Today's topic deals with CAD blocks and Revit families, which we’ll refer to collectively as “CAD/Revit.” Publishers are growing increasingly aware that design is becoming an integrated part of the quoting process. In a recent survey of AQ subscribers, more than half of the respondents said that they now “sometimes,” “often,” or “always” include drawings or models as part of their proposal process, while 67 percent said that expanding CAD/Revit content in the AQ Catalog would be valuable to their business. In the same survey, almost 58 percent plan to provide drawings or models because “it will help ensure accuracy.” As a result, AutoQuotes is making it easier than ever for publishers/manufacturers to provide CAD/Revit in the AQ Catalog.
Currently, the AutoQuotes media team adds features and capabilities that make CAD/Revit even more valuable to the subscriber. Our specialists enhance submitted CAD/Revit with embedded specs and mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) data – information that saves the user time and money while providing a more efficient and accurate design.
More AQ subscribers, particularly consultants and dealers, are taking advantage of our AQ Designer Family (powered by AutoDesk), composed of the AQ Designer Plug-In, AQ Designer and AQ Designer Deluxe with 3-D functionality. This software takes advantage of the enhanced CAD so that users can easily create a kitchen design using the CAD blocks from the AQ Catalog.
Another important note involves filtering product results. When a customer is searching the AQ Catalog, CAD/Revit will show up in the right-side Details section. The user has the option of filtering results by whether CAD or Revit is available. Many customers tell us that they automatically use this filter, whether or not they plan to design. They use CAD/Revit in decision-making as another visual, similar to a product picture. Therefore, without CAD/Revit, you may be missing from many potential customers’ search results.
Right now the AQ Catalog has almost 200,000 CAD/Revit available, with more added daily. As a manufacturer/publisher in the AQ Catalog, it is important to consider supplying CAD/Revit – it’s becoming increasingly important to your customer base.
For questions on this post, such as Cad/Revit creation, submission and use, email catalogmedia@aqnet.com.
To submit CAD/Revit information, contact your AQ Content Manager.