I liked using the Wizard CMC from the first day that I got it. I immediately put it into production, and two years later I am still amazed to be learning all of the things that I can accomplish with it. I know other framers who have Wizard CMCs that say it’s like having another employee, but I think it’s even better than that because it offers a lot of creative options that I wouldn’t otherwise think of or be able to provide for my customers.

I finally took the plunge and got Integrated Framer® Retail Management software and feel relieved that I will no longer lose profits on each frame job. Being in a major metropolitan market, I feel the pricing structure already programmed in the package is right on the mark. It allows enough of a margin to make each job worthwhile and profitable.

Thanks to IF Retail Management software, my customers don't blink an eye when I present the price. I show them the price right on my computer screen, before printing a quote and they accept it as fact. When asked if there are any cheaper options, I make the adjustments immediately in the IF Visualization software, usually resulting in the customer coming back to their original choices and, most importantly, agreeing to pay the price.

Without IF Retail Management, I have to admit, there were too many times where I was just guessing. That's a dangerous thing, because there were times that I realized I was working for what amounted to minimum wage, and I'm the OWNER! Getting IF Retail Management has been the major step in nipping that in the bud. Now I know that I’ll make money on each order.

Honestly, I couldn’t imagine operating my business without all of my Wizard products. The CMC 8000 is a reliable workhorse. The software has provided me with a level of comfort that is unmatched. I no longer worry about losing money on a frame job.
 
Wizard's customer support team is very reliable. My phone calls and e-mails have always been answered or returned promptly, within the same day. To my amazement, when I needed custom solutions in terms of software, they recognized it and readily provided it. The best part is knowing the company and its people won't leave me hanging. I know if I need help, it's just a phone call or e-mail away, and that's a good feeling.

With Wizard, I feel like I own a framing Ferrari, but have only got it into second gear. I can't wait to go full throttle!

Visit Shaw Galleries' website.

We have cut mats with a manual cutter for years. Now our Wizard CMC allows us to provide more creative designs at more affordable prices.

The Wizard CMC allows us to be much more creative. It opens new ways to enhance mat designs that were impossible with a manual cutter. Things we used to avoid such as multiple openings, circles, ovals and debossed text are now a breeze on this marvelous machine.

The Wizard CMC has renewed our excitement in picture framing and has given us a new enthusiasm for creative matting.

I’ve been using my Wizard CMC 8000 since December 2006 and I consider it to be a problem solver. I have had some very challenging pieces come through my gallery and the Wizard CMC has offered a solution every time. In addition to being a problem solver, it is very easy to use, extremely precise, and is just a lot of fun. This machine now offers no limit to my creativity.

This machine has also bought me some time. When I first received my Wizard 2 ½ years ago, I immediately started using it.  I was dumbfounded by the amount of time it took to cut mats.  It cut mats in half the time it took to use my manual mat-cutter and I was left wondering what to do with my remaining time.  Quite frankly, it actually gave me a little time to sit down for some much needed rest during the day.

I no longer turn away  customer ideas when they are looking for something new or different when designing a mat - I now tell them I am “up for the challenge.” I am so confident in the abilities of my Wizard and what I can create with this machine that it actually gives me the freedom and the belief to say “ I can do that for you” at the design counter.

In the 2 ½ years I have owned my Wizard CMC I must say that I have not had a lot of experience with Wizard’s customer support department because the initial setup and first-time use of the machine was quite easy.  However, when I did need to speak with customer support on a few occasions, they were pleasant, thorough and followed-up on every issue, every time.

I cannot imagine my business without my Wizard CMC and I wish I had purchased it when I opened my gallery. I am so happy to own this machine!

WINNER!  Best Custom Framing in Denver, CO 2008

There are so many reasons to have the Wizard mat cutter and IF Visualization Software.  They allow me to be better than the competition, and offer many options to my customers.  I have many repeat customers who want the same design time after time, and with my Wizard I can give it to them exactly the same, with a very quick set-up.  Plus using IF Visualization to show a customer what their art will look like framed before it is actually framed creates excitement in the customer.

Before I got my Wizard CMC I had far fewer mat cutting options to offer my customers.  I was not able to be as creative and not able to offer the exact same design at a later date.

It did not take me long to start using the Wizard mat cutter, but everyday I am learning new tricks and designs it offers.  It seems as though the possibilities are only limited by my imagination.  The IF Visualization Software is very easy to use as well.  Both set-ups do not require you to spend all day, and you can be up and running very quickly. 

Now I can offer so much to my customers and they enjoy seeing what the possibilities are with both the Wizard and the Visualization Software. It is nice to be able to tell a customer, that we can frame the same design and collage year after year.

Even after 12 years as a Wizard Customer, I have not exhausted all the possibilities these products have to offer. My Wizard products have paid for themselves many times over.

