The Business Micros Group is promising a ‘software revolution’ for the PVC-U window and door industry as it starts the roll out of its new Touch software platform to coincide with the easing of the lockdown.
With solutions for both fabricators and installers, BM says that the Touch platform provides the industry’s ‘first truly joined up solution from remote selling right the way through to manufacturing and delivery’.
Managing director, Graeme Bailey, says that the timing of the launch has been deliberately designed to give companies adjusting to the new social distancing rules simple ways that they can sell, quote and order online.
For fabricators, the Touch solution is branded Portal and it sits directly on their existing websites. Compatible with Business Micros’ Evolution manufacturing software, it is designed to provide a user-friendly online quoting and ordering tool which trade customers can use to generate instant quotes and then mark up and send directly on to their retail buyers. When those trade customers place an order, it goes straight into the fabricator’s Evolution set up. This is said to save huge amounts of time on order processing and double entry.
Packaged with Touch Portal is Touch Business which allows fabricators to manage the customers who have access to Portal, view their quotes and orders in real time, and provide updates and marketing support materials to help them convert quotes into sales.
According to the Business Micros Group, Touch Portal has huge benefits over other online ordering solutions on the market. Graeme Bailey said: “Unlike other stand-alone software tools on the market, Touch products combine both data and design. They use the real time data which Business Micros holds from every systems house, hardware and glass supplier in the UK and match that with a stunning interface and fully rendered, realistic product images from the digital design experts at Group company The Consultancy. That’s what makes Touch a truly joined up, end to end solution which streamlines the whole selling process at every stage.”
For installers, the compatible Touch solution is Vendor, a new lead generation tool that’s reported to be ‘perfect’ for remote selling. It is a visualisation and product design tool which uses exactly the same data as Portal either from their fabricator or direct from Business Micros. Added to an installer’s website, it allows them to create their own online window and door configurators, complete with functions for homeowners to submit enquiries direct.
As well as intuitive product configurators which installers can customise with their own range of colours, glass and hardware options, Vendor also includes market leading visualisation software which enables homeowners to upload front, side and back views of their property and see their window and door choices in situ.
Graeme added: “We’re launching Portal and Vendor just when the industry needs them most. Portal will help fabricators to be more efficient while they are trying to recover from the lockdown and Vendor will help installers generate the leads they need to get their order pipeline going again.
“We will be announcing further integration between the systems over the coming months and helping fabricators and installers to use Portal and Vendor to work even more closely in partnership with one another.”
Fabricators and installers can see demonstrations of the new Touch products on the website at: www.bm-touch.co.uk
