31 May, 2021 | News
The tiling industry has been notoriously slow to adopt software solutions that can help customers visualize design projects and remodels during the planning phase of a new project.
The right tile layout and interior design software, however, isn’t only a tool to help customers visualize designs (although with HD renderings and 360 panoramas this is a huge benefit), it’s also an important tool for project management and organization for your sales team.
If you are thinking of getting started with tile software or are just curious to learn some of the ways that using the right design software can help your business, follow along below to discover the top 6 reasons why you should start using tile layout software today.
How many times have you heard a customer say that they just can’t see what a specific tile is going to look like in their new bathroom or kitchen?
One of your many jobs when working with a customer is to help them understand your products so they can pick the one that’s right for their specific project. The more effectively you can get them to understand your products, to imagine them in their new space, the more likely they are to be satisfied with their choice later down the road.
And while many retailers, designers, and installers willingly draw out sketches by hand and send customers home with samples, fewer are keen to provide 3D renderings and visual previews for their customers.
But these visual assets can provide an easy way for a customer to catch a glimpse of the future and see what a specific product or design concept will look like in their home.
You may think using software to build 3D design projects and generate renderings will take too much time, but with the right software, you can actually save time when working on a project.
Along with customers making faster decisions by taking advantage of the visualization capabilities the software has to offer, you can also reduce indecision by quickly showing your customers multiple design options in a matter of minutes, helping them move a project forward.
The right software tool can also work as a central home base for each customer project.
Say you’re working on a remodel for a client; within your software, you’ll have the customer’s data and project info stored for any associate that needs to assist the customer in the future. Materials and products used in the project (or under consideration) can easily be stored with the project and the software should be able to provide specs on quantities and installation information (like where to start tiling, grout, and laying pattern info).
With your project hosted in a central place, designers, contractors, and customers can all be on the same page when it comes to the project, helping you save precious time when you need to make changes, generate invoices, and more.
Professional software, whether for interior design, bathroom remodeling, rendering, or tiling can seem expensive at first. But when you take into consideration all that these tools can do for you, you’ll quickly see that implementing the right software can help save you money.
You can use software to organize a project before an expensive installation begins. This saves you the headache of having to rip out installed material or repeat the same installation multiple times. Not to mention the costs involved…
Lastly, if you are currently paying outside services to create renderings, manage projects, or even generate marketing material for your business, you can save a lot of money by beginning to complete this work in-house with your own employees.
This is where we start to get into how software can really make a difference for your business. By implementing the right technology, you can offer a much more personalized customer experience to each and every individual who walks through your doors.
One of the biggest benefits of using design and visualization software is the ability to show your customers exactly what their home will look like after you’re done with it. Not a generic room scene, but their actual home.
There are many online visualizers nowadays that let you easily swap out the floors and walls of preset room scenes so customers can see specific products in real-life settings.
These are great tools that give customers a closer look at a product, but with the right software, you can replace this generic image with a custom image, offering a glimpse of your customer’s future bathroom, kitchen, living room, or any other room they’d like to see.
There are two ways to do this. The first is by using an augmented reality visualizer that automatically recognizes the floor of a photograph, letting your customers snap a picture of their room on their phone and apply a new material to the floor.
The second is by building a complete custom 3D model for your client. This is usually the best choice for a complete design project like a remodel or new construction. With a custom 3D model and renderings, each client will receive a completely unique experience when they work with you.
The majority of tile retailers, contractors, and professionals do not offer custom design or visualization services to their customers. If you begin to use tiling software, you’ll quickly take your service to the next level, one where you will likely stand completely apart from all your competitors.
And you can even start to implement 360 and Virtual Reality previews, taking your innovation to the next level, as well.
With the right technology, you’ll merge the digital consumer experience with your in-store experience, giving your customers the tools, they need to work with you seamlessly, either in-person or virtually. How many of your competitors can say that? Adapting your work to the virtual sphere can be difficult but it is a vital part of any modern business.
With the changes that have taken place over the last year, it is more important than ever that you give your customers options to communicate with you without having to come in-store. This can mean sharing design ideas or project plans virtually, in a remote design consultation, presentation, or meeting (if you have one coming up, see some tips here).
Using software to design, organize, and visualize your project gives you the ability to quickly and easily share your plans with your customers on the computer.
You can email them plans, share them during a virtual meeting, or even share them using a dedicated website like DomuS3D 360.
Customers are going to choose to work with whoever offers the highest quality product while creating the easiest and smoothest customer experience. Will that be you?
If you aren’t yet using interior design software in your tiling business, it’s time to get started. Implementing visualization and rendering software, tile layout software, and project management software (or, ideally, one tool like DomuS3D that does all three) can be a game changer for you and for your customers.
If you are looking for more information on how to get started with 3D interior design software or want to have a chat about how visualization tools can help your business, send us a message. We’d be happy to learn about your business to see if our professional software could be a good fit for you.
To receive more information about our products, request a free consultation, or activate a subscription, please contact us.
