Best Software for Custom Home Builders/Architects/Designers....

Love it. I enjoy being a part of the development of what is actually needed for Pros... really feel heard. Love the new stuff that is coming up this fall. You are already working on ACH payments, POs, signatures on documents I upload, etc etc.... Really appreciate not having to manage ads on google, LOVE that it's the main part of marketing. I researched a lot of softwares prior to choosing Houzz, but you are coming out with things that allow me to use you guys exclusively. I also love supporting an Israeli company...

Pros

How much is included for the price! The Houzz team does so much on the back side to make my business find-able, and makes me look good in the customers eyes... as well as educate homeowners before I ever talk to them so that my job is easier. They also send me quality leads, vs sorting through mountains of leads to get to one that is ready to move forward.

Cons

I am not able to customize the business website myself... aka have my graphic designer customize it for content and SEO. The one thing that would be nice is to have a section in the CRM for contractors/sub contractors.

Great Concept

We like how intuitive the software is, saving time by adding products, creating tear sheets, and getting client approval within moments.

Pros

This program makes tracking our products very easy, and customer service has been fantastic! We love being able to add things from all over the web and customize them to our needs.

Cons

There are a few things with billing that end up being duplicated in quickbooks. In that same respect they are duplicated within the project tracker (so in order to track appropriately you must save to a spreadsheet and delete the duplicated items - difficult when you have 10+ pages of products).

Good and Bad

6 / 10 However with some small adjustments and clearer information this could easily be 9/10 or 10/10

Pros

- It does generate leads - It is a good place to combine marketing and social media - The customer service is great

Cons

- A little deceptive in terms of how many builders are advertising in the same area, and leads are shared. - Not enough clarity on the algorithms / how advertising works

A huge boost to mazimize your chances of success in the industry.

Hands down they win a badge for best software. Houzz already has a great reputation in the industry. This sofware behaves likes no other. User-friendly and it connects you to real customers. There is still lots I have yet to learn. In between two clients I surf and develop my knowledge, so it can become my virtual assistant.

Pros

The intuitive side of it is undeniable. It is so convenient.

Cons

The lack of support. Sometimes when you just need a quick answer you cannot reach anyone at Houzz over the phone.

Banking Nightmare

Very stressful. I am canceling their service

Pros

I bought Ivy because it was designed for interior designers and it was recommended by ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) Ivy has a easy to use extension that makes it very easy to add materials and pricing to your personal inventory from any website. Ivy also has a project management system to track purchases and tasks responsibilities.

Cons

I have only had an account with Ivy for less than 2 months and have had several major banking issues. 1st it was hard for me to link my bank account to my profile. My Ivy account manager ended up having to do it manually. 2nd they somehow linked a bank account that was not mine to my profile, so when my clients paid me I was not getting the payments. They had to refund my clients their money, then I had to re-send the invoices for them to pay again. Which was very embarrassing. 3rd they have been attempting to take a large amount of money from my bank the whole month, which they are not authorized to do. Causing me hundreds of dollars in insufficient fund fees. On top of this, there is No customer service/tech support number for Ivy. I only have an email and phone number for my assigned Ivy account manager. Who is available by appointment only, even though I paid for the Unlimited Package that "includes" priority support. How can you run a business with no access to tech support!!??

STAY AWAY FROM HOUZZ PRO!!!

I feel we have been fleeced. [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] sold us with false promises and a description of the services that did not match reality. [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] our account manager was just rude and condescending when we asked to revise our services. I am still trying to change to a simpler package but have gotten no response from these people.

Pros

We signed up for the Ultimate package and support from Houzz Pro in June after Senior Strategic Account Executive [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] sold us on the flexibility of the services and ability to reduce or increase the level of product provided. Over the last 5 months we have been disappointed with the potential clients the site attracts and the amount of time we spend managing the site. When we called last month to reduce services our Houzz Pro account manager was not familiar with our agreement, was rude and unprofessional toward my Associate. I complained two and half weeks ago in writing and have not heard back from [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN]. This is a marketing scam- they pressure businesses into purchasing useless marketing tools. STAY AWAY! This is paid advertising

Cons

This software did not attract appropriate clients or projects and has been time consuming on our end to manage the results. Houzz Pro staff have ignored us now that we want to reduce services- or at least eliminate superfluous  products. This service is a rip off.

