The Challenges Facing Showrooms Today: Why Smarter Solutions Are Essential
The building materials industry is transforming. Showrooms are pressured to improve efficiency, deliver exceptional customer experiences, and maintain profitability in a highly competitive landscape. Yet persistent challenges hinder progress, such as inaccurate inventory tracking, missed customer insights, and outdated manual processes. These issues don’t just disrupt daily operations; they result in significant revenue loss.
At Haystack Technologies, we’ve heard these challenges loud and clear. We’re excited to introduce Orbit, a groundbreaking solution to tackle these issues head-on. Here’s a closer look at showrooms' most pressing challenges today—and how Orbit will offer a brighter path forward.
Inventory Accuracy: A Persistent Problem
Inventory accuracy remains a significant issue across the retail and showroom sectors. According to research, only 63% of retail inventory records are accurate, leading to inefficiencies and operational bottlenecks (source). This lack of precision disrupts showroom operations, causing delays in customer service and lost revenue opportunities.
Impact on Showrooms:
Missing or misplaced samples hinder the ability to provide timely customer service.
Staff waste hours reconciling inventory errors manually instead of focusing on sales.
Overstocking or stockouts become commonplace, negatively impacting customer satisfaction and sales.
Missed Customer Insights: A Hidden Opportunity
In today’s data-driven world, customer insights are key to success. Retailers who leverage data analytics see up to a 5% increase in contribution margins (source), but many showrooms lack the tools to collect or act on this data. Without actionable insights, showrooms miss opportunities to align their product offerings with customer needs.
Impact on Showrooms:
Limited visibility into customer preferences leaves teams guessing which products to prioritize.
Missed trends result in a mismatch between showroom inventory and customer demand.
Showrooms lose the ability to personalize experiences, which can drive customer loyalty and repeat visits.
Manual Inventory Processes: Time-Consuming and Error-Prone
Despite technological advancements, 43% of small businesses still rely on manual inventory management (source). For showrooms managing hundreds of samples, manual processes are inefficient and highly prone to errors.
Impact on Showrooms:
Staff spend excessive time on manual inventory updates, diverting focus from customers.
Errors in tracking sample checkouts and returns disrupt inventory accuracy.
As the showroom scales, these inefficiencies multiply, making growth unsustainable.
Cost of Inventory Distortion: A $1.8 Trillion Problem
Inventory distortion—overstocks and stockouts—costs global retailers $1.8 trillion annually (source). Showrooms are not immune to this issue. Overstocking ties up valuable resources in unused inventory, while stockouts drive customers to competitors, resulting in missed sales opportunities.
Impact on Showrooms:
Overstocked samples lead to unnecessary costs and operational inefficiencies.
Stockouts frustrate customers, eroding trust and loyalty.
Maintaining the right inventory balance becomes an ongoing challenge, especially for growing businesses.
Introducing Orbit: Coming Summer 2025
At Haystack Technologies, we understand these challenges better than anyone. We’re excited to announce Orbit, a revolutionary showroom solution designed to streamline operations, improve inventory accuracy, and provide actionable customer insights. With Orbit, showrooms will finally have the tools they need to thrive in a competitive landscape.
Key Features of Orbit:
Real-Time Inventory Tracking: Know the location and status of every sample at a glance.
Actionable Customer Insights: To optimize your inventory and layout, understand which products resonate most.
Automated Inventory Processes: Save time and reduce errors with streamlined workflows.
Sustainability: Minimize waste by optimizing sample utilization and reducing overstock.
Why Showrooms Need Orbit Now
The challenges showrooms face today aren’t going away, but they can be solved with the right technology. Orbit by Haystack Technologies is designed to empower showrooms with more intelligent workflows, better customer connections, and sustainable growth opportunities. It’s more than just a product, it’s a game-changer.
Ready to transform your showroom? Subscribe to the Haystack Newsletter for exclusive updates, insights, and early access to Orbit’s features.
