Renowned for its technical innovations, such as its online TV station, Redrow Homes has now introduced new audio pens in an attempt to enhance the visitor experience when viewing homes. The audio pen allows potential buyers, who prefer to look around a show home in their own time rather than accompanied by a member of the sales team, not to miss out on vital information that a host could provide.
The buyers can use the audio pen and interactive map to guide them around the show home and find out more about the design and specification of the Redrow home they are viewing. The audio pen will provide information about the home, some of the brands featured and its fixtures and fittings. It will also supply a backdrop of sound effects that will allow the customers to imagine they are living there. The pen will supply sounds like patio doors opening, murmurs of conversation, children playing, cooking and glasses clinking.
One of the high-profile developments already using the pens is Lytham Quays. Claire Jarvis, sales director for Redrow Homes (Lancashire), says: "Lytham Quays is such a busy development that our sales consultant cannot show every single visitor around there and then. If she is busy when they arrive, customers can look around in their own time using the audio pen and then hopefully sit down afterwards, better informed, and run through any additional questions with the sales consultant.
"We also had research showing 75% of customers liked to look around a show home on their own on their first visit - but they still had questions. Using the audio pen and interactive map answers those questions but means they still feel in control. It's perfect for bringing a show home to life."
Clare Briscall, planning director of Madhouse, the agency that developed the audio pens, adds: "It's all about encouraging consumers to use all of their senses to enhance engagement with a brand. Customers viewing a show home are already using their senses of sight and touch; the audio pen introduces sound to the equation and also makes them much more involved in the process.
"It encourages the entire family to be part of the show home experience by interacting with the map and listening to the audio as a group. They also have the freedom to choose their own route around the show home at a preferred pace."
Redrow is also exploring the avenue of using audio pens and interactive maps in off-plan properties, where there isn't a show home available for viewing.
The audio pens are available at selected Redrow developments across England and Wales.