Great Platform to get organized

We started with it, but migrating the project management to another, more robust platform. We use it only for customer database and basic follow ups on the lead generation. It is a good platform for a starter company, with all the basic features needed for a complete workflow management.

Pros

- Lead generation & customer communications. - Estimating, basic pricing. - Scope change is good - Property details, based on the address

Cons

Budgeting - its very basic. Needs to be able to separated materials & labor costs on the totals. Integration with Quickbooks Email marketing - all the contacts are available in the system, but needs to be exported to another platform for follow-up

So Glad I Went with Ivy

I've gotten to know quite a few of the people with Ivy customer support. Everyone is a class act and very helpful.

Pros

I like that it integrates with Quick Book since I have been using QBs for my accounting and did not want to change that. It's fun that my clients get to see pictures of what the item is too. My favorite feature is the time tracker app!

Cons

I am hoping that you add a feature to communicate directly with clients regarding their projects. Something like Basecamp.

Important Product

We have considered Houzz Pro to be an important tool for communicating with our design clients.

Pros

Having a profile and using the project management tool for organizing our professional photography is easy to set up and maintain.

Cons

The room design and layout tool could be more user friendly but it still is a good solution for quick renderings.

Interior Design Software

This had made proposals and invoicing a easier and more professional. My clients love how they can see the products that I am either proposing or invoicing.

Pros

It is built for an interior design firm. It is very professional and easy to use.

Cons

I wish this software tracked (time and date stamped) when adjustments were made to the invoice or proposal and each time a client was reviewing either.

Awesome software!

Amazing so far!

Pros

Using Houzz Pro has really changed how I create my estimates, how I manage my timelines with team members. The website feature was really my game changer. Having an online presence has really increased the amount of clients that call and request an estimate on their project from me. Showcasing my client reviews really makes sure you go that extra mile for your clients.

Cons

So far so good! I needed extra tutorials but that's part of the learning curve with new software and a not so tech savvy customer.

Ivy Review

Excellent customer service, intro to product and easy to get up and running on. Positive so far but the accounting part of it is nowhere near as sophisticated as Studio Designer which we have used for years.

Pros

Great client portal, easy to get started on and the company seems to be very open to questions and feedback. We love that they are constantly working to make the software better for designers by implementing new features all the time.

Cons

It is weak on the accounting end and there are some small tweaks that still need to be made to allow for more internal notes on products, keeping track of items and reporting profits easily and on each item.

Enjoying the Professionalism of Houze Pro!

Right now I'm pretty exhausted after working all day on several projects, but I will do my best with this. It seems that all the prospects I receive are wanting to do quite a bit of work, after being in their homes for all these months; but don't have the budget to do what they want, so even though I give a free consultation on the phone and answer all their questions. I really need some better prospects and am wondering if I need to update my website, but [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] thinks it's great. Should I not mention working within their budget? I am getting all the cheapskates it seems! i understand people are worried; so am I!! I also just the other day, tried to make some verbal improvements but it didn't tell me I had run over the 2500 word limit until I finished it, and so it didn't save any of it. I talked to [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] about this and he told me to send what I wanted to write to him. Please look this over for me if you really want to help.I know Houzz keeps him pretty busy! Could someone else look my website over and make some suggestions. ? I think a longer video with music would be better..the one you have put on there is too short. Please advise me on that.. But I can honestly say that I have investigated other companies and nothing compares to your Professional program!! Thanks so much for your dedication to be a truly professional place for us designers and decorators to have our websites! Marie Given

Pros

I really like almost all of the features for Houzz Pro. I also really appreciate my dedicated account manager..[SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN]...He always tries to call back ASAP and is very upbeat and helpful!! Please keep the prospect description short. In my opinion it should always fill just ONE sheet so it can be copied and followed up on until we get results of some kind.. and the phone number should show with it. Sometimes when I click on it, the screen changes, and I have to go find the phone number by clicking on Leads and going through putting the name in just to get the phone number. It's hard to describe, but that's it has recently started tot be a problem.. Otherwise it is very easy to work with. Please keep it informative, but short.

