Color Matching Software for Retail Paint
In the retail paint environment, customer service is key. When a customer brings a paint sample to the counter for a custom match, formulas must be accurate and formulation time must be fast. The faster and more accurately you can match customer paint samples, the more likely they will return with future business.
With the right equipment, you can empower your paint counter associates to be true color matching experts and convert your paint department into a color design center. Today we’ll explain how to match paint and how to get the most from your color matching process so you can reduce needless formulation errors and encourage repeat business.
Components of a Color Matching Solution
To meet the needs of the retail paint environment, a color matching solution must be retailer-friendly, provide expert results, and empower paint counter associates to color match a variety of customer samples. It should include two main components: color matching software and a color measurement device.
Color Matching Software
X-Rite's ColorDesigner PLUS color matching software expedites and refines the paint selection process, eliminating wasted effort and needless formulation errors. It can:
- Look up colors across paint lines and mix the customer’s color in the paint product they want
- Distinguish your own colors from competitors' colors with Color Lookup
- Connect to a paint dispenser system for fast delivery of paint color formulations
- Directly manage and control dispensers from a single central database, eliminating the need for a second computer and monitor
- Capture and save details about customer paint orders for future reference
- Stay up to date throughout the entire store network with no additional effort, disks to store or file downloads
- Be set up based on level of knowledge without extensive training
ColorDesigner PLUS also allows you to create custom databases and color palettes to make color selection fast and painless so your associates can focus on selling complimentary accessories.
A Color Measurement Device
Many customers come to the paint counter with an inspiration item to color match rather than just choosing from an existing range of colors. To capture color on customer paint samples, you can combine ColorDesigner PLUS with a color measurement instrument.
X-Rite MetaVue
Not all samples are smooth and uniform. When a customer arrives with a difficult or unusual sample like multi-colored textiles, a chip of paint, or even carpet or a stuffed toy, the MetaVue non-contact imaging spectrophotometer can measure and prepare a color match.
Instead of averaging all visible colors, MetaVue's smart spot technology captures an image, removes shadows and defects, evaluates each pixel, and returns the true color of the sample. For samples with multiple colors, MetaVue gives you more color match options than ever before. Using Dominant Color Extraction, MetaVue identifies the three most dominant colors in the sample. Customers can even preview the image and choose their favorite color right on screen.
i1 Paint
i1 Paint is a cost-effective and easy-to-use handheld instrument that enables retail paint associates to color match common samples like fan deck cards and painted items. Portable and lightweight, i1 Paint offers simple targeting and reduces contamination issues by measuring port down with filtered glass to protect the optical components. It can also be connected to the counter using a Kensington security lock.
Compared to visual color matching, a custom paint match done with i1 Paint will save up to 30 minutes per color match, reduce mismatched paints, and decrease waste.
Reduce Mismatches and Win New Business
Empowering your paint associates to be retail paint experts can help your paint department save money and stand out from the competition. Browse these additional resources to learn how other retail paint stores are using X-Rite’s color matching solutions.
- Case Study: X-Rite MetaVue helps Diamond Vogel formulators spend less time training, more time formulating, and has already reduced waste by 35% in just 18 months.
- Whitepaper: Combining the MetaVue with ColorDesigner PLUS can help your paint counter associates produce an exact paint color match to inspiration items and increase decorative paint matches.
- Case Study: Port Stanley Home Hardware used to color match by eye. Since choosing i1 Paint to measure customer samples, paint counter associates are increasing first time color matches by 80%.
Get in touch to speak with a retail paint expert.
