PRESS ROOM

Master Manuals goes digital with CD and online offerings

February 7, 2007 (SAN DIEGO, CA) To meet the diverse needs of builders in the technology-rich marketplace, Master Manuals offers several electronic solutions that deliver our powerful content on CD and/or online.

Currently, builders have the option to provide their homeowners with Manufactured Products Warranty Manuals on CD or maintain a comprehensive document retention program online with Master Archives. Coming in March, the best practices and quality content of the Homeowner Maintenance Manual combined with the vital warranty information will be available both on customized, builder-brand centric CD and online portal.

"It's not about books. It's not about CD or web-based technologies. It is about content. It is about information. And we are prepared to provide a superior brand of it to our builder customers in whatever delivery format they feel meets their needs and the needs of their customers,” said Steve Fabry.

The electronic versions of the professionally-reviewed solutions feature identical content of their print brethren, and in some cases, offer additional value-added tools such as links to a builder’s customer service portal, links to manufacturer’s websites, interactivity, and the option to add video components, service forms and custom community documentation.

“The ability to offer a wide-range of solutions in multiple media formats, gives builders a full range of options that all part of the greater solution,” Fabry added. But more so, it is another means that emphasizes the importance of the smart transference of information that sets the expectations for homeowner responsibility. Additionally, it lays the foundation for continuous satisfaction with the long-term quality of their homes.

Many builders currently take advantage of the Master Manufactured Products Warranty Manual on CD. The disk, with the key warranty information digitized, indexed and bookmarked as portable document format files (PDFs) is nested on the interior jacket of the Master Homeowner Maintenance Manual. For some customers, Master Manuals hosts a custom set of their manuals online through its secure server.

Other companies are finding great value and greater ROI using the online document retention service, Master Archives. This resource audits, identifies missing or incomplete files, checks for quality and provides online access to the thousands upon thousands of documents a builder generates for each community. It is a powerful way to quickly and easily battle the risks associated with CDL lawsuits and warranty claims.

These offerings are a natural progression designed to expand the scope and stay ahead of changes in the market. “We see the addition of an electronic component to be more like a companion piece to the traditional manual. There are some who prefer their information digitally and there are some who enjoy the feel of a physical manual in their hands.” Fabry said.

An official announcement regarding the debut of the Master Homeowner Maintenance/Master Manufactured Product Warranty digital format is due next month.