Cons

Yes the REVIEW section could be improved. I have had several people have trouble in trying to give me a review, even though I have sent them a request for it from my end using their email address! Please make it easier for the client to leave a review. Second: I always send an email immediately after trying to call the lead. I NEVER have had a prospect say they received it! . there must be a fault in what Houzz puts as a Subject line, but they don't open it or receive it and reply to me. At that point, this is the ONLY way we can get in touch with some of them especially if the phone number is busy or incorrect. ! Please improve it and get it to the prospect right away. That would help a lot! What is happening here?

The little things...

We are billing our clients more efficiently since using IVY. The customer service is top notch! Our rep is amazingly helpful at the drop of a dime... sometimes a quarter, but he tries his best to resolve our questions within the same working day.

Pros

The system is a great way to communicate with our clients and the designer teams. Our account enjoys the ease of tracking all finances. Our expeditor loves having multiple ways to communicate the status of items.

Cons

Reports/Time Billing don't 'total' numbers. The 'schedule' isn't available to our client.. (for tracking their orders). Time Billing doesn't give a 'running' total of hours used for the project and doesn't display what the clients remaining retainer balance is.

Great integration of portfolio, website, advertising

I have had a steady reliable account manager who regularly checks in with me to outline new features that were introduced, and even actually created the first version of our website which I subsequently tweaked a bit and personalized, but I was really impressed that she took the time to do this. This is definitely unique in the marketplace.

Pros

I like the integration between our Houzz profile content and creating a website from it. It allows me to keep a portfolio of our work that I can direct clients to along with the creation and management of our website which is hosted by Houzz. It provides a single portal for managing leads from people who choose us in general searches on Houzz such as what they call Houzz Project Match, to leads that come directly through our website which is hosted by Houzz. They all show up in the same place. With the addition of the website tools and a fair bit of customization of our website using them, it has really provided an easy solution for a fair bit of our marketing. I would highly recommend it, especially for a smaller company that does not already have an up to date website. Also, remarkably, since hosting our website on Houzz our organic search engine ranking is unexpectedly high after switching over a year ago.

Cons

I would love even more website creation tools but I also recognize that with more complexity, it might go beyond my capability to use these new tools.

HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SUPPORT & SOFTWARE IS FRAUDULENT

Horrible. If you want to have to double check everything twice then buy this. It is a total waste of money.

Pros

It is somewhat user friendly, but the back side of syncing with QBO is horrible. Don't waste your time with this software.

Cons

It in no way shape or form syncs with QBO. It will download partial information but you will soon learn that sales tax only loads one rate so if you use multiple you won't get the right rate in QBO. It also has horrible support. I have been trying to get someone to help me for over a month now. They dance around my questions.

Great source for inspiration & finding the right expert for your remodeling project

Pros

It's a robust tool and fairly easy to manage incoming leads

Cons

still needs work with how it's sending the email notifications, there's a HUGE glitch where it sends the users to a different domain name, and despite the fact I pointed it out to them several times they still haven't fixed it.

Poor User Experience and Awful Customer Service

I've had an overwhelmingly negative experience. The salesperson forgot our first appointment (I should have cancelled at this point) and did not show up, then when we rescheduled she was pushy and looking back, rather manipulative. She did not share the terms with me, just expected me to read the fine print. The customer support is argumentative and not helpful. They talk in circles and do not address issues and are slow to respond. It is not a customer first business they are running, it is a numbers game. I would look for alternatives before using this software or supporting this company. While I can forgive some technical product difficulties, the service put the nail in the coffin. Personally, when the 1 year contract is up, I will be running far away from this company.

Pros

The user interface is nice looking - that's all I liked.

Cons

It's hard to get around - things are in illogical places. They have features that would be really cool if they worked properly, like the Chrome extension. Additionally, you are locked into paying for 1 year. So if you decide the software is not right for your business, you cannot cancel. The terms are not communicated properly. the fine print on a presentation deck and a terms agreement buried in the settings of the program and not pointed to does not constitute communication of terms in a service-oriented field. No wonder the Interior Designers who built this software and no longer designers. their customer service is atrocious.

