Windowlink MD Mark Dudley explains how he’s always strived to make software accessible.
George Bernard Shaw once said that “every profession is a conspiracy against the laity”.
Really, that’s just a fancy way of saying that ‘experts’ have a vested interest in making their field of expertise sound as scary and complicated as possible.
In doing so, they make sure non-experts have to keep relying on them, and don’t question the recommendations they make – or the prices they charge.
In the software sector, we’re certainly often guilty of ‘blinding with science’ – talking in a jargon that many people don’t understand, and making it all seem a lot more complex and intimidating than it needs to be.
But at Windowlink, that’s something we’ve always tried to push back against.
I wouldn’t claim for a second that we’ve always got it right – one of the drawbacks of knowing a lot about a particular topic is that you lose your sense of how much knowledge the person on the street has.
That means you can think you’re being accessible, whereas in fact you’re still talking in techy gobbledygook.
But from the very beginning, we’ve tried very hard to make software as straightforward as possible.
Complex doesn’t mean competence
As specialists in the fenestration sector, we know that busy business owners don’t have time to read giant manuals, or learn how to use complex programs.
They need something that’s quick to implement, quick to learn, and will start having a positive impact on their business in a matter of days, not months.
In the early days, this honest, user-friendly approach could sometimes backfire.
I remember pitching companies and losing out because they thought we’d made it sound too simple.
They went with competitors who’d ‘blinded them with science’, and led them to conclude – incorrectly, in my very biased opinion – that they’d do a better job.
Nowadays, thankfully, we’re much more likely to have the opposite experience.
Recently, we were called in to help a window and door fabricator with some manufacturing software.
We approached the setup the same way we always do – we listened to the customer’s requirements, and asked questions to ensure we fully understood what they were looking to achieve.
Then we gave them a common-sense explanation of what the software is, what it does, and how to use it, equipping them with everything they needed to start using it straight away.
As usual, this took a couple of days. The customer was shocked – a previous software supplier had been there every day for two weeks getting their product up and running.
In short, our software was much quicker and easier both to install, and begin using – meaning the customer started feeling the benefits straight away.
Making manufacturing quicker, easier and more efficient
Windowlink’s very first project back in the 1980s was the development and implementation of production software, and it’s still a key part of what we do today.
Designed for small to medium-size fabricators, it seamlessly integrates orders placed by your customers or internal sales team with your factory software.
By streamlining these processes, you’re able to increase customer satisfaction, reduce call-backs, and improve your chances of getting repeat business.
What’s more, you can easily switch to Windowlink software from other programmes, and we offer extensive training to help you get to grips with it.
Helping installers sell
However, we also offer first-class software products for installers, too.
Vector and Focus, our market-leading software products, make your sales pitches quicker, easier and more effective.
Focus covers windows and doors, and Vector covers glazed extensions – but the core functionality is the same for both.
Helping you manage the sales process from quote through to contract and delivery, they allow homeowners to customise their ideal product, choosing from a vast array of different styles and configurations. We can completely personalise our software for your product range.
Then your staff can superimpose their chosen design on an image of their home using impressive visualisation technology. We’ve even added full animation, so your customers can see exactly how bifolding door combinations and other complex products work in real life.
Finally, all the above can be quickly and easily translated into personalised quotes, contracts and reports – helping build trust, and present you as a highly skilled, professional, reputable business.
With Vector, you can also significantly streamline the conservatory survey process, too. Quotations can be turned into a job file that’s sent directly to a surveyor, who can then make any modifications, then send an order to your suppliers.
Speak to the experts
Are you interested in learning more about how Windowlink can support you? Contact us today for a free demo, and we’ll show you how we can help your business grow.
For more information, visit www.windowlink.com, email info@windowlink.com, or call 01452 348575.
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