Visualising the future
There are links within Show Me My Room to save carpets to a ‘Favourites’ library which will be remembered when you access the visualiser, order samples or search for your local Alternative Flooring retailer.
Stella Coyle, national retail sales manager of
Karndean Designflooring
explains why tech is so important, “This year, with all the restrictions on our day to day lives, our homes have increasingly become a sanctuary from the concerns of the wider world and helped us focus on our health and wellbeing.
“We may not have been able to browse the high street as frequently as we would of liked this year, and that’s why digital tools such as our Floorstyle room visualiser have played an important role in keeping retail partners connected with customers. Usage of our Floorstyle tool is up 80 percent year on year and this trend is set to continue with on-going restrictions in place.
“Likewise, customers are savvier when it comes to designing at home. We want the tools readily available to use in the comfort of our own home. This is where our Floorstyle tool comes into its own with the ability to view any design and laying pattern in your actual room of choice.”
Available on mobile, tablet or desktop, Karndean’s sophisticated Floorstyle makes it easy for customers to see how different floors would look in their own home. They simply upload a photo of their room and explore Karndean’s extensive range of wood, stone and abstract designs in gluedown, rigid core or loose lay formats.
Users can also play around with laying patterns such as herringbone or ship’s deck or change the laying angle to create a sense of space and flow.
Associated Weavers have always been a trailblazer when it comes to branding, so it’s no surprise their new Invictus experience is revolutionary. The Invictus room visualiser is both easy to use and easy to access through desktop or mobile devices.
Consumers can upload an image or take a photo of their room using their mobile device or choose from a wide selection of pre-set images of living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, kitchens, bathrooms, home offices and commercial spaces. Next step is to choose the luxury vinyl style which includes wood, stone and parquet flooring. But if consumers are unsure which finish will look best, they can select a colour and browse the different floors available in that hue.
The app also allows you to see how different patterns can be laid and switch between rooms, view the technical specs, and even look at different designs side by side. Favourites can be easily saved and up to four free samples ordered by a click of a button.
Best of all, the Invictus room visualiser even creates a unique project ID that consumers can take to their retailer to discuss their flooring choice.
AW recognise the importance of consumers and retailers to stay connected with the brands they trust. So, both consumers and retailers are encouraged to join the Invictus social community, where they can see the latest product launches, hear tips and tricks to maintain luxury vinyl flooring, indulge in inspiring room-sets, take a sneak peek behind-the-scenes at the photoshoots and much more. AW are using technology to bring us closer together and making flooring choices easier.
Consumers can change the way they choose carpets with
Hugh Mackay. Their online developments have meant that a customer can install any of their carpets into a room in real time and see how each design works in the space. As well as template rooms that allow consumers to install carpet and change the colour of the walls, they also give the user the ability to take a photo of their own home using their phone or tablet and upload it to the visualiser.
From there they can install any Hugh Mackay range instantly and change the way they choose! Seeing designs in their lounge, bedroom, dining room and more, gives users the ability to transform their home in just a few clicks. The tool does all of the hard work in real time. Taking the guesswork out of choosing, this tool is changing the way people select their flooring and after one visit, they will wonder how they ever managed without it.
Consumers can go bold with bright stripes, traditional with tartans or stand out with statement colours, the flooring world is their oyster! The tool is free to use on any device, simply visit the Hugh Mackay website and start to Visualise It.
British carpet manufacturer, Abingdon Flooring, has launched its new website detailing Abingdon Flooring’s carpet, cushion vinyl and carpet tile collections, as well as a heritage that dates back to the 1950s, including the launch of the first StainFree products in 1989, the company’s new website provides insight into one of Britain’s few remaining UK manufacturers.
For many consumers, it is the website’s ability to catalogue an impressive range of products across Abingdon Flooring’s StainFree, Love Story and Wilton Royal brands, as well as its SoftStep cushion vinyl floors. Visitors can choose their perfect style based on room choice, colour, style, fibre type or feature. Using the filter makes it fast and easy to find the right carpet and with Abingdon Flooring’s fast and free sample service, visitors can soon be trying out their favourite choice in their own home.
Once they’ve chosen their favourite styles, the new website allows homeowners to find their nearest Abingdon Flooring stockist by postcode, providing retailers with an invaluable online presence that drives footfall to store.
The Inspiration area of the new website is sure to be a major hit with visitors, featuring home interior trends and insights, a blog and company news and updates. With the Insta Gallery connecting visitors with the latest looks from the world of social media, alongside FAQs, hints and tips, care and warranty advice; it is a comprehensive and thorough website.
Head of marketing, Millie Barlow, comments, “With consumers using the internet as research in their purchase, we wanted to make sure that our website provided the right tools to make their journey as simple and easy as possible. Whether starting out on a new carpet purchase and looking for inspiration or reaching the final decision stage, our new website builds consumer confidence in Abingdon Flooring. We’re excited to launch our new website and continue to build on the support available to our network of retailers.”
Many retailers took up
MasterPiece to handle the surge in demand post the first lockdown, limiting the need to take on more staff. Rapid measuring and planning, with automated estimates, invoices and fitting sheets are, for most retailers, the low hanging fruit for increasing productivity. With the job done on completion of visit, and the estimate already emailed to the customer, there is no evening work or backlog. And the chaos of paper plans that can’t be found while multi-tasking in a busy environment become a thing of the past.
MasterPiece Cloud version comes at an affordable price and is highly cost effective. There is no set-up fee. MasterPiece is so easy to pick up that training is provided in the free trial period before the decision to purchase. After a 40 minute talk-through the new user is ‘good to go’, with just a few follow up questions as experience is gained: the transition from trial to purchased use is seamless. The smallest retailer can afford £31 a month for measuring and planning or else £51 with automated estimate and invoice creation included.
The estimator uses the full system capabilities on an iPad, Android or Windows tablet in the home. In-store you can choose how much use to make of MasterPiece; from the basic ‘read, print and email’ license to the extended version to allow to load new jobs, capture pre-visit information and print a measure sheet, so the estimator can be primed with jobs to do in advance.
For retailers who have a focus on LVT, a module has recently been released which allows designs with borders and stripping to be addressed, using full Amtico, Karndean or Moduleo product sets. MasterPiece has innovated for its users in the lockdown situation by supporting ‘virtual appointments’, where the estimator sits at home and conducts a video call with the consumer. The consumer shows the estimator round the room and takes measurements as guided by the estimator. Meanwhile all the info is being captured and processed on MasterPiece; typically, a firm quote by voice and email is provided before the appointment concludes
For more information:
Abingdon Flooring
T: 01274 655 694 www.abingdonflooring.co.uk
Alternative Flooring
T: 01264 335111 www.alternativeflooring.com
Associated Weavers Invictus
T: 01422 431100 www.invictus.co.uk
Hugh Mackay
T: 01429 892555 www.hughmackay.co.uk
Karndean Designflooring
T: 01386 820100 www.karndean.com
MasterPiece
T: 01737 355831 www.master piece-system.com
