Glass is in Session by Clarus

Clarus is the largest glass board manufacturer in America and builds all of their products right here in the USA. Clarus is hiring a Director of Marketing in their Fort Worth, TX office. Fort Worth is the home of the famous stockyards, but did you know it’s also the 13th largest city in the United States, beating out others like San Francisco, Denver and Boston? The director of marketing is Responsible for developing, executing and tracking marketing projects that generate new opportunities and drive revenue growth. The role will also be in charge of Management and implementation of marketing strategy – campaigns, events, digital marketing, and PR. Their client list includes some of the biggest brands in the world, like Google, Disney, and Coca-Cola, making them a premier choice for glass board solutions. Joining Clarus means you’re a part of creating the canvas on which great ideas will take shape, young minds will be molded, and important information will be shared. If this job sounds like a fit for you or someone you know, visit Clarus.com or marketscale.com/B2Bjobs to apply.

The standard image of a cubicle in American business is not generally looked upon with fond memories. On this episode of the Glass is in Session podcast, Liz Morley, content marketing manager for Clarus, sat down with host Sean Heath to discuss the positive aspects of the humble cubicle and how Clarus is taking those good parts to the future of office environments. Some office environments lend themselves to individual work efforts, however, in a previous job, Morley experienced the drastic change that occurs in an office environment when new collaborative approaches are embraced. “It really allowed people to have the choice of where to work,” she said. “The power of choice is very strong, in terms of engaging your employees. If you let them make the choice of where they feel they’re going to do their best work, they are a lot more likely to be engaged and they’re going to be a lot more productive.” While it’s easy to perform a survey to measure employee engagement, it is not necessarily easy to interpret that data. “It’s so qualitative,” according to Morley. “There’s so many factors involved. The problem with employee engagement is that there are so many factors that you can change one of them, but you don’t necessarily know that there’s a direct correlation," she said. “You really have to look at it holistically and get data about what your employees are needing. What do they feel like would help them be better at their job?”

Ask any pet owner and they will say that their pet is a part of their family. Unwavering love and loyalty create a bond between humans and their animal friends that is hard to measure. Naturally, when injuries occur, people turn to a place where their pet can receive as high-quality of care as they would get themselves. The PARC in Fort Worth, Texas is that place for many in its region. A state-of-the-art veterinarian facility, the PARC has provided comfort and reassurance to pet owners since 2011. “If there’s a wonderful place where your pet might be having more fun than you are, that changes everything,” Dr. Steve Hotchkiss, PARC Chief Vision Officer said. On today's episode of Glass is in Session, we explore how a mission of transparency motivated innovative design, and how Clarus and the PARC collaborated to make that vision a reality. Ultimately the quality of treatment is what matters, but PARC took architectural measures to turn a sometimes grim experience into a positive one. The animal clinic uses Clarus glassboards and glass design throughout the facility to set positive moods and quite literally open up the space. Hotchkiss found a lot of pride in being the only veterinary clinic where you can look 100 feet back into the kitchen. The treatment rooms are four walls of glass, and at any given point you can see doctors and professionals going about their day. Although the idea of a lack of privacy initially gave Hotchkiss pause, the results now speak for themselves. “The initial idea of the project scared my staff, it scared the doctors, and it scared some of the clients,” he said. “Upon execution, we found that our clients were 40 percent less anxious, the perceived wait time went down dramatically.” Mindset goes a long way when in a medical facility, and pet owners have responded positively to PARC’s transparency not only in diagnosis but in design. Clarus' glass design was a big part of that, and pet owners around North Texas are thankful for it.

