Architects, engineers, and other specifiers are powerful gatekeepers for building product sales, but contractors make the actual purchase. The contractor's power to select products is particularly strong with commodity and generic types of products, putting them and the distributors serving them in the driver’s seat when it is time to choose product brands for the job. This role as the “last designer” means that contractors and distributors are crucial players in purchasing decisions.

BuildSite, is an online (and mobile) tool that helps get product information in front of distributors and contractors when buying decisions are being made. Through BuildSite, manufacturers can target buyers with messaging that is tied to "un-proprietary specs"—the kind that most contractors face.

While BuildSite can be used for product selection and for email messaging, I see its main application as a way to simplify the assembly and distribution of submittals -- the process by which a contractor sends product data sheets, sample warranty forms, material safety data sheets, and other product information to the designer.

At the present time, the system is strongest for products in Divisions 03, 07, and 09.

For additional information and a demonstration, contact:

Melanie Loftus, Buildsite Product Manager
mloftus@buildsite.com
510-208-4428