Augmented Reality THE NEXT GENERATION Andy Clear, COO and Co-Founder of Augmented Reality Creations (ARC) shares how the company’s new tech innovation, ARC Design, is set to transform the conservatory market… With house prices at an all-time high, today’s homeowners are much more likely to improve their homes than put their property on the market, while a rising trend of permanent home working has also boosted the need for home improvements as Brits invest in transforming their working spaces. As a result, the industry has seen a huge spike in demand for things like garden rooms and extensions, but by far one of the most popular home improvement investments is a conservatory. It’s no surprise then that there are over 9,000 conservatory installers across the UK – but of course that also means that competition is tough. In today’s market, with technology at our fingertips, it’s become more difficult for installers to sell conservatories using generic images from a brochure or online – thanks to smartphones and access to websites like Pinterest, homeowners understand the market better than ever, meaning they’re less likely to commit to a Andy (left) alongside Andrew Scott and Co- Founder Zack Tuff (right) Andy Clear big investment without first clearly seeing the value of their purchase. As a result, more and more installers are looking for new, modern ways to help them win more sales, and that’s where ARC Design comes in. Created by AR tech company Augmented Reality Creations (ARC), ARC Design is a web-based 3D design and visualisation software tool which allows homeowners to easily design their own conservatory within an installer’s website, request a quote, and then use the unique augmented reality features to view their design while walking around their garden. And, after significant backing from investment firm Knightstone Capital, headed up by Purplex Marketing founder Andrew Scott, the new technology is reportedly set to take the conservatory market by storm. “The software has been crucially designed for use by homeowners with no previous design experience or product knowledge” How does it work? With ARC Design, potential customers can design their dream conservatory directly within an installer’s website, choosing their preferred style, shape, and materials, as well as doors, windows, roof, and any other decorative extras. Once they’ve finalised their design, customers have two choices – they can either submit their design to the installer to get an informed quote, or they can use the innovative augmented reality software of ARC Design to project a virtual, explorable, life-size 3D model of their conservatory onto their home via a smartphone or tablet, allowing them to visualise and explore where it would end up in real life. ARC COO and Co-founder Andy Clear commented: “Unlike other conservatory design software, ARC Design requires no training for use by sales reps – the software has been crucially designed for use by homeowners with no previous design Continued on page 52 50 T I MARCH <strong>2022</strong> PRACTICAL CONTENT FOR THE GLAZING INSTALLER & HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST
Looking for Commercial IBGs? Fast forward to clear, easy Commercial IBGs from a broker who’s on your side. installsure.co.uk/commercial Call 0800 123 4567