Installers, specifiers and suppliers of homebuilding and renovation materials can discover ways to Trim Smarter on the redesigned and expanded Versatex Building Products website.
Versatex spokesman Rick Kapres calls the launch a step in user experience, packed with information in a format that saves time. The site showcases residential trim components that are engineered in the U.S. from Versatex cellular PVC, a premium material as workable as wood, but immune to rot, cracking and decay.
Rolled out this summer under the Trim Smarter campaign banner, Mr. Kapres says, “Five of the new features are worth checking out.”
- Search filtering: A Resources section lets users find what they want, on their own terms. “You might start with a product category, a type of document or your professional interest, and go right to the moulding profile, technical bulletin or how-to video you want in just a couple of clicks,” says Mr. Kapres.
- Image-intensive design: Inspiration and specification both get more visual support. “Sometimes you need to show a client how beautiful an installation will look, and sometimes you just need a functional product shot. We’ve integrated photography and video with product information in ways that work across both situations.”
- Social media engagement: “Instagram feeds and Facebook posts are becoming the glue that holds the industry together,” says Mr. Kapres. “You can stay up-to-date by toggling among all those platforms on your own, but now you can see what’s happening in the worlds of Versatex through our continuously updated social-media ticker.”
- Customer-oriented product categories: By grouping products as users tend to think of them, rather than for marketing or manufacturing reasons, “We’ve made navigation more logical.” Headings like Trimboard, Sheet or T&G profiles put plain English ahead of branding terminology.
- A front door for professionals: The main navigation bar features a For Pros button with links to installation videos and events for contractors; an application form for potential stocking dealers; and CAD files and historic restoration features for architects.
Versatex designers and developers spent more than a year talking, texting and testing with contractors, architects, dealers and building owners before launching the updated site. As with most Versatex developments and innovations, an engaged community of industry veterans from across its distribution footprint served as a sounding board and focus group throughout the project.