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Builder SupplyNet - Online Trading Community
The Need
The online, virtual trade community can simplify constructions firms’ business processes by providing enhanced marketing, bidding, communication and commerce. As a password-protected, subscription-based online community, Builder SupplyNet developed and operated by Internos Corp, promotes business relationships among general contractors, builders, subcontractors, suppliers, and service providers. Furthermore, by helping local firms better manage their business processes and projects, it can help make them more productive and profitable.
The Technology
Builder SupplyNet is hosted at UUNET™, providing services with a direct connection to the UUNET backbone capacity network. Builder SupplyNet's technology was developed by Microstate, Inc. The Hamilton Software interfaces with SQL databases and enables real-time editing of members' pages and data. Based on these technologies, Builder SupplyNet enables subscribers to search for vendors by area of specialty, CSI division number and minority designation; access vendor catalogs; submit online purchase orders; e-mail requests for bids, sealed bids, promotional messages and work orders to individual or multiple recipients; send documents and attached files in original format; transmit blueprints without special software; access archived e-mails; and verify transmission and receipt of information.
The Benefits
- Can facilitates the electronic exchange of information, streamlining operations among residential and commercial construction industry participants in local construction markets nationwide.
- Availability. Can transmit requests for bids and quotes electronically to trading partners within a local or national geographic area.
- Increased qualified industry contacts. Can expand list of competent contacts and reduce dependency upon referrals, chance meetings and geographic proximity.
- Enhanced knowledge base. Instead of choosing vendors or subcontractors out of habit or time constraints, the database query can compare results and make an informed decision quickly and effortlessly.
- Improve communications and save time. Can simplify routine commerce communications among industry participants and reduce time spent playing telephone tag and faxing documents.
- Immediacy: Can transmit one-time and limited-time promotional opportunities directly to active buyers.
- Expedite purchasing: Can select vendor products for purchase, complete purchase orders automatically via e-mail and end repetitive tasks.
Status
Builder SupplyNet V. 2.0 was launched by Internos Corp. in Fall 1999 as the first subscription-based online working community for local construction and building markets nationwide. Builder SupplyNet customers include William V. Walsh Construction and Natelli Custom Homes and Renovations.
Barriers
- Builder SupplyNet is only available in limited geographic markets; however, they continually are expanding into new ones, which now include Atlanta; Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston, Texas; Baltimore; Boston; Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Chicago; Indianapolis; Lincoln/Omaha, Neb.; Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego and San Francisco, Calif.; New York; northern New Jersey; Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia and Scranton/Wilkes Barre, Pa.; Phoenix; Richmond and Tidewater, Va.; and Washington, D.C
- Companies can pay a flat annual fee of $999 per local market, or $99 per month through a company subscription includes an unlimited number of users.
Points of Contact
- Gary Graziano, General Manager, Builder SupplyNet, Internos Corp., 45195 Business Court, Suite 100, Dulles, VA 20166, Tel: (703)715-3200, Fax: (703)715-8001. E-mail: ggraziano@internoscorp.com
- Erika Platt, KSK Communications, Ltd. Suite 400,8618 Westwood center Drive, Vienna, Virginia 22182-2222. Tel: (703)734-1880, Fax: (703)821-2756. E-mail: eplatt@kskcommunications.com
Refrences
- News Release by Builder SupplyNet. Nov. 1999
Disclaimer Statement
Neither the Construction Industry Institute nor Purdue University in any way endorses this technology or represents that the information presented can be relied upon without further investigation.