It is one thing for a company to be an innovator with the products it is developing, but it is another thing to be an innovator and trendsetter in sustainability. Clarus is a company that has strived for and excelled in both. On today's episode of Glass is in Session, we sat back down with Jamie-Clare de la Chapelle, Clarus' resident "LEED expert" and Marketing Content & Sustainability Specialist, who unpacks the journey toward sustainability for the company. De la Chapelle has learned a lot through her years, coming from an environmental non-profit, to a construction firm, and finally landing at Clarus. At each of her positions, she saw more and more how sustainable measures are driving industries to adapt and rethink their products. At Clarus, she was quickly introduced to the marketing side of how certifications are sold, and what it means to customers that Clarus is a sustainable manufacturer. “You have to move forward in a better manner than you were before,” she said, and that’s not only been true for her, but for her work at Clarus and the company’s journey to becoming LEED certified. Clarus has always been an innovator of glassboards, starting years ago with flush glassboards and glass that supports hardware, and becoming LEED certified was a big part of continuing that innovation. Currently it is the only glassboard company in the world to hold a LEED certification with environmentally sustainable products. The measures are applied not only to the products themselves but the processes designed to make them, like the closed-loop recycling machine that recycles water used to give glass baths. Give this podcast a listen to hear de la Chapelle explain the toughest road blocks are to going green, why local partnerships are the answer, and a feel for why Clarus is so devoted to their environmentally conscious mission.

On today’s episode of Glass is in Session, we brought Ben Kraft, also known as the 'Glass Man Extraordinaire,' into the studio. Kraft, an A&D sales representative for Clarus, gives his sales and manufacturing insight on the reasons for and the impacts of green design on company-client relationships. Kraft helps answer these questions as we unpack the customers in Clarus' three key industries (healthcare, higher education, and corporate America), and what is pushing them to buy green. Is it because the common culture is really becoming more interested in saving the environment, or is it from motivation to take advantage of green initiatives like LEED, BREEAM, and the Living Building Challenge? Are certifications like declare labels or environmental product declarations just a simple requirement for these customers, or do they just prefer to choose from sustainable products? Kraft thinks the two biggest motivators are wellness and price points. Health, wellness and safety are major factors, especially within fields like healthcare and education, considering the people in those buildings are near these materials every day for extensive periods of time. Same things goes for the back end; B2B clients want to know that the products they're purchasing promote the wellness and safety of the designers and manufacturers creating them. But it's difficult to deny price point is a big motivator. Budgets are always tight, and finding a lower cost solution is always appealing. What Kraft points out, though, is that a high quality sustainable product won't come cheap, and customers aren't being dissuaded by the price. How do we convince the client-side of the AEC industry to keep using sustainable products, how does educating the end user encourage more B2B sales, and where do Clarus’ Glassboards fit into all of this? We discuss the certifications that these products have, what they mean to the companies that employ them, and what this means for our future on this episode of Glass is in Session. For more episodes of Glass is in Session, head to Clarus' site.

Consumers today are extremely conscious about what kinds of products they’re purchasing for their bodies, homes, and businesses, and with so many choices available it’s hard to know what products may be guilty of some of the “Seven Sins of Greenwashing” -- otherwise known as stating a product is generally natural, green friendly, or organic, when it has undergone zero testing or certification.

Creating a unique and special experience each time an individual interacts with your brand can be a great way for a company stand out. Whether it’s on the road at trade shows or at home in the corporate office, Rebecca Grefrath, Marketing Experience Coordinator for Clarus, always seeks to make every interaction an unforgettable one. “We usually try to personalize the visit as much as possible,” Grefrath says of the times when the company welcomes visitors to the headquarters. “I think that personalization goes a long way and really hits home with people.” A recent study by Frost & Sullivan really drives this point home. According to the study, customer experience will overtake price and product as the top driver of business by the year 2020. Planning and executing the Clarus booth at trade shows is another integral part of Rebecca’s job. She says these shows are another opportunity give people a personalized and special experience. One of the ways they do this is by having an artist draw “Clarucatures” of visitors to the Clarus booth. This means that visitors walk away with a drawing of themselves on Clarus glass to remember the experience, but that’s not the only benefit. “For 3-5 minutes we have a person in our booth space that’s getting their face drawn on a piece of our glass that we can talk to,” she says. “We get an opportunity to meet them...and then they’re walking away with our product all at the same time.”

