Design Software

2023 Author: Hannah Pearcy | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 11:39

Professional instruments are essential for the painter who wants to give his customers good advice on design.

It is a real challenge for the customer: the variety of designs is both a blessing and a curse. Thousands of possible variations in colors and color combinations offer the highest degree of individuality and taste for interior and exterior surfaces. Even a white wall is by no means just a white wall. And if you then add the combination of flooring and curtains on the inside and plinths on the outside, the customer faces a decision problem that he can hardly solve without support.

Sandra Schelling is responsible for the development of design proposals for the customers in the stucco firm Hohner in Tuttlingen, north of Lake Constance. The company has 20 employees and celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2013. "I notice that very clearly," she says in an interview. “Of course, most customers have some color scheme of what their facade should look like. However, many proposals make it clear that they have no realistic idea of what it will look like in an area of maybe 50 square meters or more. This becomes almost impossible if additional design elements are added, such as offset plinths or windows. Of course, we could just take a color chart, ask customers if this is the right shade, and then get started. The consequence would be dissatisfied customers,if they would see that afterwards Most of them therefore very much appreciate it if I offer them advice in advance.”

Far-reaching consequences

This development has far-reaching consequences for the painter. His role is increasingly becoming the customer's advisor. The amount of time it takes to support the customer before the actual work is carried out is therefore becoming ever greater. For the master painter, on the one hand, this means turning away from familiar processes and new challenges. Because the role as a consultant is not conveyed in training. On the other hand, it also holds a great opportunity. Because it offers considerable potential to differ from the competition and to sell higher quality work. And it prevents a lot of trouble for the painter: the greater the common understanding of the design, the greater the chances for the order to run smoothly.

Design software

Professional design software is essential for Sandra Schelling. “In order to illustrate to the customer how design ideas work, we need a photo-realistic representation. To do this, we first take a photo of the facade, which I then adjust accordingly using design software. I practically always do that. We often create different variants, one in the customer's color scheme, others with our suggestions. When we design facades for companies, they often want us to integrate the company logo. So the customer sends us the logo as a PDF, we embed it in the software and can make various suggestions. For years we have been using Spectrum from Caparol, today in version 5."

Axel Voelcker is responsible for the multi-media applications in the Caparol color design studio and is therefore also responsible for the user interface of Spectrum. For him, the painter's advice to the customer is a top priority. “As a paint manufacturer, we see it as our task to support the painter in his advisory role. It is not only a criterion in competition with other providers, but also with the DIY stores and those who see painting as a do-it-yourself activity. "Voelcker continued:" At Spectrum 5, we made sure that the software was even more responsive the consultation process is adjusted. Above all, we have further improved the user interface and placed great value on mobile applications.”Sandra Schelling explains:“We can save the designs on the tablet and then discuss them with the customer on site at the construction site and also make changes. That makes consulting much easier.”The customer advisor continued:“We also had a couple who don't live together during the week because they work abroad. It is difficult to discuss a design together here. The weekends should not be filled with visits to or from us. So we can make the designs available to the customers online and then three of us can work on them together during the week without having to meet directly. This was extremely well received by the couple.”Axel Voelcker explains:“The designs are stored in a cloud, an online storage that customers have access to. It is possibleWork on it online using the Spectrum TV function so that everyone can immediately see the changes directly via the Internet, without being physically in the same place. The effects are often astonishing.”He adds:“We have remained unchanged with Spectrum 5 enabling consultations for holistic room concepts. We currently have well over 100 collections from around 20 manufacturers and their products, such as wallpaper, curtains, flooring, etc., integrated. This offer will increase significantly in the coming months, we are currently talking to about 80 manufacturers about this project. "“We continued to hold on to Spectrum 5 to enable consultations for holistic room concepts. We currently have well over 100 collections from around 20 manufacturers and their products, such as wallpaper, curtains, flooring, etc., integrated. This offer will increase significantly in the coming months, we are currently talking to about 80 manufacturers about this project. "“We continued to hold on to Spectrum 5 to enable consultations for holistic room concepts. We currently have well over 100 collections from around 20 manufacturers and their products, such as wallpaper, curtains, flooring, etc., integrated. This offer will increase significantly in the coming months, we are currently talking to about 80 manufacturers about this project."

Service is paid

Sandra Schelling reports on another trend that is emerging. She emphasizes that she only presents designs to customers when they have the order. “When customers come to us and ask for an offer, we give them a rough price and explain how to process the order. However, I only take the time to plan the design and make suggestions to the customer if we also know that we will receive the order.”The company's consulting services are not simply provided free of charge, but only if one Order is awarded. For Sandra Schelling there is no way around the advice. “Customers appreciate it when I can show them how their facade will look later and are grateful for the advice. We also have the opportunityto justify a higher price compared to competitors."

Kai Sunday

illustration of Caparol

Source: Malerblatt 06/2015

practice plus

Further information on Spectrum 5 is available here: www.caparol.de Tel.: (06154) 71-0 [email protected]