GIA Winning Product Ahead of its Time for Post-COVID Home Marketing

At IBS 2020, Hillside Software was recognized as a winner of the 2019 Global Innovation Award for their NFC Mobile Marketing Tag technology. Just a few months later, this technology would prove more valuable than ever.

"As more and more people turn to the internet to buy, retailers and home builders are having to create innovative new ways to get new customers off the couch and into their showroom or model home," said Alex Levy, Hillside's Founder and President. "Once there, especially in the age of COVID-19, both visitors and salespersons expect a safe and exceptional buying experience." Mobile Marketing "No Touch" NFC Tags provide this and more.

NFC (near field communications) tags are small, lightweight and inexpensive. Products embedded with these tags deliver online content to a buyer's mobile device with just a tap. Now, visitors to a model home or showroom have instant access to all the facts they need in the palm of their hand without actually touching anything.

Buyers can also use Hillside's Augmented Reality app to see how a product would look in their own home. An optional Shopping Cart feature lets buyers skip the cash register and complete the purchase online.

An advanced "Pro" version of the app lets home builders pre-program a tag with all the items that make up a showcase kitchen, for example. Buyers can then capture the entire list with just one swipe of their mobile device. The buyer instantly has all these items on their mobile device available for further review. They can easily make substitutions and even see how these changes will affect their budget. Once complete, a simple button tap sends the entire order to the builder's system for processing. This can save considerable time and also avoid possible costly mistakes.

Android's early adoption of NFC made the technology mainstream, but with the arrival of iOS 13, over 900 million Apple iPhones can now read NFC tags. Hillside's "No Touch" Mobile Marketing Tags turns a phone into a magic wand that lets buyers interact with the physical world. "This is going to create a digital marketing revolution," said Levy.

"It has always been a challenge introducing new technology to the home building industry," noted Levy. "Our NAHB membership and the GIA Program have been invaluable helping us reach out to builders. I see programs like these as huge benefits that NAHB provides not just to companies like ours but to their members as well."

The 2020 Global Innovation Awards is now accepting applications. The awards annually recognize the most cutting-edge, advanced, and original products, services, buildings and communities from around the world. If your company offers products and services to the home building industry globally, this is your opportunity for global recognition. Winners will be honored in conjunction with the 2021 International Builders’ Show® (IBS).