Houzz Pro is a Solid Option

Pros

Love the ease of use - it's a very intuitive software on the whole. It has most everything we need from an proposal/invoicing/client database side. (We use it along with Basecamp, which is our project manager software). The reporting feature is nice, as well. Reasonably priced and wonderful customer support!

Cons

There are definitely some features that we feel are missing within this software. It would be nice to have a little more customization options when creating proposals/invoices with regards to adjusting line spacing, how large our company logo appears on the document, etc. You also cannot have an invoice with a negative amount (we don't have negative amounts too often, but every once in a while we need to refund a client and have a corresponding invoice that shows it). It'd also be nice to be able to make a templated proposal, so we can just use that to create a new one that already has a lot of the items in it that we use on most proposal - have to start from scratch every time creating a new invoice or proposal. We also bill in a cost + % format. It'd be nice to be able to ask for percentage amounts instead of just having dollar amount options for line items - for example, having the line item at the bottom be able to calculate a percentage of all the line items above it. But, all in all, these are smaller things and obviously not enough of a deterrent for us and we us Houzz Pro for our business and do enjoy it. Think it's a great software and is at a reasonable price.

A review from an avid user

Offer 3D design now, invoice génération for purchases appear very professional, mood boards are easy to use and handy, my customer service manager [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] is excellent and knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. Tech support has not always been great at all but it has improved

Pros

Most impactful was the design software and mood boards and 3D option to show myself and clients. It was easy to on-board Houzz pro - Ivy is useful and reliable

Cons

The Houzz pro software design program is still buggy and missing key items such as stairs and a fireplace. Bugs need to be fixed as I have lost floor plans and needed to regain trust in the program. Would be great to be able to customize specific furniture pieces into program and also, if Houzz could be more Canadian friendly, it would go a long way towards improvement. The lead generation is not great so far. Need better quality and legitimate leads to justify what I pay. Most are not interested in any design service and just playing around with the program. They do not return my call when I follow up. I almost have stopped follow up as it takes time and is. It rewarded

Every day it seems to get better.

What did we do before we had this type of technology. they only bring us the type of work that meets our profile and then give us the tracking mechanism to insure we can mange the client interaction.

Pros

The software has a fairly significant learning curve for people like myself who have run their company mostly off of a combination of spreadsheets and contact list. I am finding that the program has so much depth and the more we get into it the more we realize that we need to go all in. Houzz has been so good to us on all the other platforms that we would be foolish not to take advantage of this. If you do not have reagional placement contacts in place with them you are not spending your advertising $'s very well.

Cons

The shear size of all that you can do in the program. As the combined reviews of our company round 12 M. Double of what it was just three years ago we realize that having everything in one place is the best strategy. But getting 30+ years worth of experience into a single program seems daunting. Would be great if they had on the ground tech staff you could hire to make the transition.

Premier customer service

Overall, our experience improved once [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] became our client success manager and walked us through the new features. I would say only one lead has turned into a completed project so we are still evaluating if the cost is worth it; however we are committing to utilizing more of its features and improving our page to offer a fair evaluation.

Pros

First, our current Client Success Manager, [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN], is extremely helpful and has helped us to utilize more features of Houzz Pro that we weren't taking advantage of before. He answers questions quickly and has taken the time to have several meetings to improve our experience. Also, the new lead tracking feature has really improved our experience with Houzz Pro because we can now track all our Houzz leads alongside with word of mouth and leads from other sources side-by-side, making it much easier to follow-up!

Cons

It took quite a bit of set-up time and a few client success managers for us to get the full picture of the software and how it can help promote our business, but once all the initial work is set up, it is easy to use. One thing I dislike is when I am creating a gallery, I have to input same project information and tags on every single picture. It would be helpful to have an autopopulate feature so if there are, for example, multiple pictures of a kitchen, the same information about finishes can be applied to all photos.

