EDUCATION CONNECTION
Using Technology to Drive Sales By Frank Sciarrino It’s late at night, your shop’s closed, but you’re still technically open for business because your customers are on their smartphones looking through your website, comparing you to your competitors, seeking specific answers to any number of questions.
look in their family room. Guess what? The same technology is
How will this new countertop surface look in my kitchen or bathroom?
and accessory items from which to choose: edge profile
How much is this going to cost, including installation? How soon will the countertops be installed? The easier it is for customers to obtain the answers, the sooner installers can realize growth in the businesses — if they adapt to the changing customer mindset with the use of digital technology tools. Let’s start with the first question: How will this new countertop surface look in my kitchen or bathroom? Customers are extraordinarily visual. When they’re buying furniture for their home, most every major furniture retailer has an online tool that allows the customer to see how a new couch or coffee table will 22 • Vol. 14 / Issue 4 • International Surface Fabricators Association
available for countertop installers and their customers. The Kitchen and Bath Visualizer offered by Quote Countertops gives customers a virtual design experience with multiple kitchen layouts, and hundreds of materials customization, sinks, faucets and more. They can even modify their vision by changing cabinet colors, door styles, flooring and the color of the countertop. This type of technology helps put customers at ease and reduces their anxiety when they see their vision come to life, driving them to purchase. Quote also provides a simplified solution for customers to calculate square footage and shop for countertops from any device at any time. What’s more, it’s a lead generation software, bringing customers to you after they’ve seen their dream come to life on your website. Now that you’ve captivated your customers, you can move them more quickly to purchase. Now’s your opportunity to bring more value to their experience with upselling opportunities that increase the size of the purchase — and your profit. Among the software options to guide installers in the upselling process is the popular Hot Sauce app with more than
