What is Inventory Management?
CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
Imagine CRM as your blueprint binder 🗂️ — it keeps track of all the people, companies, and projects you’re bidding or working on, so nothing falls through the cracks.
Lead 🏗️
A lead is like a new project inquiry.
Example: Michael Johnson fills out a form asking for railing estimates on a new office tower in Dallas.
You don’t yet know if he has budget, timeline, or is serious — you just know there’s potential.
Goal: Qualify the lead (like checking if the site has permits and funding before starting).
Account 🏢
An account is the company (GC, Architect, Sub-Contractor) you’re working with.
Example: Turner Construction becomes an account in your CRM.
Under that account, you’ll track all jobs, bids, and people you deal with.
Think of it as the headquarters for all activity with that company.
Contact 👷♂️
A contact is the individual person at the account.
Example (Estimator): James Carter, Estimator at Turner Construction. He’s the one requesting your bid numbers, comparing them with competitors, and deciding whether you’re in the final round.
Opportunity 💰
An opportunity is the specific project or deal you’re bidding or negotiating.
Example: A $1.2M glass railing installation for the Dallas Medical Center Tower is an opportunity.
It moves through stages — bid submitted → under review → awarded → closed.
It’s like tracking the project lifecycle, from bid board to punch list.
⚡ Quick construction analogy:
Lead = a new job lead you hear about (“Hey, there’s a tower going up downtown”).
Account = the GC firm running the job (e.g., Turner Construction).
Contact = James Carter, Estimator at Turner Construction.
Opportunity = your bid for that specific project (Dallas Medical Tower railing contract).
Last updated