I honestly cannot imagine owning a frame store without a Wizard mat cutter.  For any frame store that is serious about being in business and great customer service, they must have the Wizard CMC and IF Visualization.

Wizard really knows what a frame store customer needs and helps me be one of the best picture frame stores in Denver. The products work seamlessly and will only get better.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Wizard CMC and IF Visualization Software have contributed to my store being voted Best Custom Frame Store in Denver for 2008.

Wizard is excited when I succeed! 

We have a Wizard CMC 8000 and Integrated Framer Visualization. We have been using the CMC since 2002 and IF Visualization since 2007.

IF Visualization is a great tool that allows you to show off your design talent to customers. I was able to intuitively set up and use IF Visualization with no help at all!  The software is very menu driven and easy to pick up and use.  And with a great technical support team, any challenge can be easily addressed with a phone call.

IF Visualization has been useful for us with clients; however, we have found our best use of it with the commercial aspect of our business, as we often work with designers that are located in other parts of the country.  We use IF Visualization to build a proposal of frame designs that match the project art and furnishings.  We can email photos of the project to the designer for approval, all without every leaving the design bar!  AMAZING!

The Wizard CMC has been very useful for many things: High production jobs, multi openings are a breeze, fancy cuts, circles and v-grooves have become part of the regular design process.  We also cut multi- opening mats for our local distributor and other local frame shops, and most of all it quickly makes people with a non-framing background an expert mat cutter in a matter of hours.

Even a “small” shop can benefit from the use of a CMC, in design capability and efficient use of the framer’s time.  If I had a limited budget for equipment, I would want a Wizard above all else.

Before we had our Wizard CMC we were basically a one man shop. Since getting the Wizard we have grown our business to include Mike as owner, a full-time framer, and myself as a designer and mat cutter.

The initial benefit of the Wizard CMC was productivity – it is truly like having another employee.  Greater productivity always equals an increase in revenue!  Having the ability to make difficult cuts with ease allows us to save time and price competitively –especially in the commercial arena.   As we have learned to use the creative side of the wizard, we can now add elements which are salable items, and give the client a more unique project. I learn more every day on using the Wizard and am continuing to learn with each challenging project.

We rely heavily on the customer support department to talk us through issues.  They have never disappointed us. No matter what the question is, they are always courteous and patient in their instructions.  We love the fact that they are in a time zone which allows us to call after hours – which is always when technical support issues arise – at night trying to finish a project!

The creative freedom that comes from having a Wizard is wonderful.  Another great benefit of being in the Wizard family is having the creative power of Brian Wolf at our disposal.  It is nice to use the products that are “industry standard” so you have the network of creative exchange to keep the projects flowing!  We love our Wizard.

P.S. - We recently bought the inventory and equipment, including a competitor brand CMC, from a frame shop that was closing its doors.  After a side-by-side comparison of both CMCs, we found the Wizard to be more user-friendly and intuitive. We sold the competitor's machine and continue to love using our Wizard CMC.

UPDATE 6/27/08: Karen was recently honored with Wayne County’s Small Business of the Year Award. To learn more about Karen's accomplishment, click here.

I currently have a Wizard CMC 8000, Integrated Framer Visualization, Debossing Tool & Integrated Framer Retail Management in my shop. The Wizard 8000 was purchased in Nov. 2005, IF Visualization in Jan. 2006, Debossing Tool in Sept. 2007, and IF Retail Management in Oct. 2007 as part of the Smart 100 Program.

The best thing about all these products is the way they are all built to work together and enhance each other.

Before I got all my Wizard products it was time consuming to design and price a customer’s piece of art work.  There was uncertainty on the customer's part, wondering if they made the right decision. (No more phone calls saying to hold on to an item until the customer could come back in and look one more time!!)  Then there was the chance of making a mistake in pricing or the customer feeling that they could negotiate a better price since we had to punch each item into a calculator to get a total.  I worried  about making a mistake while cutting a multi-opening mat and hoping we had another just in case a mistake was made.  It was hard to keep track of which part of an order was finished and which part was waiting on a mat or frame.

Learning the everyday aspects of IF Suite was really easy and took no time at all.  Although setting up IF Retail Management  was time consuming due to the fact that I customized the program to every detail of my shop.

So many aspects of my shop have benefited from the use of my Wizard products.  The ability to make the customer feel more confident about the choice they make by being able to view the finished piece before we do it.  Up-selling an item by adding v-grooves, debossing, cut art, etc. to enhance a customers artwork.  The speed at which we can get a customer to commit to a sale, and the time that the customer is in and out of the shop.  The ease of IF Retail Management for pricing, customers seem to trust that the price the computer gives them is correct and they can see what the price for each item is instead of trusting someone to punch numbers into a calculator.  The ability to cut a large amount of mats in about a quarter of the time with precision.  The ability to know the status of an item in the shop by being able to log it in and see if it is in progress, completed or picked up.

The entire process from design to completion has been significantly simplified.  The time saved at the front counter has increased the time that I can dedicate to framing.