Houzz

The business problems that have been solved by Houzz have been making my business visible and boosting it with reviews, and the SEO of my website. In the past I have used individuals to manage my website and SEO at great expense and with minimal effect, and have tried to use a variety of ways to make my business visible. Houzz has taken care of all of this,

Pros

The most important feature on Houzz for me is the quality of their customer service reps. Over the years I have had several, some are more attentive than others. My current rep is [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] and he is wonderful. He calls on a regular basis and always answers my questions in a timely manner. This is important because I sometimes get stuck on the technical aspects of Houzz. [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] always explains what is going on and how I should use the technology to boost my business. The other terrific aspect of Houzz is that it manages my website and SEO. This has been invaluable.

Cons

The hardest thing for me is that the technology sometimes gets ahead of me.

Product Review

We do not use HOUZZ to solve business problems, but HOUZZ Pro has made business expand into areas that are outside of our referral zone. The insights and communication are great tools. Our client success manager [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] is phenomenal. She reaches out and follows up continuously and is very responsive to any questions that we have in a very prompt and professional manner. Very pleased with her!

Pros

We believe that a photo tells a story and images say a thousand words. The HOUZZ Pro lead generation feature has worked very well in reaching outside of our referral zone expanding that organic reach. The ease of use of the product is certainly there and integration with the business model was easy. The client success manager that we are assigned is amazing. [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] has been extremely helpful and responsive.

Cons

Not really much to dislike about HOUZZ. We used to use Pinterest and now haven't opened that program in a couple of years since transitioning to HOUZZ Pro...we really use HOUZZ to promote more than we do FaceBook or Instagram.

Lots of features, not quite mature

--positive overall. Having periodic check-ins with relationship manager has been great. --looking forward to seeing how these applications mature over time.

Pros

--a great array of tools ranging from CRM to analytics to design tools

Cons

--CRM not as full featured on mobile, for example email templates on desktop are not available on mobile --Analytics are great for seeing MoM comparisons with our own numbers, but would be nice to see how we are doing against our competition as well (city, region, state, national) in order to measure true effectiveness --design tools are a bit buggy, for example living room furniture doesn't seem to load properly in floor planning tool and no apparent way to import an existing floor plan CAD file to save on re-drafting time. Feels very much like this is a beta tool, but has interesting possibilities especially for furniture specification.

If Only I Could Give 10 Stars

My experience with Houzz has been exceptional. I recommend it to all of my colleagues. The staff is top notch and always willing to help. Part of the reason Houzz has dominated over their competitors is because they listen to their client’s needs and adjust rather than expecting the client to conform. Houzz is constantly evolving and is always finding ways of running your business easier. Our Client Success Manager, [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] has been with me every step of the way. With suggestions and ideas that have taken our business to the next level.

Pros

Houzz is super easy to use and you can modify any project or layout. Now that they have added video it gives them even more of an edge. I love all of the features and the fact that you can create content within Houzz is amazing. I can't say enough about Houzz

Cons

It is highly customizable and can be tedious, but worth the investment. Especially if you are going after high end clients.

From a small business view point

Pros

For myself being a small business it is the exposure that Houzz and Houzz Pro affords me. I see other large firms advertising and Houzz allows me to compete on a level playing field with them. Houzz Pro allows me to manage inquires, projects follow , sending proposal and contract and set my schedules for projects. All of which I can accomplish in one place. I can share ideas and images with my clients, as well as various aspects of the clients dashboard. I do share the schedule with my clients, so they can view it and know what milestone are up coming and how the project is progressing. My Houzz Pro success mange and I work together as a team. I know I have support behind me and some one that I can reach out to and ask questions of. I am not out there alone trying to figure everything out by myself.

Cons

I will need to get back to you on this question. I do not know of any cons at this point two years in to using the platform.

Centralizing our systems

I am still new to houzz pro as I was one of the original ivy uses before it grew into a larger program. We are still learning all the new features and had no idea there really was so much here!

Pros

The invoicing tool is hands down the most utilized because our clients NEED pictures, truly. One might think they ordered a bronze faucet and forget they changed and approved a matte black one-this happens alot with clients as they have alot of changes in their home, or they are moving, etc. The clarity we offer this way is a huge help to clients as they are on the go and might not have all of the boards/files we gave them. They can pull up their dashboard on their phone, or their ipad.

