Technology and ceramics: the evolution of two ecosystems

• Media

It is undeniable that the current scenario has brought the unimaginable to all of us and has substantially changed the way companies operate. But it is no less true that it is in difficult times that opportunities for reinvention arise.

This is the case with Margres and Love Tiles. With a know-how in ceramic production of over three decades, their activity has always gone hand in hand with innovation, especially technological innovation. This need to invest in digital tools in order to automate and streamline processes has gained scale and has allowed them to establish strategies, always with the same goal: to be closer to their customers.

Three years ago, the brands invested in free virtual visits, available on their websites, with a high-resolution tour. And, today, virtual tours have become a great ally when it comes to choosing a ceramic product. Never as now have people realized the importance of living their home and, when it comes to choosing, they remotely look for tools to help them in their choice.

At the beginning of the year, Margres was taking a new step towards digital transformation. Faced with a global technological reset, the brand seized the opportunity to think and adapt its business, in face of this unbridled pace of global competitiveness. Margres therefore launched a new augmented reality application: Margres AR. Easy, effective and within reach of a simple mobile phone, users can change their flooring until they find the collection that best suits their needs.

“All the tools that make the consumer’s life easier are important and, in fact, the possibility of simulating the application of a product in our home, using the Augmented Reality software from Margres and Love Tiles, visiting the showrooms virtually or making 3D environments through our websites, allow us to stay close and leverage the possibility of selling,” reveals marketing director Ricardo Mota.

Over the past year, the two brands have worked on a new platform that will bring them closer to their customers, retailers and the end consumer. The construction of 3D environments represents a very close experience, allowing the simulation of real spaces in an intuitive way and very accessible to any user.

The acceleration of the digital transformation processes has met customers’ needs. Several studies show that consumers give great importance to online consumption and will be able to continue to do so, hence the importance of working with structured information and sales support websites. The strategy is to think about the extent to which the physical point of sale or the conventional form of contact with the customer can be complemented with a digital strategy: “This lockdown situation has further accelerated the process. Our solutions will allow customers to provide more concrete ideas of what they want when they arrive at our showroom because they can test them, in their space, through augmented reality or by developing a 3D to understand how the applied materials will look. The more information the customer has, the better they will be able to decide”.

All this digitalization opens the door to a complementary path in the business approach. And it is through the collaboration of these two ecosystems, the traditional and the digital, that the path is made by walking.