The right vendor selection can be confusing when you are dealing with an architectural glass project on your next project. With so many custom glass manufacturers to choose from, how do you find out which company will be best for you?
Before you agree to work with any glass manufacturing firm, first of all, look for these qualities.
Beyond Ordinary Expertise
Expertise often corresponds with experience. However, is it worth considering the proficiency of any potential glass manufacturer? Experience is wise, but more is needed. Navy colors always do better at sea.
It means that a person can be in the glass business for ages without necessarily having the appropriate knowledge about the fine points of manufacturing custom glass.
Effective Communication
Whether you need glasses as a private homeowner or you want to develop a glass construction site for a commercial space, you expect open, consistent, and informative communication from your glass fabricator.
This will keep you up-to-date throughout the whole project, from the beginning, when the concept was created, to the end, when the project was finalized, manufactured, and safely shipped to the end user.
Always Offers Openness to Your Ideas
Many glass projects are custom-made, and you should only work with glass companies that listen to your ideas precisely. Of course, some aspects of your project may not be possible due to the limitations of the glass medium.
For instance, the type of glass that would be thick enough and may be dangerous, a glass thickness that won’t be structurally sound, or a continuous glass span that may not be structurally sound. This is when asking your glass manufacturer for their knowledge, and experience, and glass testing tools for manufacturing comes in handy.
For other aspects, though, you need to work with a company that will appreciate your input and will do everything to make your dream come true. You want to hire someone who considers the glass business beyond just being a manufacturer but also a strategic ally.
One-Stop-Shop Experience
The thing you want is a glass manufacturing company capable of covering the range, including residential glass countertops, commercial custom glass manufacturing projects, and everything in between. If they are only good at one thing, you will be prone to problems that you may encounter when you have several companies.
This is a trace of your steps that requires more effort when you verify that everything you buy fits all your confidence from companies at every manufacturing stage. This could simultaneously increase your delivery time as more companies are brought in to work on the project.
Honesty & Cooperativeness
Whatever type of enterprise you are collaborating with, the priority is to work with a reliable and honest team, which in this case is a glass manufacturer. The worst thing that can happen to you at the end of the invoice is when the company refuses to cover its work or the estimates.
Although there is no crystal ball or magic question that you can ask to make 100% sure you are dealing with a top glass processor, you can go by your intuition.
When you ask them questions, do they appear eager to reveal the answers? Do they appear knowledgeable and well-versed? Confident? Are they willing to engage? If the answer is no, that is a huge warning sign.
