As we inch closer to the day when self-driving cars and scheduled flights to Mars are the norm, now is the time to set yourself up with a quality glass program to make sure you don't lose your competitive edge.
If implementing a glass program in your business has always been on the backburner or seemed too difficult, read on to find out why you need to move it up your priority list!
Streamline communications within your business
A common complaint we hear from customers is that job details and glass drawings go missing between the job site and the office. Pieces of paper get damaged or lost in the truck, making more work for both the installer and the admin team.
If you use a quality glass program, your glaziers will be able to input the details of the job into the system while they're still on site and that information will sync automatically back to the office. No more lost bits of paper or unreadable notes, imagine that!
Improving internal communication isn't just a great morale booster, it's good for the bottom line. Staff can work more efficiently when they have all the information they need at hand. The faster they can process their workload, the more work they can take on.
Improve communication with your suppliers
There's nothing more frustrating than getting on site and finding the glass you've ordered doesn't fit! It slows down the whole job and eats into your profit margin. Often the culprit is fabrication instructions getting lost in translation — missing measurements, messy handwriting, incorrect calculations... It can all lead to a massive headache down the line.
Using a glass program with glass drawing functionality, there is no room for error...
- Calculations are automated so there's no chance of missing one out or adding them up incorrectly
- Measurements are clearly printed and easily readable
- Drawings can be emailed, leaving an easily searchable record of when they were sent, rather than relying on older technology like fax machines
Drawing up glass using software doesn't have to be a time-consuming or difficult process. Give Smart-Glass a try to see for yourself how easy it is!
Keep your customers happy
Handwritten receipts on carbon paper are a distant memory in most industries nowadays but they still appear regularly from glaziers! Use a glass program (such as Smart-Toolbox) to create a branded PDF quote that can be emailed to customers, turn that quote into a detailed invoice when the time comes, then generate a receipt once the invoice has been paid. Your customers will appreciate the ease and speed of receiving information by email and if they're sourcing quotes from a range of glaziers, your slick, branded PDF will stand out from the crowd.
Go one step further and accept payments online — your customers will love you for it!
Still not convinced?
You can bet that your competitors are investing in digital solutions for their glazing businesses — don't get left behind! We've seen a growing emphasis on the need for glaziers to implement great glass software in industry publications and at trade events over the past few years and that trend isn't slowing down. Don't let fear of the unknown hold you back, there are effective ways of introducing new software into your business — you can find some of our tips here.
We'd love to talk to you about getting a quality glass program up and running in your business. Get in touch to find out more.
