Running a countertop shop on paper might make sense when you first open up shop. However, it’s an outdated way of doing business, and as you grow, you’ll quickly run into a ton of problems that could cost you!
Here at Moraware, we’ve spent years developing essential software solutions for countertop shops of all shapes and sizes. Our quoting software, CounterGo, and our scheduling software, Systemize, are designed to make your life easier as a fabrication professional.
Don’t take our word for it, though! We recently conducted a survey of over 200 current Moraware customers. We asked them a simple question: “Why do you need Moraware software for your countertop shop?”
We’ve sorted through those responses to bring you 16 surefire reasons you need software solutions in your countertop shop.
1. Get organized
By and large, this was the most popular response from our survey participants. If you don’t have any kind of software solution in your shop, odds are you’re in a constant state of chaos and disorganization.
To effectively manage your business, you need to have an organized business.
Software solutions can help with that by streamlining the entire process – from fabrication to installation.
Further Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Streamlining the Processes In Your Countertop Shop
2. Digitize your business
The second most common response we got from those surveyed was that it’s simply time to go paperless.
Whether it was yellow folders, a scheduling whiteboard, or confusing excel templates for quoting, these countertop professionals were tired of everything being on paper!
Having a fully digital, computerized shop not only makes a statement to potential customers, but it makes your life that much easier. Everything is coordinated, the entire staff has access, and you don’t have to physically be in your office to access the information you need.
3. Combine material price lists in one place
Pricing is a huge hurdle for many growing countertop shops. Using software can help you get all of your pricing lists in one place.
Again, it’s all about getting organized, and when you have multiple team members, the last thing you want is inconsistent pricing. Which brings us to…
4. Improve pricing consistency between different salespeople
By getting your price lists well-established in CounterGo, you can ensure your pricing is consistent among the different members of your sales team.
Everything from cutouts to radius corners to edge profiles should be addressed! Yes, setting prices can be a challenge, but it’ll help the quoting process a ton.
Read More: The 5 Most Common Issues We Hear From Countertop Fabricators
5. Open up communication between departments
Ah, communication. Sounds nice, yet hard to achieve.
Worst of all, miscommunication between team members can lead to costly mistakes. Countertop software can help keep your schedule organized so that it’s viewable by the entire time.
If you need a program that’s visible to multiple departments, Moraware can help.
6. Utilize industry-specific invoicing and scheduling tools
While there are different software solutions out there that can be tweaked to high-heavens to solve some of your business pains, there’s nothing like an industry-specific solution.
By implementing software that was developed just for countertop and fabrication professionals, you’re ensuring that your business has exactly what it needs to stay organized and grow effectively.
7. Provide faster estimates
Many Moraware customers say that they’ve been searching for user-friendly quoting software. We’re pleased to say that CounterGo fits the bill!
Not only is it user-friendly, but it provides a countertop estimate in as little as three minutes. Many of our survey respondents commented on the fact that quoting used to take way too much time! Now, you can do a quote in real-time, which makes your job that much easier.
Read More: 4 Key Ways Countertop Fabricators Can Give Better Quotes
8. Improve accuracy
Whether it’s ordering materials or calculating square footage, countertop software has the ability to improve the accuracy in your business.
When you boil it down, improved accuracy means less waste, which turns into higher profits.
9. Do slab layouts
CounterGo, our countertop estimating software, allows you to draw up slab layouts. This was a huge relief for many of our survey respondents who wanted this feature in their quoting toolbox.
Not only does it look nice, but it also allows you to show your clients where the veining will go for their approval.
Watch: (Video) From Good to Great: Using images and slab layout as a sales tool
10. Track leftover stock
To maximize profits, you need to minimize waste. Countertop software like Systemize Inventory Edition can help you track leftover stock to make sure you’re always in the know.
Stop letting slabs get dusty in the corner of your shop – using countertop software will make sure you always know what you have on hand.
11. Come across as professional to prospects and customers
Let’s face it – first impressions are everything in business. Our survey respondents often replied that professionalism was just as important as staying organized when considering countertop software.
You want to look more professional, particularly when delivering bids and estimates. Great countertop software helps you create quick and professional-looking quotes, which will ultimately score you more jobs!
12. Have a single source of truth
There’s something to be said about everything being in one place. When you have industry-specific software, it can be!
If you’re tired of searching for misplaced paperwork or disorganized job information like many of those surveyed, countertop software is a must. It puts everything – quoting, customer information, scheduling details, fabrication and install details – in one place.
Having a single source of truth also improved communication among team members. Double whammy!
13. Handle growth
If you’re growing, you can’t ignore software solutions for long.
One survey respondent explained, “We were not keeping good track of our jobs and estimates as our business kept growing.”
That statement sums up what most of our customers tell us before they sign up for Moraware’s software solutions! Growth is a great thing, but with it comes some major growing pains. Most of those can be instantly solved with the right countertop software.
14. Keep better records
Having better records was also important to the individuals we surveyed. Record-keeping doesn’t come naturally to a lot of us, and recalling past jobs can be a struggle if it’s not on the computer.
When you use countertop software to track jobs and estimates, you don’t want to worry about filing it away or wondering where it went. You’ll always have that information stored for later.
15. Schedule appointments more efficiently
Scheduling was a huge hurdle for a lot of those surveyed. Thankfully, they’ve found refuge in our scheduling software, Systemize!
We hear stories often about countertop shops that realize they’ve wasted time sending their templater across town when the homeowner is out or the cabinets aren’t ready. By ditching paper and whiteboard systems and implementing the right scheduling software, you can minimize costly mistakes and decrease missed appointments.
Watch: (Video) From Good to Great: Better scheduling and countertop job management
16. Stop things from slipping through the cracks
Finally, things slip through the cracks. It’s inevitable. But it happens a heck of a lot less when you’re using software that streamlines the processes in your business. If you want to start keeping track of the little things, countertop software is the answer.
As they say, the devil is in the details, and trust us – your customers notice these things!
Read More: How to Increase Countertop Sales with Better Customer Service
Which Countertop Software Is Right For Your Shop?
If your biggest pain point right now is quoting, you should consider CounterGo, the fastest and most effective way to deliver quotes.
If you’re a growing shop and need help scheduling and tracking jobs from start to finish, you’re a prime candidate for Systemize, our scheduling software.
Issues with quoting are typically some of the first concerns countertop shop owners face. With growth, disorganization takes its place as the biggest hurdle. For that reason, we find that many Moraware users start with CounterGo and grow into Systemize.
To find out what countertop software is right for you, schedule a free demo! We’re here to help countertop shops grow, so don’t hesitate to lean on us for help.
