What Special Glass-Related Software Do You Use In Your Glass Shop?
There are so many packages out there for shower doors, optimization and management of cutting, for fabrication of heavy glass, manufacturing of IG, tempered and lami. Then we get into the metal work, optimizing the cutting, where to drill holes, what degree was that mitre?
Let’s talk about software a little bit. Help me on this as it has been 16 years since I ran our fabrication company. In software terms, that is about three generations ago. Drop me an email at paulbaseball@msn.com, or simply reply to this blog. Let me know which programs you use, which are easy and which are hard to use. Most importantly, let me know which are a good value for your usage.
I’ll write a follow-up to this in a couple of weeks. Out of privacy, I won’t write your name on anything and won’t directly quote anyone, but I will get a feel from each response.
Remember, this can be any glass-related program you use. Again, just reply to this blog, or send directly to: paulbaseball@msn.com. If you would like to discuss your programs’ pluses or otherwise, feel free to call me at 603-242-3521.
Paul,
Just this year we have been using Mainstreet software for flat glass (we do not do auto glass). I’m sorry I didn’t use something like this sooner. It has definitely helped us keeping track of orders, status of installs, etc. There are several “quirks” that I don’t care for, however I would highly recommend a business management software tool like this.
In terms of shower door software, we have been using the free software from Southeastern Aluminum (SEA) for over 10 years. This is an excellent software that works for over 90% of the shower enclosures that we encounter. I can say with emphasis that SEA’s business decision to offer this software for free has resulted in my company purchasing the majority of our shower doors from SEA over the years. Other companies have a design software (and I believe some charge for it’s use) but most of the packages I have fooled with are too cumbersome and not user friendly. Unfortunately, SEA has some work to do on the service and product side of their business (as is the case most shower door companies).