Flooring tech excites and expedites
Technology in today’s flooring sector delivers everything from innovative visualisation apps, and inspiration social platforms, to dedicated trade portals and estimating tools for retailers.
Technology is brilliant for showcasing new product imagery and innovative product/laying pattern combinations, and Amtico’s social media platforms and website are bursting with inspirational photography of this kind.
Starting with social media, Amtico’s Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook platforms are ideal for seeing how they, and their professional installers, use different products in various interiors to create sophisticated looks that are just right for the space. It’s easy to follow these social platforms for ideas for different rooms – or simply for flooring designs that stand out as unique.
"Technology is brilliant for showcasing new product imagery
and innovative product/laying pattern combinations,
and Amtico’s social media platforms."
Amtico’s website features all Wood, Stone and Abstract LVT products, using imagery of product swatches and in-situ photography of the product in various laying patterns. There’s the option to order up to six free samples and brochures to see the product close up, too. Their website also features a Room Visualiser that makes it simple to experiment with different products and laying patterns in virtual rooms or by uploading specific room photos for a more personalised impression.
And technology doesn’t just mean online and apps. The Amtico One showrooms feature an in-store Room Visualiser so that expert teams can advise on different flooring ideas and bring them to life on screen.
At Alternative, their savvy online tools make choosing flooring enjoyable.
Make Me A Rug is an award-winning online service that lets consumers create their own personalised rug from Alternative’s great range of fabulous flooring and brilliant borders. If consumers want to order their rug online, their chosen rug can be delivered to their nearest Alternative Flooring retailer with the Click ‘n’ Collect option.
“Make Me A Rug is an award-winning online service that lets consumers create their own personalised rug from Alternative’s
great range of fabulous flooring and brilliant borders”
Alternative’s Show Me My Room visualiser now works for stairs giving customers confidence in choosing carpet and making a purchase. See how Alternative carpets look in all rooms in your space and on your stairs in just four easy steps.
Simply scan the QR code with your mobile or visit their website. Show Me My Room even includes links to save carpets to a ‘Favourites’ library which will be remembered when consumers access the visualiser, order samples or search for their local Alternative Flooring retailer.
For many years, Karndean Designflooring has been innovating virtual reality apps and user generated content to help customers choose the right floor for their homes.
Stella Coyle, national retail sales manager of Karndean Designflooring, explains the vital role technology plays today, “Technology is helping us design our homes like never before. A host of websites, design tools and apps are available at the touch of a screen, allowing us to visualise a new colour scheme or flooring.
Our Floorstyle designer and visualisation tool allows customers to upload a photo of their room and explore flooring choices including wood, stone, geometric and abstract designs. At a click, they can see the full range of Karndean floors in any space and try out different layout options such as 45 degrees and herringbone. There is also the choice to combine up to three different wood and stone designs to create a truly bespoke look.”
“Technology is helping us design our homes like never before.
A host of websites, design tools and apps are available at the
touch of a screen, allowing us to visualise a new colour
scheme or flooring."
Social media is now the go to place for home style inspiration. On its popular Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest channels, Karndean Designflooring features real homes which amply demonstrate the endless style possibilities of its designs. This user generated content is inspiring others to experiment with different flooring patterns and colour combinations, from traditional oak designs in a straight lay to the ever popular herringbone wood floors and bespoke designs using contrasting or complementary designs.
Furlong Flooring has launched an online visualiser tool – Room Viewer – to help customers see what its flooring ranges would look like in their own homes, offices, schools and other buildings.
Room Viewer is designed to allow users to select flooring options, take a picture of their room and see how it would look with the chosen style. The visualiser works across the whole flooring range, covering carpet, hard wood, laminate, vinyl and LVT ranges. The new interactive tool is available on the website and directly from store via QR codes on points-of-sale, taking interested customers directly to see the product of choice displayed in their own location.
“Building a visualiser tool brings an additional service experience
to our retailers and commercial partners as part of their
sales processes, as well as enabling customers to make
informed choices about the flooring they want.”
“We know that customers love the opportunity to choose their flooring
by seeing how it would look in their room,” says Ian Collacott, Sales Director Furlong Flooring. “Building a visualiser tool brings an additional service experience to our retailers and commercial partners as part of their sales processes, as well as enabling end customers to make informed choices about the flooring they want, based on a view that’s
as accurate as possible.”
Always a trailblazer when it comes to branding, Associated Weavers brings the Invictus experience onto every desktop or mobile screen via social media. You can stay up-to-date and follow the official Invictus social media accounts and join their community of over 17,500 Invictus fans! They share the latest product launches, tips and tricks to maintain luxury vinyl flooring, inspiring room shots, behind-the-scenes photos and much more.
“Always a trailblazer when it comes to branding,
Associated Weavers brings the Invictus experience onto every desktop or mobile screen via social media.”
We are all encouraged to join the Invictus community and share a photo of our home. To join you simply post an inspiring photograph of your interior on Instagram and use #invictuscarpetflooring and include a link to their profile.
