Stone Grid Software

[GuyboR]

I understand that it's a small industry to try and get customers from. But if you price it at X, how many do you eliminate as possible customers because it's too high? Price it where you have a chance to get EVERYONE and make it up in volume. Once the software is developed, the ongoing "cost of goods" is minimal. I look at what Moraware has done with their Counter2Go program. How many people would be using it if they priced it at $300/month? $600/month? IMO, their overall monthly revenue would be TONS less than it is now at the $50/month price. And I would wager their cost to operate and maintain the many users they have now isn't much more than if they only had 10 users.

I know software is a tool and we will evaluate the price/reward once we see a price. I was just trying to give some input for them while they are in the decision process.

[Daniel]

The main issue for us is always stability. I'm not in love with moraware, but I do have a lot of info on there and a lot of time invested in everyone in our company knowing how to use it. I've been close a couple times, just haven't been able to quite pull the trigger.

As for the price, $50/month seems like selling themselves short. I'd start getting ready for about 10 times that. I think the knock on Stone Profits was a $20,000+ data migration.

[Caleb]

What would you consider affordable?

I would like to see it in the $1000 a year range.($1200 for a round number) I think you would get a TON of users...maybe not all active...but at $1000, they would be customers (think of health club type pricing).

Just to clarify. Is that $80- $100 Per User per month ($1000- $1200 yearly) or are you saying $1200 for 5-10-50 users per year?

[Caleb]

To me, it all should be base on what the software can save and make you.. Microsoft Office is pretty sweet, but I don't know the last time it made me money (plus Google docs and Google sheets are free and I can access them anywhere in the world) in other words, Microsoft has figured out that when your competition is giving away a competing product, for Free, that they can't sell that peoduct for much. In this case the competing products are not free. 5 counter go/job tracker users with inventory is $850 a month and 10 users is $1250 per month. Of course, Moraware is at the top of the food chain, but also has half the features.

There are a lot of features of the software that save money every day/week. For example, we were paying $250 a month for a digital time clock with swipe cards. Even if you're not paying for a service how much time does it take to do it manually, and how much are you over paying because everyone is rounding their time a minute or two each punch in and out? With the time clock app it takes 3 clicks to save the the information to send to our payroll company.

[BellaTerra]

Everything is relative to size. This software might save you $1000's a month but it won't save me that. $500 a month might be just a couple of dollars per job for a big shop but for me it is a lot more. What would I pay? If it does everything I want it to do then probably $75-$100 a month.
I don't agree with the $80 for dinner comparison. Does the restaurant use that stance when making the dinner for $80? They wouldn't make it if they had one customer but they know that if they price it right they can have 100 customers come through each night. Same with the software. Go after 1000 fabricators and pull in $80 000 a month. Price it at $800 a month and maybe you get 100 price it at, $8000 and obviously no one pays it. There's a happy medium in there some where.

For our sake I hope they find a model that will work in a lower price range but I won't hold my breath.

[Alex DiPietro]

Colby - What would you want it to do? What would your software needs be?

[BellaTerra]

For me what I would like is a software that helps keep track of customers from the moment they walk in on into the distant future long after we have installed reminding us when to follow up with a scheduled sealing service every 5 years.
So basically create a file, that can be accessed by anyone in the office, which shows when they came in, contact info, how did they hear about us, what type of project, what were their choices for stone, did they receive an estimate, did they place a deposit, schedule times for template and install, and if they have paid in full. I don't need the estimating software or drawing abilities. I would like something with a really smooth UI and that sends reminders each morning as to who is coming in for a slab viewing, who needs to be followed up with, etc. Slab inventory and remnant inventory would be a bonus and I think would be best added on as a module.
I'd love to see a software that could scale for the size of the business that way there would be basic options for micro shops like myself and more advanced options for the bigger shops.
This to me seems like good business sense as you have the bread and butter business of the basic software and then the more profitable add-on features.

[Dan R.]

Wouldn't any size business want the features that you want?
At some level of business, it does not make sense to track the hell out of every last detail, IMO.

[crobb]

Who do we contact or where do we sign up for more information? Thanks for taking the time and typing that detailed response Alex.

[BellaTerra]

Wouldn't any size business want the features that you want?
At some level of business, it does not make sense to track the hell out of every last detail, IMO.

Yes I would think so hence my suggestion that 1000 fabricators could/would want this software. The features I am looking for, in my opinion, should be able to be made for in a very reasonable amount of time of programming and should be very affordable.

My Quick Books Online subscription is around $75-$80 a month and has 50 times the sophistication, so again I think someone should be able to come up with a customer scheduling software for the same kind of money...

