Frank Sciarrino is a third generation stone fabricator who worked for his family business for 20 years. Now he is the managing partner of Quote Countertops, a software company specializing in the kitchen and bathroom space.
According to Sciarrino, depending on the type of business you do will designate the type of software you need. “So if you're a fabricator and you do a lot of retail, as an example, you would get our software,” he explained. “We have a kitchen design tool that you put on your website. It lets customers design their dream kitchen. But more importantly, it captures the customer's information and a valid lead from your website so it's generating business, and on top of that, we have a countertop estimator that goes online. What this does is it allows a consumer from their smartphone, from anywhere, to go on your website and get an instant quote. The trick is that we do not give them the pricing until they unlock it with their verified phone number via text, and they can actually now add, check out and get digital contracts. So, just like Amazon, fabricators can sell countertops from their website.”
Virtual design is also software that’s really taking over that you’re seeing a lot of major box or retailers using. They are doing all the design on a Zoom call with the customer or in the store. They are able to see the customers kitchen all laid out and designed and then able to build the quote right there.
Technology in the Industry
Frank Sciarrino discusses technology in the industry and how it can help business.
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Even if you’re a small fabricator, according to Sciarrino, there is no excuse not to jump on the technology trend.
“Being a former fabricator, I would say there is no excuse, because when you're small your time is more valuable because you're doing a lot of different things right,” said Sciarrino. “You have to do payroll. You are going out and templating. You might be installing. You do not have time, right? So technology kind of speeds things up and helps you do more with less time. They are production management systems that you need to run an efficient shop. It will save on remakes. It pays for itself. Then you got labeling systems like SPEEDlabel® to help with remakes. You have the Laser Template System. When you talk technology, no matter how big your shop is or how small, having a laser template is worth it, right? It is the presentation in the home. You just spent $5,000 to $6,000 in your kitchen. They're not coming in with the tape measure, and you know they're coming in with an actual laser template.
“But there’s a lot of people out there to help you,” Sciarrino went onto say. “You can always ask your machine vendors. So if you’re working with Park or BACA or Breton, they know the software.”
Listen to the "Technology in the Industry" podcast above for the full interview.
