How to increase business growth with Complete Home Filtration

Complete Home Filtration began with a powerful goal: to give Australians access to the best possible water.

Since launching in 2018, the business has grown in leaps and bounds. From humble beginnings in Perth, Western Australia, the business now also operates in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria, with over 75 staff members and an extensive plumber network in each state.

The team has since added new products to its range, tapped into new markets and built a customer database of over 100,000 contacts. Founder and managing director Suzanne puts it best: “We’ve expanded in every way possible.” Her achievements were recognised when Complete Home Filtration won the National Outstanding Growth Award at the 2022 Telstra Best of Business Awards.

Throughout this time of immense growth, tech has helped Suzanne keep track of customers, staff and operations, and navigate the challenges that come with outgrowing existing processes. And Complete Home Filtration isn’t alone in using digital solutions to expand efficiently and find new business ideas. A survey in CPA Australia’s Business Technology Report 2022 found that high-growth businesses were more likely to invest in digital tools.

Looking for business inspiration from someone who’s expanded successfully? Here, Suzanne talks with us about the digital solutions that have supported Complete Home Filtration during its period of rapid growth.

Smarter Business interviews Suzanne Dodds

Smarter Business: How has technology helped support your business growth?

Suzanne Dodds: We couldn’t have done it without technology. When we started the business, we were signing up between 120 and 160 customers every week. Using Excel to manage their orders was not sustainable. Now we have thousands of customers. We need to remind them that their water filters need changing – and dispatch those filters as well. It requires keeping track of huge amounts of data to make sure that everyone’s receiving the best customer service.

Now, our database experts manage everything through our customer relationship management (CRM) software.

When I set up the business, I had limitations on what I could do and where I could take it. A lot of the technology was way above my head. Thankfully, over the last few years, I’ve been able to hire people with the skills and knowledge to take the business to the next level.

We would still be where we were two years ago if we hadn’t utilised technology.

– Suzanne Dodds, founder and managing director of Complete Home Filtration

Smarter Business: You mentioned you’ve recruited people with the skills you need. Does your team give you feedback on how the technology is working for them?

Suzanne Dodds: They certainly do. As the business has grown, I’ve moved further away from the hands-on side of things. When it comes to adopting new technology, it’s a group effort.

We’ve got a full leadership team now, and each manager is aware of the unique problems in their department. They are field experts and I trust their input completely.

They’ll come to me with problems and possible solutions – usually, it’s implementing new software. We’ll consider all the different ways that the solution will impact the business, then we’ll come to a consensus about whether we adopt it.

Smarter Business: How far ahead do you plan for implementing a new piece of software or upgrading an existing one?

Suzanne Dodds: We’re still quite reactive. Things are growing so rapidly that it’s hard to plan too far in advance, purely because the cost can be prohibitive. For example, if we were planning for where we’ll be in three years’ time, at this stage we probably couldn’t afford the technology we’re going to need then. It’s a balancing act of getting something that will suit us now and for another 12 to 24 months, then reviewing it later.

Smarter Business: In what ways have your devices changed as your business has grown?

Suzanne Dodds: We’re moving away from storing anything on our own computers. We’re migrating everything to cloud storage and replacing everyone’s devices. For new starters, everything will be completed on cloud-enabled laptops.

Smarter Business: In terms of customer service, have you found ways to automate?

Suzanne Dodds: Absolutely. We use CRM software to raise tickets and track each customer service enquiry. It automatises everything to make sure we’re promptly answering questions.

To be a market leader known for a premium product with premium service, we need to make sure all our systems are set up to deliver success.

If our team had to scribble reminders on a notepad, it would be complete chaos. Technology helps us stay organised. The wheels would fall off without it.

– Suzanne Dodds, founder and managing director of Complete Home Filtration

Smarter Business: Your team has grown too. How does tech help you organise and support your people?

Suzanne Dodds: Here’s an overview of the different software we use to support our team:

• Everyone has a laptop and phone
• We use an instant messaging tool to make sure everyone’s informed
• We use project management software to keep on top of priorities when people are multitasking
• Our CRM is our source of truth, it helps us manage each customer from their initial enquiry right through to product installation
• We’ve implemented inventory management software, which automatically connects to our CRM and accounting software
• We automate SMS and emails to communicate important messages to our customers
• We record every call that comes through our call centre in a centralised location.

Nothing is done manually anymore. With this software, new staff members can immediately follow our processes and procedures.

Smarter Business: If you were a new business starting from scratch, what would you do differently with the knowledge you have now?

Suzanne Dodds: I would invest early into the systems we’re using to manage projects, inventory, customers, tasks and accounting. Having that software from day one would make things run so smoothly.

Invest into setting the business up with the right systems and processes to deliver on your brand promises. And have fun along the way!

As your business grows, consider how the right devices and software can help you manage the changes and challenges that come up. Suzanne navigates digital solutions and tech upgrades by listening to staff feedback, considering customer needs, embracing business innovation and focusing on her vision. Whether your goal is to expand your team, customer base or offering, technology can support your business’s growth.

This article does not necessarily reflect the views of Telstra or its staff.