions to set up a catalyst that will enable seamless integration between BidList's application and the systems of larger companies. These companies often have diverse and complex systems in place, and BidList aims to configure their APIs to establish smooth communication between their application and these external systems. This integration will further streamline project management processes and enhance collaboration between BidList and their partners.

Additionally, BidList plans to explore further customization options within Zoho Creator to enhance their user experience and tailor the application to their evolving needs. They're confident that, with the support of Zoho Creator and their trusted partner, Incquet Solutions, they can continue to innovate and stay at the forefront of the home improvement industry.