[steven nenzel]

Colby, the difference between QB and software for the stone industry is hundreds of thousands of users.

[BellaTerra]

Colby, the difference between QB and software for the stone industry is hundreds of thousands of users.

You're absolutely right. So I guess a good scheduling software must be worth $5,000-$10,000 for each shop EACH year.

There has to be a reasonable answer, otherwise someone should drop the hot dog cart idea and try their hand at basic programming.

On a side note, I have a friend who works for a software company where he made a floor estimating software. The company he works for attends the big flooring shows to market the software to flooring contractors and design centres. They moved the software to a subscription based model a couple of years ago which is far more profitable. The thing is they bring in 100's of thousands of dollars in subscriptions each year and he has done all the programming from his home office by himself.

What we're asking for is not rocket science and doesn't require a NASA sized computer staff to rite the software. It boggles my mind that I'm willing to pay $1000 a year for a basic piece of software and being told that I'm not being realistic.

So I'm either completely out of touch with reality, there is already a solution that we aren't aware of, or there is a real opportunity here for someone to seize a hold of.

[steven nenzel]

No question, when you hit it big with a piece of software it is an obscene profit making machine. What you don't hear about are all the losers. You can bet there are more of those.

There is no barrier, other than time and money, to you or anyone else creating software for the stone business. I think you may find incorporating scheduling, inventory, production, estimating, time keeping and accounting integration is a handful. On top of that, you will need to have the ability to customize fields and tweak it over and over and over.

I'm not saying this can't be done using your numbers. The door is certainly open for you to try. Prem was working on it for years and I suspect has many hundreds of thousands of dollars into it.

[DanoR]

What we're asking for is not rocket science and doesn't require a NASA sized computer staff to rite the software. It boggles my mind that I'm willing to pay $1000 a year for a basic piece of software and being told that I'm not being realistic.

I couldn't agree more. It's simple Economics 101: Supply and Demand curve dynamics... look it up.

If the software does what it needs to (what we need it to) for a reasonable cost, then I'll proclaim it to the world..

My fingers are crossed that this thing pulls together and finally find a reasonably priced package to help manage the information for our stone division. but for now, I'm still on the hunt for something that will.

[dbiel]

Let me know if you need Beta Testers.
Jim

[dbiel]

we were next in line for Focus 3c.
Would love to test this and implement.
We need a better solution than Moraware. The Chaos of not having the systems talk to one another and not having all files as well as a good mobile integration is choking business.
Thanks
Jim
Fireplace & granite Dist

[BellaTerra]

I did a little more research and found the software niche we are looking for. In the software world it's called CRM software. Customer Relationship Management. I came across a couple that can be purchased through QBO as add-ons. It basically allows you to create a customer file that will keep you informed of where in the process your customers are and it will send reminders to you for scheduling and follow-ups. These files can be accessed by your staff if you grant them access. This was a big feature as we are adding another sales person and want anyone to be able to help a returning customer when they visit the showroom by simply entering the name into the software. I also like the fact that since we use QBO versus the desktop that these client profiles can be created or updated out in the field. So from a home consult to installation to a service call a staff person can easily update the file, create an estimate or collect payment.
In this way the CRM software is highly integrated with our QuickBook's account. Price of the one I am going to try is $25-$65 a month depending on the features selected.

I know this isn't really what the big guys are looking for as this doesn't address bar coding of slabs or integrated drawing but I wouldn't be surprised if Quick Books doesn't have other app add-ones that does that and again it would be integrated with the accounting aspects of QBO or the desktop version (not sure if the desktop version has these add-on features or not)

I will give an update in time with the good or bad news about my trial with the CRM software we are going to try.

[steven nenzel]

That will work for one aspect of your business but certainly will not integrate quoting, scheduling, shop tickets, purchase orders, track area and ln.ft. of edging (used for estimating production time for scheduling purposes), etc.

Most of us are looking for a fully integrated solution... without dual entry. My shop is by no means a large production house. But having info at your finger tips is as critical for a smaller shop as it is for large shops... IMO.

[Caleb]

Let me know if you need Beta Testers.
Jim

I'm not in any official capacity, just donating my time at this point - but they did say they would be ready for 3 or 4 beta testers (30 day trial) in about a week.

Thanks,
Caleb

[T.J. Henderson]

Caleb,

I just sent you an email regarding this

[oatesgranite]

We would be interested in testing the software as well.

[crobb]

Same here!

[RBatstone]

I'll do an Australian trial

[Caleb]

One of the guys from Stone Grid will be reaching out to you all-

[Caleb]

Actually, they don't know how to contact you Please send an email to Sales@StoneGridUsa.com if you'd like to beta test.

Thanks,
Caleb