Wizard has an amazing set of products that are time saving in all aspects of framing.  From designing and completing a sale by getting the customer in and out of the shop feeling confident that the item they brought in will look great and that the price was reasonable, to the time saved in production, being able to cut mats efficiently and correctly using only the amount of material that you need.  And the ability to know the status of an item and where it is in the working order.

My experience with Wizard's Customer Support team has been fantastic!!  The knowledge and patience that they exhibit is wonderful!!  They listen to the problem, (even though some of us don’t know how to explain the problem correctly, we just know things aren’t working the way they are supposed to), taking the time to explain in easy terms on how the problem might have occurred, and most importantly finding a solution to our problem and taking us step by step through the process to help us get back on track fast.  

The best thing about being a Wizard customer is knowing that there is only one phone number I need to call to get answers to any problems or questions that I may have about my Wizard products and knowing that they will always help find an answer or solution.  And also, using products that are made to work together to efficiently complete a framing project from beginning to end.

We are currently using an Eclipse XL and are coming up on our three month anniversary with this CMC. The best thing about the Eclipse is that ANYONE can use this machine. My 11 year old, as smart as he is, has a hard time reading a ruler, has been cutting mats like a pro since day one. My wife who has never been in the framing industry has become the primary mat cutter in our business. Plus, the training time is minimal and it allows for far much more creativity than manual mat cutters.

Our revenue has definitely increased since the word is out that we are using a CMC. There is so little waste that our profit margin has increased as well, while productivity has doubled or tripled.

Before we had the Eclipse, triple mats, especially with any special cuts, were a nightmare. We enjoyed all aspects of framing except for matting; we even paid people to do our matting for us, we bought them cutters and set them up at home. Imagine how happy we were to see the CMC finally become available.

Now our whole family enjoys using the Eclipse. Matting is fun now, and the possibilities are endless. We have yet to turn away a hard to cut mat… Actually, there’s no such thing anymore. Framing overall has been revolutionized.

Not having a Wizard or Eclipse puts a framer way behind the 8 ball. It’s a lot like not having a computer or cell phone. You can survive, but reaching out to people has never been easier.

Being a Wizard/Eclipse customer opens a whole new door in framing. It is a definite confidence booster and there is no doubt that our mats are perfect every time. We are now the best framers in our neck of the woods.

Sticks and Stones (www.createsticksandstones.com) was originally an “I Spy” game played with our daughters as they were learning the alphabet. We’d find objects in nature, art, and architecture that formed letters. We made it a goal to find every letter of the alphabet, which took us a few months worth of weekends. We then started teaching our oldest daughter, Allie, to read short words such as “DOG” and “CAT”. From there, we decided to frame and mat some letters and present them as a wedding gift for our middle daughter’s teacher using her new last name. The response to that first gift was amazing, and many people asked where we’d bought such a unique gift. We knew we had an idea that would make a great gift or home décor item.

We started sending samples to every catalog related to home décor and gift giving and got accepted by two of them almost immediately – Grandin Road and Uncommon Goods. We received over 300 orders our first month in Grandin Road, and at that point we decided to bring the framing in house. Since Wizard offers a true rental program, we decided that was the safest option for our still-new business. We average 24 corners per keepsake created, and we sell over 600 keepsakes monthly, so needless to say our Wizard gets a lot of use!!

Sticks and Stones has been featured in Better Homes and Gardens magazine, we’ve been filmed for HGTV’s “I Want That!” for release in a future segment, and we have a few more magazine releases scheduled for later this year (TBA). We’ve also had a video segment on the Oprah Winfrey show about our company. We are very focused on building our brand, and the national exposure from magazines and television has definitely helped with brand awareness.

(In the beginning) We actually outsourced the framing to a local frame shop, and we knew the Wizard would be our first and most important piece of equipment when bringing framing in house. So, thankfully, we’ve never been without our Wizard!

I learned how to create, manipulate, and save templates in a couple hours. The software is so user-friendly. From opening the boxes upon arrival to complete setup of the Wizard was about 2 hours. From there we were off and running.

The Wizard CMC 8500 is our lifeline for production. The average length of time it takes to cut one mat is about 30 seconds, so we are never waiting on mats – which is crucial! Paying a person to cut mats the old way would cost at least 4 times as much per month! I love the speed and pinpoint accuracy of the Wizard 8500. I think the software package is the most user-friendly on the market. The ease of cutting double mats makes this the perfect machine for our business. We may rent a second one in the future as production dictates!

The thing I love about being a Wizard customer is knowing the most vital piece of equipment for our business is the best on the market, and the rental plan is perfect for our needs.

I wouldn’t recommend starting a framing business without having a Wizard CMC on hand. Whether deciding to rent or buy a Wizard, the company has a plan to fit your business model, plus their customer support department is easy to reach, helpful, and knowledgeable.