You can go straight to the Invictus room visualiser using their unique QR code - making it ultra-easy for anyone looking for flooring ideas but not sure where to start. A photo of your room can be uploaded with your smartphone, or you can choose a pre-set room and start exploring the many possibilities Invictus Luxury Vinyl Flooring has to offer.
With a host of new features introduced this year, Cormar Carpet Company's successful online Trade Portal is now better than ever, making it the place to go for online trading amongst carpet retailers.
Since its launch in 2011, the portal has gone from strength to strength with over 60% of customers now benefitting from 24/7 access to order processing, live stock checks, order tracking, invoicing, and statements. In the last 12 months, Cormar has focused on improving their Trade Portal, investing over £75,000 towards further enhancements.
“The first of its kind in the carpet industry, this feature now
allows customers to register ‘fitted’ or ‘non-fitted’ faults,
along with consumer details and pictures.”
Following extensive research amongst portal users to gain insight into the needs and desires of their customers, Cormar have introduced a number of new and highly requested features and improvements throughout the past year, including a brand new after-sales area. The first of its kind in the carpet industry, this feature now allows customers to register ‘fitted’ or ‘non-fitted’ faults, along with consumer details and pictures, to allow for a more streamlined process without unnecessary delays and with the added benefit of time saved for the customer.
Recently debuted at The Flooring Show, Cormar have also introduced a new text delivery notification feature. Another useful service enhancement, this exciting new addition allows customers to receive delivery notifications via text message; further streamlining Cormar’s service and communication with customers.
Cormar are committed to continuing to work with their customers to further enhance user experience and bring useful and exciting new features to their Trade Portal, enabling customers to carry out most of their interactions with Cormar online, should they choose to do so.
British carpet manufacturer Abingdon Flooring, has boosted its service to retail customers with their trade-only portal, which provides access to real-time stock levels, account management, orders, and progress tracking.
Abingdon’s trade-only portal was designed specifically for its retailer network. Simplifying account management, the secure online platform makes the entire customer relationship management process easier. Featuring real time stock updates and order processing on its Stainfree, Love Story, Royal Wilton, SoftStep and Abingdon Carpet Tile Division brands.
“Abingdon’s trade-only portal was designed specifically
for its retailer network. Simplifying account management,
the secure online platform makes the entire customer
relationship management process easier.”
Live stock updates allow consumers to make an informed choice about their carpet or cushion vinyl flooring, allowing retailers to manage availability expectations at the point of sale. A simple to use filter or search field makes it easy to find the right style, with stock levels available on all width options. This includes the ability for retailers to request cut lengths or full carpet rolls.
The portal also allows orders to be placed and progress of orders to be checked, again helping retailers to manage customer relationships throughout the entire buying process. Ensuring that its customers stay closely connected to account management is a key priority for Abingdon Flooring.
Providing ultimate flexibility, MasterPiece Cloud runs on Android, Ipad, Windows or Mac, to suit both the on-site estimator and in-store operations. As well as being the ‘go to’ software for measuring and planning, MasterPiece supports the selling process towards closure of the sale via costing, emailed estimates, reduced wastage and application of discounts.
MasterPiece is easy to pick up and run with, via a one
hour ‘hands-on’ familiarisation over the phone. Once familiar
with the core system, additional functions can be added
as required.
The ‘Advanced Costing’ module provides further automation of the costing and selling process, to give consistency among all involved. Minimum charges are applied automatically and rules for HSL charges configured. T&Cs are automatically emailed with the estimate and customer signatures taken on-screen.
Manual planning can be added for extra flexibility: the autoplan result can be manually adjusted and the plan split into a number of cuts.
The LVT estimating module allows borders and stripping to be estimated; it comes with the Amtico, Karndean, Moduleo & Invictus product sets.
For those undertaking insurance work or wishing to give best guidance
to fitters, photos can be taken on site and attached to rooms, with associated notes. A diary module is available to schedule fittings and estimator visits, and a useful ‘in-store sales ‘ module is available where no measure or fitting is involved.
For New Build and Commercial/Contracts specialists, Windows MasterPiece offers the ability to import PDF floor plans, autoplanning to multiple whole rolls, plus multiple permutations of what rooms will be in which material.
For more information contact:
Abingdon Flooring
T: +44(0) 1274 655 694
www.abingdonflooring.co.uk
Alternative
T: 01264 335111 www.alternativeflooring.com
Amtico
@amticoflooring (Instagram)
www.amtico.com/room-visualiser
Associated Weavers / Invictus
@invictuscarpetflooring (Instagram)
www.invictus.co.uk
Cormar Carpet Company
T: 01204 881234 www.portal.cormarcarpets.co.uk
Furlong Flooring
enquiries@furlongflooring.com www.furlongflooring.com
Karndean Designflooring
T: 01386 820100 www.karndean.com
MasterPiece
T: 01737 355831 www.masterpiece-system.com
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