Cons

We do not sync with quickbooks as we actually found it faster for us not to integrate. Appreciate having the option to choose, though.

Houzz review

Marketing is the main issue that Houzz is helping with, just getting my firm's name out there and optimized on search engines, etc.

Pros

I like that it links my Houzz public page to my website making changes easier. I also feel that having good customer service help has been key.

Cons

I feel Houzz is still working out how to bring clients together with pros. So far the matching of client to pro without the client specific preference hasn't gone too well. I have noticed that many times these matches are actually spam or the potential client is not very interested in proceeding.

Best Marketing Partner

Great. I can easily have mtgs with my customer support person. I get immediate leads.

Pros

Posting testimonials from my Clients. Being able to post pix from my completed projects. Posting pix of their projects as part of my "thanks for the review" section - but I have to do that at the same time I reply. Using videos albeit I don't use that feature enough.

Cons

The fill in the blank design elements per page in a project are not detailed enough The fact that I can't easily print out the lead inquiry with the phone # I have to print it out, and then hand type the phone # Not being able to add project pix to a review...AFTER I had replied with just text. Usually I don't have pro shots ready when someone writes up a review BUT I ALWAYS reply to them via Houzz on the review page thanking them for reviewing me.

Blakes Of Sydney - definitely worth the investment

Houzz Pro and its tools are invaluable to my growing business. From gaining new clients and managing the sales cycle while on the run, to the comprehensive backend analytics, Houzz is the complete platform that I trust. And to top it off, all the Houzz team and account executives are very friendly and there to help when the need arises. I recommend this platform to any business that is keen to grow and streamline its processes. It’s definitely worth the investment and I couldn’t be happier at Blakes Of Sydney as a Houzz Pro user

Pros

1. CRM leads management 2. Comprehensive backend analytics 3. Managing the sales cycle while on the run 4. Account executives are very friendly and there to help

Cons

Having flexibility to arrange projects in different orders. Viewing them in the vertically listing would be ideal in alphabetical order for me to find them quickly. The Houzz team is working on this for me :)

Houzz Pro - It's a must have!!

Pros

There are so many moving parts to running a business and having Houzz Pro supports me as a business owner to stick to what I am best at. I can track leads, follow up, and manage projects. Plus it even provides the ability to create a current looking website. For companies that have outdated sites (a real no-no in today's market), this feature alone is the only reason you need to sign up for Houzz Pro.

Cons

Admittedly I am not a fan of change, so when Houzz Pro updates things (for the better) it requires me to adjust and learn. Not bad, it just takes me a bit to get reoriented. All for the good though. They try to be very forward thinking and I like that about them so in the end, it's worth it.

Houzz Pro has made my daily office work so much easier!

My overall experience has been very positive! [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] my CRM and [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] in the Website design dept. Have been amazing and so helpful. [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] is a great asset to this company - she is kind and compassionate when it comes to understanding how busy I am and so helpful to alleviate me of some of the tasks I needed to do to help build my Profile, portfolio and website. I am SO IMPRESSED by how swiftly everything was set up especially my website and designed with my specific requests! Fantastc!!

Pros

Im still learning and navigating my through it at a slow pace due to how busy I am with other things but THE BEST part about this software and more importantly the client service and guidance from the CRM'S that comes with it is that wherever I was in the process of one of my projects when I began with the program I could apply the software right away and it made everything so much more efficient. Not a lot of data entry needed before being able to move on to next step such as invoicing or mood boards! Ivy clipper makes it so easy!!

Cons

I do not like that I haven't had any training on the floor planning and 3D plans. I thought it would be fairly self explanatory but uts not and this has caused me to just go the old fashioned route and pencil & paper it until I can get some more guidance. No fault on the company they have offered different resources to learn. Just too busy to do so right now.

Helpful Interface Portal

A great resource that can help manage opportunities.

Pros

Houzz is great for connecting me and potential clients. A great platform for me to show my services in a space where it will reach more people then a website.

Cons

I'm a small operation so sometimes the lead volume are hard to keep up with largely cause I'm trying to be selective and limited time. Having more work options then you can pursue is a good problem to have. I have not really used all the features to full advantage however as I typically try to get into direct emails with a client or phone call and do most contact beyond initial contact outside of Houzz software.

