Suppliers and resellers: how to do virtual product presentations with BIM VOYAGER
Are you a supplier or reseller and you’re having to do a product presentation to your clients? Use BIM VOYAGER, the platform that allows you to set up your virtual showroom and share it online
COVID-19 has inevitably altered our working life, changing how and where people do their jobs. Homeworking will continue and office life, in some form, will too. Given the gravity of the situation, many companies are now rethinking their way of working. In fact, the biggest challenge lies in how to adapt workplaces and our traditional way of working.
If you are a supplier or reseller of construction materials and you need to present new products to your clients (designers, privates, companies, etc.), but you would rather avoid meeting them in person, read through this focus article and you’ll be finding some useful tips to continue working efficiently even from remote!
I’ll also show you how you can use BIM VOYAGER, an advanced technology that allows you to share and present your products, BIM models and your virtual showroom online.
You can try and navigate through a project example (bathroom showroom) with BIM VOYAGER directly from your browser, without having to download and install further applications.
BIM VOYAGER | The platform for sharing and viewing your BIM models online
The BIM VOYAGER series
This article is part of a series entirely dedicated to new working and presentation methods that have become part of our everyday life, especially when working from remote has become necessary. But who can benefit from this kind of tool? The answer is quite simple: Everyone involved in the design, project management and construction phases, such as:
- designers, that need feedback from clients, colleagues and other professionals;
- suppliers, that need to promote their products and solutions to architects, contractors and customers;
- manufacturers, can create virtual showrooms in order to present product ranges and collections to retailers and customers;
- real estate agencies, for creating virtual tours allowing visitors to explore properties for sale;
- structural engineers, that can discuss structural aspects pinpointing issues or particular building elements while navigating through a detailed structural model;
- health & safety coordinators, can raise awareness informing the design team and contractor of dangerous health and safety risks.
How to access and use BIM VOYAGER
Take advantage of BIM VOYAGER to publish any 3D BIM project to a cloud based viewing service accessible from any device that has a browser. Even if you haven’t purchased any ACCA software solution yet, you can use BIM VOYAGER for free by downloading the trial version of:
If you’d like to know more about this topic, check this related article: How to share your design project while working remotely? BIM VOYAGER is the solution
Remember that BIM VOYAGER is:
- easy to use: exploring the BIM model is very intuitive and you can navigate it through in first person by just using your mouse, keyboard or mobile;
- fast: your client will be able to view the 3D model on the web browser of any device such as computer, tablet, smartphone;
- safe: your client that received your project link will be able to browse your BIM model but won’t be able to download your project file;
- efficient: your client can take a virtual tour of the project and directly experience architectural spaces, materials, furniture and finishings;
- free: there are no activation or subscription costs.
Here are a few simple steps to start using BIM VOYAGER:
- create your model using one of ACCA software BIM solutions (Edificius, EdiLus);
- open the 3D view;
- click on the”Share” button and select the BIM VOYAGER option;
- Fill in the “Title” and “Description” fields;
- click on “Start upload”to publish;
- at the end of the upload process you will receive an e-mail with a link to your project.
Your client will be able to navigate the BIM model from the outside (orbit) or walk within the model (first person) simply using his/her mouse, keyboard or smartphone.
BIM VOYAGER: navigating the model from desktop, tablet or smartphone
At this point you can share the link to your client and present your design ideas:
- via e-mail
- via Whatsapp, Telegram, Messanger, etc.
- through any Social Network.
The user will get immediate access and be able to walk within the virtual model!
How to navigate a model with BIM VOYAGER
Navigating through the model with BIM VOYAGER is really easy:
- with the “Orbit” command you can move around within the model;
- with the“First person” command you can walk through interior environments.
Click on “Help” to get information and be guided while exploring the model using the mouse, keyboard or your smartphone.
Navigating a model with BIM VOYAGER
Virtual showroom: BIM VOYAGER usage scenarios for suppliers and resellers
Let’s assume that your company has produced new lines of products for bathroom furnishings, floors and walls, and you have to present them to your resellers and distributors, without having the opportunity to invite them in person to your exhibition space.
With BIM VOYAGER you can “present” the latest construction industry trends without having to meet your clients personally.
In this focus insight we’ll be analyzing different scenarios when having to share, for example, your bathroom furnishings and claddings to different figures involved, such as:
- reseller – designer
- supplier – distributor – reseller
- reseller – final user.
Reseller and designer
After having completed the bathroom project, the architect/designer needs to contact his trusted reseller to choose floors, walls, sanitary ware and furnishings to complete the project and show it to his client.
At this stage, both the reseller and the designer could need to work remotely and collaborate with the help of BIM VOYAGER:
- the reseller prepares a virtual showroom for his client with a series of scenarios to showcase the project materials and furnishings;
- he can also decide whether to use the 3D model produced by the designer or propose different solutions with materials and furnishings from different collections;
- the architect/designer navigates the model and can appreciate the type of sanitary ware that the retailer has showed him, the materials characteristics and the various decor combinations possible.
The decision-making process becomes very smooth in this way and it gives the possibility to agree upon further changes to be made to the model before reaching a final solution.
The designer can then show the project to his client in the same way using BIM VOYAGER.
Supplier – distributor – reseller
Let’s now assume that the producer/supplier wants to show a new product lines, such as coating materials, floors, sanitary ware and bathroom accessories to his distributors. A similar scenario also applies between distributor and resellers
After having sent the new catalogue via e-mail, BIM VOYAGER can show the latest trends to resellers/retailers:
- the producer has set up “virtual display areas” dedicated to a new line of floors, walls and sanitary ware, differently combined;
- the distributor has the possibility to examine each exhibition space, looking in detail at the latest products manufactured by the company;
- the same distributor / retailer will be able to identify the most interesting elements, immediately comparing the size and material characteristics of the products with the help of the catalogue previously received.
BIM VOYAGER will allow distributors to be updated, in real time, on the company latest productions, and retailers to be able to choose in advance the finishing and furnishing elements to be offered to customers.
Navigating a virtual Showroom with BIM VOYAGER
Reseller and final user
Finally, let’s assume that a customer wants to renovate his/her bathroom and goes directly to the reseller to figure possible furniture, sanitary ware and cladding options.
Thanks to BIM VOYAGER the reseller will be able to:
- show a case study with predefined types of bathroom, that would meet the customer’s needs;
- propose the ideal design solution for the customer’s bathroom, presenting floors, walls, sanitary ware and other furnishing element solutions.
At this point, the customer can view the results obtained and eventually ask for any changes to be applied the project, comfortably from home. In addition, by means of BIM VOYAGER, the client can ask for a project quotation.
Navigate my project file in BIM VOYAGER
Here is a link to one of my models:
To start using BIM VOYAGER, remember to first download and install one of ACCA software BIM Authoring solutions:
