Wood treater unveils new customer portal

I New cusroMER portal is the latest la,technology upgrade undertaken by Cox Industries, Orangeburg, S.C., which has been producing pressure treated wood products since 1954.

"Our goal is to use technology to deepen our relationships with our retail partners," says Keith Harris, vice president of marketing, who oversees the upgrades. "We realize that their customers are doing more research than ever before making buying decisions, so simplifying the search for information can make a difference in getting the order."

Harris says that the company's technology upgrades began in early 2010, when the sales team received iPhones so they'd have real-time access to account information. customer service issues, and marketing support requests. Usage of social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook also increased, as did a company blog.

Once they are registered, Cox customers can log into the secure portal and view, download, and upload account-specific information and product information. They also have direct access (via office phone, cell phone, or email) to the entire Cox team.

The new portal is especially useful for the company's smaller customers, who previously called when they had questions about previous orders.

"The smaller customers have invoice amounts, but they may not have access to line-item details," says Bill Howerton, director of new information systems and technology at Cox. "Now they can get details on recent orders, including types and amounts of products, and how much they spent on each-even away from the office, as long as they have Intemet access."

One customer who appreciates the upgrades is Chris Yoder, who handles sales and business development at Yoder Building Supply, Fair Play and Westminster, S.C. He was one of Cox's first customers to test-drive the new portal.

"They are unique in the ways they use technology," says Yoder, whose company selected Cox as its primary provider early last year. "If my salespeople can access information via smartphones, iPads, or laptops, that makes our business more efficient and increases sales."

He also believes that increased use of technology and social media will help attract younger people to the industry-and will enable older members to keep us with the latest trends. "Traditional face-to-face relationships will always be important," he says, "but technology and social media help keep us connected and aware."

What's next at Cox? Harris says that online order placement, live chat, and order tracking should be available this summer. "The portal is our direct line of communication with our customers," says Harris. "Our customers are letting us know what's valuable to them, and we are building their requests into the system on an ongoing basis."