Redrow Introduces Online Reservation Technology
Redrow Homes, the current WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year, has formally introduced a system that lets buyers of its homes legally complete the reservation of a new home online.
The new system is accessed via the company’s award-winning My Redrow online members’ area and gives buyers the opportunity to complete the reservation of their new home online. It will be available on the majority of Redrow’s latest developments by the end of June 2019.
It has already been rolled out across a number of the housebuilder’s developments in Lancashire, the South Midlands, South East (including Temple Wharf in Strood, which we visited a few weeks ago) and Southern Counties.
The latest Redrow figures show that 90% of customers chose to reserve their property in their own time and in the comfort of their chosen surroundings, perhaps at home or on the move. Over 30% of buyers completed the reservation when the sales centres are closed.
The system has a user-friendly design that takes buyers through the whole process step-by-step at their own pace, from the consumer code and warranty information through a series of pre-reservation legal declarations, including plans and drawings, for their chosen plot.
Traditionally, this would be discussed during a three-hour meeting with the Redrow sales team. Under this new technology, buyers now have more time to consider the documentation at their leisure , but still be welcome toconsult Redrow’s sales team and/or their legal adviser along the way if they wish.
Dave Bexon, group sales and marketing director at Redrow, said: “We’re very excited to be announcing the latest innovation of My Redrow, and delighted to be the first housebuilder to offer our customers the opportunity to fully, legally complete the reservation of a new home online. We’re confident it will significantly enhance our customers’ home buying experience.
“Purchasing a property is an important milestone for any buyer and can take time. We know everyone’s time is precious and we understand the need for customers reserving a new home to be able to read detailed documents at their own pace and when it’s most convenient for them. The sales teams are still on hand to answer any questions or guide the buyer through the process if required but we’re finding that most customers are enjoying the freedom and the clear step-by-step guide the new service provides.”
My Redrow is an online members’ area, designed and developed in-house by Redrow to provide support to new homes purchasers through the whole homebuying, from their initial search to moving into their new Redrow home. Members are also able to access and store important documents and follow the build progress of their home, and style their homes from an extensive range of optional choices, extras or upgrades.
Barbara Richmond, group finance director at Redrow, commented: “Since My Redrow launched in 2013, we’ve invested heavily to deliver the best possible digital experience for our customers. As we all become increasingly digital focussed, consumers’ property searching and buying habits are evolving as well, particularly amongst millennial and Gen Z buyers. We’ve ensured My Redrow is as comprehensive as possible and provides an excellent service from the very beginning to the end of the buying process.”
Redrow was this year awarded the top Five Star rating by the Home Builders Federation (HBF), increasing its customer satisfaction scores year-on-year since the launch of its ‘Customer First’ strategy in 2015. It also became the first top ten housebuilder to join the Institute of Customer Services and this year was nominated for ‘Best Customer Satisfaction Strategy’ at the UK Customer Satisfaction awards. Last November, it won the most prestigious title in the UK housebuilding industry as Best Large Housebuilder and Housebuilder of the Year at the WhatHouse? Awards.