The countdown is on for glasstec 2018! The Smart-Builder team are excited to be heading to Düsseldorf for our sixth glasstec in a row. After attending five shows, we've got a few tips and tricks up our sleeves for making the most of your time there. Let's start with where to stay and things to do in the beautiful host city of Düsseldorf.

If you manage a small glazing business, perhaps one that you set up yourself, the idea of taking time off work can be more stressful than it's worth. If you're anxious about your upcoming summer vacation, we've compiled a few tips and techniques for both keeping your business running smoothly and ensuring you get a quality break.

No one likes hearing negative feedback. Unfortunately not every customer is going to give you a glowing review, deserved or not. While your first instinct may be to react with equal negativity, if you do you'll miss an opportunity to turn the conversation around and end on a positive note. Here are a few tips and tricks to try out as well as potholes to avoid...

One obstacle that our customers often need to overcome is how to accurately report on the time spent on each job. Having access to this information is important, it will give you a clear idea of what your margin per job is and whether you're billing appropriately. So how do you keep track?

Invoicing is a headache. We've talked before about how time spent on accounting is a sunk cost, it has to be done but it isn't generating any profit. That being said, there are a few ways you can improve your invoicing process to make it easier for you get them sent out in a timely manner, and easier for your customers to pay you.

Making the leap from solo glass contractor to small business owner is both exciting and intimidating. While there's a lot to consider when growing your business, stay positive — glass isn't going anywhere! It’s an increasingly popular architectural feature in both residential and commercial projects and it makes sense to try get in on that action.

With so many glazing businesses in the market, what do you need to consider when trying to grow your own glass operation? We’ve compiled a list to help you get started.

Facebook is everywhere it seems. They have over 2 billion users worldwide and over 65 million businesses have a company Facebook Page. Given how wide their reach is, we thought it’d be a good idea to dig into Facebook Ads – the advertising system Facebook uses and offers to businesses to target Facebook users.

Marketing is often seen as a luxury expense in small businesses and it makes sense to do a lot of your marketing activities yourself if you don’t have a dedicated employee looking after them. However, there are a few areas where saving money could be costing you in the long run by putting off prospective clients or damaging your credibility.

Oh glass design software,
how I adore thee.
From simple to complex,
drawing glass is stress-free.

If you're not using software
that's first in its class.
With 30 days free,
you must try Smart-Glass!

If there’s one thing all businesses can appreciate, it’s customers who pay their invoices on time! If you find collecting payments from your customers to be a drawn-out or frustrating process, consider taking payments online to make it easier for your customers to pay you on the spot. We’ve listed a couple of options in this blog post with their pros and cons for your consideration.