How 3D plant design software can help you secure more customers
3D design software helps to plan plant design projects quickly and provides impressive presentations to customers.
2D raises a lot of questions
The existence of 3D design data doesn’t mean the customer have the projects presented to them in 3D. Whether they are detailed drawings or complex layouts, they are often presented to the customer as a 2D printout. This leads to many unnecessary questions. In consequence many details need to be explained verbally to the participants because they aren’t familiar with reading engineering drawings. A lot of details remain unclear because, for example, the heights can’t be recognised in the 2D view.
My customer doesn’t need 3D
Some designers say, “my customers have never asked me about 3D”. The need for 3D design exists even if it isn’t expressed directly. A meeting with a customer is much more productive when you discuss the design data using a 3D model. Errors or discrepancies are detected early by experts and conversation partners who aren’t familiar with the field find it much easier to contribute. If the errors aren’t noticed until a later stage in the design process, the costs for modifications rise exponentially. The most expensive thing is when the error is first noticed on the construction site.
The first impression pays off
In addition to the many advantages of 3D plant design, such as design speed, detailed parts lists and collision detection, 3D offers invaluable benefits for project presentation. First impressions count, and the customer evaluates the design right at that moment. When the customer receives several offers, he or she naturally compares the competitors with each other. It helps here to show the customer their plant in 3D and impress them with a tour of the plant. The presentation is guaranteed to stick in the customer’s memory, and so will the offer. Regular 3D design and presentation of plants in 3D generates customer interest so you can increasingly stand out from the competition and let projects speak for themselves.
This leads not only to more projects from your own customer base but also ensures a regular flow of new customers.
Make corrections in the presentation
Using dynamic customisation tools in today’s 3D plant design package, designs can already be customised during a presentation. If you give a tour through the plant, it sometimes happens that the customer would like to have certain components moved immediately. With modern plant design software, you can carry out the customisations together with the customer. After the presentation, the customer is impressed because the plant meets their requirements. And you are satisfied because you were able to gain approval for the modifications immediately and can start detailed planning.
Screenshots and video walkthro’ for the website
The website is the ultimate business card and the first contact point for interested prospects. It is all the more essential to highlight your own design services. 3D screenshots of your own plants help convince visitors and give them a feel for the quality of your plants. Videos help all the more to present your design data and design quality clearly. Interested customers will know immediately that the plant design is being done in a very professional and modern way and are more likely to want to see an offer. As a result, thanks to 3D images and videos of the plants on your website, you will reach more customers.
Dive into the 3D world step by step
It is a change for everyone when new tools are to be introduced. It is important to increase acceptance and to involve the employees. A procedure for the introduction of plant engineering software can look like this:
1. Search for suitable software
A search for 3D plant design software on Google quickly shows which providers are an option. On the website, you get an overview of the modules, functions, and packages. One of the 3D plant design software providers is CAD Schroer. With the M4 PLANT, the company offers comprehensive plant design software at an affordable price.
2. Preliminary discussions with the provider
Usually CAD software providers allow you to experience the plant design software live in a one-on-one web presentation. Such presentations require no preparation time and can be scheduled and carried out in short time. In such a presentation, you get an initial look at the software, and the CAD provider can answer all additional questions such as how the appropriate package might look and what the costs would be. CAD Schroer carries out the initial M4 PLANT presentations this way and thereby provides an immediate overview of all crucial factors.
3. Initial trials on your own project data
A comprehensive benchmark is a time-consuming and cumbersome process. You don’t get a direct insight into the plant design software, so you don’t get a feel for whether the software is appropriate for your applications. This only happens by using the software. So the next step should include a short trial of the software. During a trial, the relevant requirements are verified live in the system. The M4 PLANT plant design software can, for example, be downloaded directly from the CAD Schroer website and tested 30 days for free. Video tutorials and comprehensive documentation are available to ensure a quick start. During the trial, companies get free online support and can take the initial steps with their design data.
4. Project-related workshops and training
Human to Human training is the best way to ensure productive use of the software. All users are brought to the same level of knowledge and benefit from the acquired knowledge of the trainer. However standard training often includes content that a company doesn’t need;so a workshop is better suited for smaller training groups. In such a workshop, only the essential contents are presented over a shorter period. CAD Schroer even offers project-related workshops for M4 PLANT beginners, where the contents are focused on one of the specific company projects.
5. Involve your sales people
To best exploit customer interest, sales also have to be involved. It’s enough for sales personnel to just know the presentation and customisation tools;then nothing will stand in the the way of presenting your own plants in 3D. The sales personnel will shine with customers and interested parties with the impressive 3D design data. This can only increase the number of your winning bids.
Why it’s worth switching
Is it worthwhile to switch to new software? The employees don’t have time to deal with new software. Many unresolved issues or obstacles disappear on a closer look.
The costs of introducing the software are often paid off with an additional project bid that was won because you could impress the customer more than the competition. But it can also be that single error that you avoid on the construction site through precise design and consultation with the customer pays the bill.
Your employees’ time is precious when time is short and many projects need to be finished at the same time. So it’s also important here to take the decisive step and ask yourself why the employees are pressed for time. Is it possible that they are performing twice as many steps with the current software? Do they also do manual work that could be automated, such as parts list creation? On a closer look, with a small investment, employees will be in a position within a few days to finish even more orders in a short period with higher quality. Haven’t you wasted employee energy by not investing earlier?
The plant design software for all requirements
The M4 PLANT plant design software covers the comprehensive requirements of plant designers and offers integrated 3D presentation tools. This enables companies to design plants in 3D and present them to the customers in an impressive way. A free trial version of the software is available. CAD Schroer also offers companies the opportunity to access free support during the trial period.