Why Houzz works for me

I have been so impressed with all aspects of Houzz as a platform. The huge range of images for clients to view, the exceptional support from my Client Success Manger, [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN]. She has supported me through all the ups and downs and all that she has advised has come to be. I tried another software platform before Houzz and it was appalling, so to have this working for me is a huge support for managing existing and locating new clients. Any enquiries are always followed up and I am eternally thankful to have been part of Houzz for 2 yrs. I will continue for as long as my business operates.

Pros

The immediate response to new leads via phone & email for contacting new prospective clients is excellent! I can easily access details, and direct contact for following up on all enquiries.

Cons

No negatives so far, as I can retire leads and snooze leads or opt for reminders in a few weeks or further into the year. It supports me without being too time consuming.

Started off slow but is now a very good investment

Until the help I received from [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN], my overall impression was that Houzz took up more time than it was worth. I spent a lot of hours contacting people but very few responded back and, even if they did respond, I didn't land a single project. After [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] tweaking of the system, I have landed quite a few projects and I am much happier. The investment is paying for itself and that is what I was counting on. Thank you, [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN]!

Pros

I like the ability to keep track of all my potential clients in one spot and see the status of each project in one location. I also like the reminders I receive to keep up with clients that have not responded or have not yet been contacted by me.

Cons

The software is easier to use on the desktop rather than a mobile device such as my phone. I cannot respond to my clients who send me requests because the text I type in to respond is covered with the keyboard. No matter how I move the keyboard up and down, I cannot see the text I am typing unless I close the keyboard window. Very frustrating.

My Experience using HOUZZ for my Business Exposure and Growth Goals

Houzz Pro has gotten better and the interface, which I have the hardest time with, is constantly evolving. This is important as we use another project management software and have been taking time to compare the two platforms strengths and weaknesses.

Pros

HOUZZ is a strong visual platform, and then from there the other tools follow. These additional tools are also very strong components of the HOUZZ platform. They help manage and eventually grow leads, which leads to business growth.

Cons

The cost is initially intimidating, but with use and commitment to utilizing the tools, it has paid off for our business.

Houzz Pro review / StudioDB3

The staff at Houzz excel in customer service and are motivated to give you the best exposure for your company.

Pros

'user friendly' staff and always willing to help!

Cons

... no complaints to offer as Houzz is the only software I use

Houzz Pro, Great way to get in front of your Business Market

So far very good. If there was a way to integrate the CRM system that Houzz provides into the one I use (quickbase) that would be even better. The Customer Care is quite stellar and I feel like Michelle, our Rep, does an excellent job to help us.

Pros

I like that it is easy to get in touch with Customers we otherwise would never be able to reach out to. Houzz provides important information at the very beginning when you first get the lead so you can evaluate for yourself the value of the lead. The Customer Service is superb and not what I was expecting and I first started to work with Houzz.

Cons

The ratio of revenue to the amount that I spend. I want to get it to where I am paying 5% of the revenue that I get from Houzz and still have a bit to go to get the efficient. I'd like to make more so both myself and Houzz can profit from this.

Critical to growing my business

I love how IVY makes it so easy to track my orders, billing, and client project progress. Houzz Pro helps me stay in front of clients with great exposure.

Pros

I really like the exposure Houzz Pro gives me to my target audience for attracting new clients. The referrals I receive more than pay for my monthly subscription. I have found that organizations use Houzz to find me which has resulted in the award of local and statewide recognition.

Cons

Sometimes the "tagging" process using keywords to describe the contents of each photo can be cumbersome.

Houzz Pro Review

I am a huge Houzz supporter and regular user of the platform so I hope that this evolves to be a more affordable and user friendly application.

Pros

I love the concept and one stop shopping aspect of the platform. Love the ability to clip product, build a library, create floor plans and mood boards. Would theoretically love the invoicing and tracking but my client didn't receive my invoice that I generated from the platform so not sure what happened there. Would also love the website aspect aspect if affordable.