With Glass is in Session, we've focused a lot on the innovative design that Clarus has brought to the glassboard industry, and in many regards, the path that they've paved for glassboards in general. Our past several episodes have been with Vice President of Brand & Marketing, Brittney Ricks [embed contributor page], as she's broken down the product line-up at Clarus and what makes each installation unique, industry specific, and one of a kind. For this episode, we wrap up our look at Clarus' product offerings by exploring Glide, the final glassboard added to Clarus' collection. Unlike its counterparts, Glide attempts to be both fixed and flexible; in essence, it's a sliding glassboard on a wall. Though it may sound simple, it's far from it. "The easy part is finding out people’s pain points, but then you go back to the drawing board and you’re like, 'oh gosh! How are we going to actually make this?' Because glass is pretty heavy," said Ricks. The Clarus design team knew that to make Glide a success, it had to be as seamless as their other staple products, meaning no visible hardware, ADA code compliant, and sleek to operate. On the podcast, Ricks details the design challenges of the Glide product, how it's a perfect representation of a product that responds to the market's voice, and which surprising industries, like Hospitality, have seen great use out of its integratabtle and flexible capabilities.

In this episode of Glass is in Session, Brittney Ricks [embed contributor page], Vice President of Brand and Marketing at Clarus, rejoins us to discuss one of Clarus' most innovative glassboard products: View. What makes View unique and unlike Clarus' other offerings? It's set to replace the inconvenient pulldown projector screens with a glassboard that acts like a projection screen, improving the clarity of the picture but maintaining the asethetic value of a sleek, fresh design. For Ricks, this is one of their most innovative designs, and one that can have a tangible impact from industry to industry.

A designer is tasked with one of the hardest professional balances in the game: function vs. fashion. Can they create something that's not only aesthetically pleasing, but serves its purpose? Dony Dawson, Vice President of Design for Clarus, said that often, designers miss the point of their project.

On today's episode of Glass is in Session by Clarus, we're exploring two of their flagship products, Depth and Float. These two glassboard designs have been paramount to the success and growth of Clarus, but beyond the specificities of the design, these glassboards really pull the curtain back and show that collaborative surfaces were, for a very long time, an after-thought. As the modern classroom and workspace keeps changing, so do the ways those spaces get visualized and constructed. We're rejoined by Brittney Ricks, VP of Brand & Marketing, who explains how designers, facility managers and construction firms are having to come together earlier in the process to create integrated, authentic collaborative spaces. If there's one main thing to take away from this conversation, it's that design doesn't have to be neglected to achieve high performing solution products. "As collaborative surfaces are now being integrated within the design, it's important that the products they're choosing are going to stand the test of time," Ricks said.

On today's episode of Glass is in Session by Clarus. we're exploring two of their flagship products, Depth and Float. These two glassboard designs have been paramount to the success and growth of Clarus, but beyond the specificities of the design, these glassboards really pull the curtain back and show that collaborative surfaces were, for a very long time, an after-thought.

In this Glass is in Session podcast, Trey Harris, Education Market Manager at Clarus, discusses education sales at the university level. For the better part of the first decade of his career, Harris worked in architectural photography, led national marketing for the planning and landscape architecture division of a national A/E firm, and honed his skills as a professional communicator. Now at Clarus, having joined last year to lead education sales, he has visited 92 universities in nine months. There, he's seen a trend across the board: classrooms aren't equipped for Generation Z. "The in-house designers at the university, when they're looking at what they want their classrooms to be, how do they filter all this new generation's needs," Harris said. Higher education is such an enticing market not only because older adults are returning to college, but because of the size of Generation Z; the majority are just now entering college, but soon will be making up 40 percent of all consumers. He notes that Gen Z is very different from both Gen Y (Millennials) and Gen X, saying, “security and stability” are what they value most. “Technology is integrated into their lives at birth,” Harris says. “Technoholics would be an understatement.” He discusses how although Gen X will move companies, they do not move industries. It’s becoming clear that Gen Z are what he terms “career multitaskers,” meaning they will move industries throughout their working lives. They want their hobbies to be their professions, and this innate flexibility need to be expressed in their learning process. Harris explains how Clarus helps universities make the design and technological transition Gen Z expects, empowering project-based learning and flipped classrooms through collaborative technology like the glassboard.

