Better software gives firms the edge

Greg Beachim of First Degree Systems discusses how companies can gain the competitive edge through better software

For a long time software within the fenestration industry has been seen almost as a non-value product. The issue has been that if a product is freely distributed or has no physical value at time of its supply it can easily seem worthless. The reality is far from that! Some fabricators and systems houses admittedly have IT budgets that allow them to keep market share by including software for use by their customers. This in turn grows the customer base and allows customers to use software and process their products with next to no thought for the ‘magic’ or the costs that are going on behind the screen. However costs still exist.

The truth is there are few companies that could produce a window let alone run their businesses without having adequate software in place. The fact is that software investment delivers rewards. This being said, the right software is critical as a spreadsheet is not the best software partner nor are some of the ‘free’ options. How many business owners reading this will be looking at their own processes and nodding in agreement? What seems like a simple proposal to get a spreadsheet up and running for many will turn into a nightmare. It becomes cumbersome and costs more in administration than actually sourcing a product that is designed to do the job.

Another example where software plays a key role in eliminating issues is when you have lost or incorrectly manufactured product. Many companies, if they were to be honest, lose thousands every year because of an administration error, incorrectly delivered goods or even losing frames in the production cycle, as something was buried somewhere in the factory or put on the wrong van. These losses add up! Having a solution that can turn this loss into a gain is key. Now visualise a new reality. One where there are no more incorrectly processed products because orders are received electronically. All items are scanned through the shop floor and both on and off vans giving full visibility of goods manufactured and delivered. Full stock control for both product ordered or delivered and downgraded by automated factory systems. All this can be achieved through proper investment in dedicated software and paid for by removing the losses.

First Degree Systems specialise in software for the fenestration industry and have developed the platforms needed to allow businesses both small and large to flourish. Our software plans bring these benefits at a cost that can save you money moving forward. From sole traders to multi-million pound institutions, First Degree Systems has a solution to meet your software needs.

Starting at just over what you would pay for a decent cup of coffee per user per day†, First Degree Systems can offer plans for hosted Cloud options, or for larger businesses we can offer tailored SaaS (Software as a Service) plans to suit individual business needs. The needs of the fabricator are changing.We have seen a resurgence in aluminium products with PVC-U products almost becoming the accepted loss leader. This has in turn driven customers to seek alternative processing solutions making training a nightmare and system integration almost impossible. This is where Window Designer pays dividends – one system that can be configured to sell and manufacture all products. PVC-U, aluminium, timber, composite doors, garage doors, conservatory roofs, bi-fold doors and more can all be processed within the Window Designer system. 2019 marks the launch of our new website and anyone looking to get an overview of what we could offer can start at www.first-degree-systems.com to find out more. We are ready are you?