New Directions in High Tech Home Building
Friday, April 17, 2009 at 10:24AM By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla
Pierre Martell: Bridging home building and high technology for the benefit of customers
"I think our clients like that we are only a "click" away, and they are always in the know of what is happening with Martell Homes, I believe this provides a sense of comfort that we are not a fly-by-night company, we are here to stay and if they need anything they know exactly where to find us," says Pierre Martell, co-founder of Martell Home Builders from Moncton, New Brunswick, whose high tech approach to home building has made successful use of today's social media tools.
By involving their customers in each aspect of home building, Martell Home Builders manages expectations and communications by keeping them in the loop.
"We all have, iPhones and Macbooks, use Twitter, Facebook and use 37 Signals for our CRM, SmugMug for online photo sharing, Smugshots for mobile photo uploads (this actually geotags the photos) gotVmail for our toll free number and online messaging, Skype and Tokbox for video conferencing, Google for calendar and document sharing and GMail for email," Martell explains.
The integration of all this technology with a client-oriented approach has enabled Martell Home Builders to grow their business and deliver on their promises. A rare thing in the contractor and home builder industry where delays, budget bloat and communication problems are common occurrences.
"We have completed 42 homes, currently we have 8 in the works that construction has begun on or will begin soon," Martell declares. He explains that client management has been a big factor for success but aside from offering high-tech monitoring options he also credits building close relationships with each client as a key for their success.
"Pierre treated us like we were his friends and we felt very comfortable approaching him with any questions or requests that we had throughout the home building and buying process," explains Lisa Rice, a satisfied customer.
Customer satisfaction comes, in part, from the company's 99-day countdown system.
"For homes under 2000 square feet, we give our personal guarantee that once construction begins on your new home, you will be in it within 99 days, we have not missed a closing date yet," Martell explains.
Another advantage developed by Martell Home Builders is enabling customization and interactive design tools for the clients to use in their home building process.
"I think both aspects of our model (customization and interactive approach) appeal to our customers, the fact that they are in control over the build of their home where they make decisions, have choices and feel they are being heard and really be a pivotal part of the whole process," Martell explains.
The company foresees growth and is expanding to the Saint John and Fredericton markets for 2009.
The most challenging part of their business, according to Martell, is "ensuring the MHB team meets all our own deadlines and expectations."
On the flipside, the company finds that the most satisfying part of their business is, "definitely closing day, when we hand over the keys to the new homeowners, seeing their excitement first hand makes every bit of hard work absolutely worth it."
In this economic downturn, Martell has some advice for would be homebuyers.
"With the interest rates as low as they are, I would encourage would-be homebuyers to hop on the homeowner bandwagon, but keep within their means, your first home doesn't have to be a mansion, it's best to start with what you need based on age, income, family size."
Olympus flexing muscles
Not as revolutionary as the Nikon D5000, Olympus is set to launch an equally interesting DSLR in the e620. With 12 Megapixels, a tilt and swive screen, in-body image stabilization, live view as well as art filter that offers in-camera effects for photos.
Banking on the Four Thirds system of lenses and accessories, Olympus sees the e620 as its midrange model that boasts of fast 7-point auto-focus and its tiny size that will make it one of the most portable, full-featured DSLR cameras in the market.
The Olympus e620 will be selling in Canada for $900 with a 14-42MM lens and should attract a lot of amateurs and prosumers who are willing to invest into the Olympus system.
It should be an interesting time in the prosumer DSLR market , while megapixel sensor sizes are steadying at the 10-12MP range, we see features, usability and compact size as the competitive areas.
[/caption]
By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla
When word got around that 
Now, will 3.0 be accompanied by a new iPhone model. You can pretty much bet on it. We're hoping that aside from a new 3G iPhone we'll see the 