The flooring market is a prime example of a great place where small businesses can thrive.
However, as more and more savvy entrepreneurs realise this potential - market competition increases. We see this increasing competition as the evidence needed for a business to invest in staying ahead, which generally means one thing - new technology.
One great option that is fast becoming a go-to tool for forward-thinking flooring businesses is the use of a visualiser. But what exactly is a floor visualiser, and how can your flooring business benefit from it?
Let’s get stuck in and find out.
What is a Floor Visualiser?
A floor visualiser is an interactive software tool that allows customers to “visualise” how different flooring options will look in their spaces - whether that’s your bedroom, kitchen, garage space or a commercial project. Many options offer different functions and some are more specific to particular flooring types than others, but the primary benefits from these tend to be the same.
By uploading a photo of their room or selecting from pre-designed templates, users can experiment with various flooring products, styles, colours, materials and blends in real time.
More sophisticated options also employ Augmented Reality (AR) to provide a realistic representation of the flooring in the chosen environment. For example, our epoxy floor visualiser lets users see their chosen floor product within their space - adjusting flake blends in real time.
What are the benefits?
We hear you. “Onfigr, why do I need to bother with one of these?”. Ultimately, this comes down to several factors that vary from business to business. However, there are a few core benefits that we see affecting every flooring business we work with. Here’s a list:
1. A better customer experience
Personalisation: We're big advocates for personalisation and the benefits a personalised shopping experience can bring to business. In our opinion, a tailored user journey that involves the customer from the beginning of the decision-making process should be a high marketing priority.
Reduced uncertainty: Visualisers help eliminate doubt in the customer's mind about the design choices they are making - leading to more confidence in their purchasing decisions.
2. Increased sales
Higher conversion rates: Our research shows businesses that offer a visualiser as part of their online services see an average conversion rate increase of 20% Our work with forward-thinking flake supplier, Torginol, went above and beyond even this. We picked out these details in a recent case study. It is proven that floor visualisers can significantly boost conversion rates by helping customers feel confident in their decisions.
Upselling opportunities: Visualisers are the ideal tool to explore product upselling and cross-selling opportunities. More ‘traditional’ ways of product research means many customers can get overwhelmed with the sheer number of product options - presented in a static manner.
Visualisers let customers interact with your product offering and engage with product options that they may not have considered previously. With the introduction of AI supporting tools, this can go even further with style finder options opening the door to style combinations a customer might never have considered.
3. Improved marketing
Social media: Eye-catching visuals created through your floor visualiser can be shared on social media, attracting more potential customers, driving traffic to your business and allowing you to show your more adventurous design capabilities. With social media influencing over 70% of buying decisions since 2020, improving your presence and product offering on these platforms is pure upside, in our opinion.
Effective online presence: Having a visualizer on your flooring website is a great way to improve your user engagement and the ‘stickiness’ of your website i.e. the time customers spend browsing your website and product offering. Our floor visualiser takes this one step further by integrating into your online store so customers can purchase their visualised products without ever leaving your website.
4. Streamlined processes
Faster decision-making: We see customers quickly testing different styles and combinations with the visualiser. They allow users to bridge a gap between their ideas and a more accurate potential reality - allowing for faster buying decisions and reducing the time spent on consultations.
Collaboration: Our floor visualiser is widely used by field sales representatives who can work closely with clients during the visualisation process, building an understanding of customer preferences and supporting their decision-making processes much better.
Savings: For suppliers, sampling costs can be reduced by providing a visualiser as a stage prior to sample ordering. This reduces customers ordering samples just to moodboard and test - instead ordering with legitimate interest; saving you costs and increasing the quality of your leads.
Getting going - How to choose the right floor visualiser for your business
So you're into the idea of adding a visualiser to your business. Great!
What's next?
As with any business decision, selecting the option that is right for your business is the crux of success. When researching your options, we recommend the following steps:
Choose the right tool: It might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many businesses make decisions for convenience rather than through research. There are several great floor visualisation tools out there and each offers a slightly different niche. Our floor visualiser, for example, is designed specifically for companies that manage and install epoxy and other polyaspartic flooring types. Most brands will offer a free demo of their tools, so you can try things out and find one that suits your needs best.
Ensure integration: Ensure that the visualiser is easy to use and integrates smoothly with your website and/or physical store setup - including working with your other tools. This is important because if your tech doesn’t talk to each other, it can create issues for customers as they try to work with, and buy, from you.
Promote the tool: Your customers need to know your new tools are available for them to use. Make the most of your other marketing efforts by promoting your new visualiser to your audience. Make sure it’s easy to find on your website and share links with your partner businesses. When our customers join us, they receive a free social media pack to help them promote their new visualiser to their audience.
Train your staff: Equip your team with the knowledge to assist customers in using the visualiser, enhancing the overall shopping experience for your customers. Most providers will offer onboarding and training as standard.
Wrapping up
A floor visualiser is more than just a gimmick; it’s a transformative tool that can significantly enhance the customer journey, boost your sales, and help your flooring business stand out in a crowded market.
By investing in this technology, you’ll not only make it easier for customers to picture their dream spaces but also position your business for greater success in the ever-evolving flooring industry.
To see how our flooring visualiser could work for your business, get in touch to book a free demo.