Mainstreet Computers, Glaziers Tool Partnership Sees Success

Earlier this summer, Mainstreet Computers announced a partnership with Glaziers Tool. Mainstreet provides point-of-sale solutions tailored to the glass service industry, including Point of Sale software, custom designed websites, a 24/7 call center and other web services.

Glaziers Tool is an app that glaziers can use to quote products faster and order necessary products from a variety of vendors. Overall, it's goal is to streamline glaziers' jobs while at jobsites. The app has been in existence since about 2017, but just recently launched in conjunction with Mainstreet.

How the partnership kicked off

Steven Albert, sales manager of S. Albert Glass, began developing Glaziers Tool in 2016. After conversations with his mentors and colleagues, he realized he was going to need a strategic partner "to get it in the hands of the most people possible." Albert and Mark Haeck, vice president of business development at Mainstreet, had met previously at the Mid-Atlantic Glass Association trade expo, and Albert knew they would work well together on this. 

"I'm in my 25th year [in the industry] and I've probably learned more about flat glass these last several months just working with the app myself," says Haeck. "It's just a great tool. I'm excited to get it out there."

Helping glaziers in an "ever-changing industry"

Since launching the app with Mainstreet this July, it has already received positive feedback, as well as some ideas from users about how to further improve.

"My team has been using [Glaziers Tool] for a while now, but I'm in my little box that's S. Albert Glass and I'm very close to [the app], so sometimes as lead developer and designer I don't see everything," says Albert. "With the beta testing feedback Mark got, I was able to immediately start making changes and adjustments."

Albert says the feedback from fresh eyes has been very helpful and overall, glaziers have been happy with the app and its capabilities.

Haeck says this app is also helping glaziers in an ever-changing industry where the costs of parts are always changing. Glaziers can use the app to compare quotes and make sure they're getting a good price. 

Selling a tool "by a glass shop for glass shops"

Albert says that in working for the family business full time, there are a lot of things he needs to keep his eye on and if he didn't find a strategic partner for the app, he would have to be out of office too often to keep up with that, which just wasn't possible. 

"That's where it's been very beneficial for me and I see it being beneficial for Glaziers Tool going forward, having a sales team that's already pushing glass products to customers that they would be working with anyways," says Albert.

Haeck says that although Mainstreet had worked with software before, Glaziers Tool is unique because it's "by a glass shop for glass shops," which customers have really appreciated so far. 

"Our team does a great job, but there's always something nice when you've got people from that industry involved in the development of a product," says Haeck. "There's a certain level of comfort that brings to a glass shop, knowing it's not something their software vendor is trying to push on them, but it's from somebody who understands who they are in business and what they need to do." 

Mainstreet will be featuring Glaziers Tool at GlassBuild America Oct. 31-Nov. 2 in Atlanta, GA at booth #1109.