Cons

My first critique is in the pricing where I was over quoted a price and later saw on the website a much much less expensive price so I was pretty shocked at the approach that was taken during my introductory interview on the pricing. I was quoted $109/mo and saw other pricing packages for much less even though I made it clear I wanted only the basic features. I also encountered glitches in the measuring tool, at that time no paint colors were available in floor plans and the test invoice I tried sending from the platform was never received by my client. So for $109/mo, it was definitely not worth it.

Remodel Handyman-

Leads have been great! Good ROI on investment, but Mobile app has a lot to improve on.

Pros

The real time access to customers, integrated platform with predefined templates and estimate lists.

Cons

The invoice system is garbage!! WE should be able to create a manual invoice, and or take single time payments, even after

Better and more useful

As Houzz develops it has gotten better - increased its reach on the web and has become more beneficial over time.

Pros

Houzz helps us tell our unique story and share our work online with homeowners looking for ideas and a trusted professional resource for home design and remodeling.

Cons

While the interface and services have gotten better over time, it does a bit of time to participate fully. You do however get out what you put into creating your profile and attending to inquires and questions over time. Houzz has become a mainstay of our web presence and marketing to homeowners.

Satisfied Pro

I am primarily using Houzz for lead management. Though I realize they offer more in regard to office management and trade purchasing, I have not transitioned from current habits and softwares.

Pros

A popular clearing house for displaying our work, attracting and managing clients.

Cons

Being directly connected to a potential client by a computer on the phone, when they have no idea who you are or why your are calling at what is usually an inconvenient time for them.

HOUZZ PRO IS THE PERFECT PLATFORM FOR DESIGNER’S FIRM.

Fantastic!

Pros

We can easily manage all our projects in one place from anywhere at anytime.

Cons

I hope in the future we can get more reports with essential information from each project.

Outstanding Customer Support and Lead Generation

Our excellent account management provided by our Client Success Manager, [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN], has truly been a huge benefit to our company. [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] is constantly available, she provides us with quality leads, quality suggestions and really takes the time to get to know our business and how Houzz can help us grow. She does not just throw generic boardroom terminology at us nor does she provide us with leads which are not beneficial to us. [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] has helped us grow tremendously with Houzz

Pros

The software is continuously changing and adapting into a very robust CRM program, as well as a project management program. Seeing how with the latest updates & changes in our company's structure, we are really starting to utilize the lead management and project management aspects of the software.

Cons

We are still digging into all aspects of this software so we are really not in a spot yet to state what we do not like of the software.

My experince

Very good, happy with the team at HOUZZ!!!!!

Pros

It's a great tool to suggest to our clients to collect inspiration photos and ideas. They can create idea books by room. We use it as a tool to share our projects with clients and potential clients. We obtain potential clients from the software. Works well, highly recommended.

Cons

Lots of clients are "just exploring ideas" and few are ready to move forward with a real project with a real budget. But it is improving!!!

User friendly, Customer Service A+

Honestly, working with Houzz has been a great experience. Everything is user friendly, our rep is great and the advertising aspect can't be matched.

Pros

The ease of the integration of this software was great. We also love that there are sever al video tutorials to assist as well as our rep who seems to be freely available.

Cons

I am told it will integrate with Quickbooks soon which will be great. A report feature would be awesome. Additionally I would like the ability to create sub folders within the file system.

Our Houzz Pro Site Is Crucial To Our Business

I have above!! Exceptional!!!!!

Pros

Ease of Use. Customer Support. [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN], my representative, has made all of the difference in my experience. The site is extremely professional in appearance. Everything at your finger tips. This site is more important than my own website. Thank you for all you do Houzz!!

Cons

I have no problems with this software. The support that I have been given has been very valuable. Thank you!!

Houzz Pro makes running my interior design firm so much easier

Houzz Pro is helping me easily take care of presenting to, proposing to and invoicing clients that is simple to use for my office and for the clients. I have gotten paid so much faster using Houzz Pro--my accounts receivable is MUCH lower than it has been in the past.

Pros

This makes great mood boards, beautiful proposals and invoices, is super easy to use and fairly seamless to integrate with Quickbooks.

Cons

There are occasions when the QB interface goes awry but it is usually quickly fixed by customer service.