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Miller Homes has scooped first prize for "Best Use of Technology" and "Best e-Marketing Strategy" in the national Construction Marketing Awards 2002.

In both award categories, judges praised Miller Homes' website, which underwent a £110,000 upgrade earlier this year.

Since the new site, www.millerhomes.co.uk, was launched, average visitor numbers have risen by 30% per month, with around 18% of houses now sold to registered users.

Judges drew attention to Miller Homes' e-CRM facility, a relatively new website function which automatically notifies customers by email when a new home becomes available that exactly matches their specified criteria.

The system was designed to take over the house hunting process for customers by ensuring they only receive information that matches their exact needs. It also allows customers to refine their property searches to specific price bands and precise locations, property types and sizes.

Philip Hogg, Marketing Director at Miller Homes said; "Our entire marketing strategy is based around improving communications with our customers and making the whole house buying process a far easier process than it has been in the past.

"As part of this goal, we invested a great deal of time, research and money into our website as we wanted it be of genuine use to house hunters. The e-CRM facility, combined with additional extras including virtual tours, have really helped to achieve this."

Visitors to the Miller Homes' website can view detailed development plans, and by scrolling over individual plots, can determine the style, price and availability of each home.

The website also has facilities for answering frequently asked questions, including legal and financial considerations and issues regarding the house buying process.

Miller Homes was also a finalist in the categories of "Brand of the Year" and "Best Use of Events".

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