On Glass is in Session, we've discussed several aspects of the glassboard. We've looked at the intricacy behind the designs, the psychology of writing, and their impact on the Healthcare industry. On today's episode, we wanted to explore the business side of Clarus; specifically, how they ensure client success. Being a company that is best known for creating a "simple" communication tool, their communication prowess doesn't stop there. Larissa Brown, Client Success Manager for Clarus, joined us on the podcast to explain the long, personal relationship between company and client that ensures their glassboards are being used to their max potential. It helps that glass is a versatile material. "We have tabletops made of glass, we have walls made of glass, we have doors made of glass," Brown said. "When we are talking with clients, we let them know that their possibilities are limitless." Brown deals with clients in corporate, educational and healthcare spaces, all of which require different functions and a different level of bureaucratic communication; she breaks down how Clarus personalizes each interaction and product, and why they're consolidating their communication process down to an easy-to-use portal. In the end, it's all about educating customers, and Brown explains why that takes time and careful attention. "What we really pride ourselves on is that the client is taken care of," Brown said.

The AEC world doesn't live an isolated life; it never has. But more than ever, with advancements in collaborative technology and innovative design, AEC professionals are seeing a revitalized convergence with other industries. This includes Healthcare, and between November 10-13 in Phoenix, more than 3200 industry professionals came together for the Healthcare Design Expo & Conference, the leading event for the latest and greatest in the worlds of design and well-being.

As hospital budgets are getting tighter, administrators are looking for practical and cost effective ways to benefit both their patients and their professionals. Hospital design is a big player in budget talks, being some of the priciest pay points but some of the most necessary. A refurbished, welcoming and functional hospital design makes for not only more productive physicians and nurses, but safer patients. A Modern Healthcare article even goes as far as to point out that inefficient design leads to wasted time looking for supplies or staff, which means less time at a patient's bedside. All in all, healthcare design is crucial. What are the latest trends in aesthetics and functionality that are helping patients feel more comfortable and professionals feel more productive? Jason Pierret, Healthcare Market Manager for Clarus, has dedicated most of his career to the healthcare industry, and has seen how crucial the feel of a hospital can be on overall care. "If they have medicine that kind of walks the walk, their facility really needs to talk the talk," Pierret said. Pierret joined us on the podcast to discuss the latest trends in healthcare design and why efficient communication is inspiring the biggest changes. He also tackles the crippling issue of patient mistrust and how it's directly correlated to healthcare design. But beyond that, he explains how innovative technology like VR or glassboards can inspire creativity among healthcare professionals, keep stressed patients at ease while waiting on difficult news, or just inspire a happier aura for a hospital. "When they walk into a healthcare facility, what types of environments - what elements in that environment impact and influence the way that they feel," Pierret said. "There are studies that are being conducted now that are saying that if the environment is positive and it's bright and you feel good when you walk into the hospital, then that has a direct influence on patient outcomes."

The cutting edge of B2B architecture, engineering, & construction. Tune in to hear industry professionals cover everything from LEED certification to BIM. And maybe a laugh or two.

On today's episode of Glass is in Session by Clarus, we're exploring two of their flagship products, Depth and Float. These two glassboard designs have been paramount to the success and growth of Clarus, but beyond the specificities of the design, these glassboards really pull the curtain back and show that collaborative surfaces were, for a very long time, an after-thought. As the modern classroom and workspace keeps changing, so do the ways those spaces get visualized and constructed. We're rejoined by Brittney Ricks, VP of Brand & Marketing, who explains how designers, facility managers and construction firms are having to come together earlier in the process to create integrated, authentic collaborative spaces. If there's one main thing to take away from this conversation, it's that design doesn't have to be neglected to achieve high performing solution products. "As collaborative surfaces are now being integrated within the design, it's important that the products they're choosing are going to stand the test of time," Ricks said.