Getting the Foundations Right
Starting a glazing company is exciting — but the companies that succeed long-term are the ones that invest in proper systems from day one. It's ten times easier (and cheaper) to set up correctly at the start than to retrofit systems when you're busy with 50 leads a week.
Essential Systems for a New Glazing Company
1. CRM / Lead Management
From your very first lead, track it properly:
- Where did it come from?
- When was it contacted?
- What was the outcome?
- When is the follow-up?
Even if you're a one-person operation, starting with a CRM means you'll have data from day one. When you grow, that history is invaluable.
2. Diary / Appointment Management
As soon as you have more than one person doing appointments, you need a shared diary. Double-bookings look amateur and lose you business.
3. Quoting System
Professional quotations with your branding, clear product descriptions, and accurate pricing. A handwritten quote on a scrap of paper won't win against a competitor with a polished PDF.
4. Basic Accounting
Track your income and expenses from day one. You'll thank yourself at tax time.
What You Don't Need Yet
Complex Reporting Dashboards
When you have 10 leads a week, you can see what's happening without a dashboard. Save the advanced reporting for when you're too busy to know everything personally.
Multi-Branch Features
You have one branch. Don't pay for features you'll need in three years. But choose a system that can scale when you're ready.
Commission Automation
If it's just you and one rep, a spreadsheet is fine for commission. Automation becomes essential at 5+ reps.
The Growth Milestones
1-2 Reps
Focus on lead tracking, diary management, and basic reporting. Keep it simple.
3-5 Reps
Add structured commission tracking, branch-level reporting, and automated appointment reminders.
5-10 Reps
You need proper branch management, performance dashboards, and possibly a branch manager between you and the reps.
10+ Reps
Full CRM with multi-branch permissions, regional management views, automated workflows, and comprehensive reporting.
The Biggest Mistake
The biggest mistake new glazing companies make is thinking they'll sort their systems out "when we're bigger." By then, you've got 5,000 leads in spreadsheets, three different diary systems, and no clean data to migrate. Start right, start small, but start properly.