A member of the Woodworking Network's 40-Under-40 honorees, Corbin Clay, has launched an innovative AI-driven tool for cabinet company websites called FinishMatch. This platform uses artificial intelligence to help customers further along their purchasing journey, such as booking consultations, ordering samples, or visiting showrooms, by matching customer photos to a cabinet company's website catalog. Its customer-centric approach helps the decision-making process for homeowners, reducing the need to navigate countless finish options.
FinishMatch provides real-time consumer insights that can shape marketing strategies and product development. For example, the tool collects data on customer searches, such as the colors and finishes users upload to find matches. This information is shared with cabinet manufacturers, allowing them to identify trends and gaps in their finish collections. Companies can adjust their offerings or marketing materials accordingly if there’s a surge in searches for navy blue cabinets or burnt yellow finishes.
The AI tool aims to solve a common industry challenge: ensuring seamless color and texture coordination between various wood components. As consumer preferences and styles evolve, FinishMatch adapts. The platform is continuously updated and retrained to meet changing demands.
In a recent study, 85% of interior designers lean toward using AI, with 45% of respondents also stating that they would use AI for material and color selection.
"Tons of insights went into creating FinishMatch; we developed a unique solution for each of the three different customer categories: custom cabinet makers, larger semi-custom manufacturers, and online cabinet retailers," says Clay, a 2016 40-Under-40 honoree. "We have a solution for each situation."
Woodworking Network asked, "How user-friendly is your AI solution for non-technical workers?"
"FinishMatch stands out for its ease of use, making it accessible to even the least tech-savvy users," Clay said. "The platform requires no technical input from cabinet companies, as the FinishMatch team handles all training and setup. Built on a proprietary photo recognition algorithm and trained on a robust dataset of over 50,000 images, the tool ensures unmatched accuracy and consistency."
WWN: "How long will it take to integrate your AI system or tools into existing operations?"
Clay states, "Integrating FinishMatch into a company’s website is remarkably simple, requiring just three lines of code. While the FinishMatch team can handle the integration process, companies can collaborate with their in-house or freelance web developers. The full onboarding process takes about a month, with less than an hour of input required from the cabinet company."
The tool is poised to revolutionize workflows by reducing the time and effort spent on manual color matching, removing the guesswork from finishes and stains, and enhancing the quality of cabinetry projects.
To learn more, visit finishmatch.