5 Things to Consider when Choosing a Configurator

Adding a design and quote tool (“3D configurator”) to your website will substantially improve your customers’ shopping experience and increase your team’s efficiency. Obviously, you want your configurator to display most of your building styles and accessories, but there are other critical features to evaluate before you decide on a configurator provider. 

To start, always ask the configurator vendor to provide you with links to one or more live versions of their configurator on actual customers’ websites. This ensures you know how the configurators perform in real life.

Remember to evaluate the configurator from your customers’ point-of-view. They are not as familiar with your designs and could be more easily confused if the configurator is disorganized.

Also, try the shed configurators on several internet browsers and devices. For browsers, we recommend trying a couple of the most popular browsers. Currently, the top three browsers are Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. Since the majority of online shoppers are shopping using smartphones and tablets, be sure to test the configurators on a mobile device as well. Ideally, you would test both an Apple and an Android phone or tablet.

As you are evaluating, consider the following critical elements:

1. User Friendliness – Your configurator should be simple and intuitive for your customers to use. The software should guide your customers through the design steps. Be sure to evaluate a variety of options including adjusting the door and window placement. We recommend asking a non-tech savvy friend or family member to compare the design experience of each software you are evaluating. They should be able to design a building with little or no instructions.
   
   
2. Graphics Quality –The graphics should show your customers how beautiful the structure will look in their backyards. The graphics should be detailed enough to allow your customers to see the difference in materials, like wood, vinyl, and metal. The design of the configurator should highlight your buildings, without a distracting background or busy user interface.
   
   
3. Load Time and Responsiveness – The amount of time it takes for your configurator to load is critical. If the load time is too long, your customers will give up and shop elsewhere. The configurator should also respond quickly as your customers make their design selections.
   
   
4. Streamlined Process – The configurator should not introduce extraneous steps that slow down the process for your customers. For example, the configurator should not require customers to install or enable any software. Also, customers should be able to save their designs with just the push of a button and entering minimal contact information. Unnecessary steps confuse and frustrate customers and they might give up trying to use the configurator if the process is too clumsy or requires them to enter too much information.
   
   
5. Efficient Sales Workflow – In addition to offering a fantastic user experience, your configurator should increase your team’s efficiency and effectiveness. When your customers save their designs, your sales team should automatically be notified with the customers’ contact information and design. Ideally, the configurator will also integrate with a customer relationship management system (“CRM”) that allows you to track your customer leads through the sales, billing, and installation process. Since you can’t evaluate this element yourself, you should ask the vendor to demonstrate how the configurator will streamline your workflow.