How to onboard aluminium fabricators to your app
Aluminium and uPVC fabricators are a smaller, more concentrated audience than carpenters. A town may have a few dozen workshops, each run by an owner with a team of fitters, buying sections from one or two dealers and fittings from whoever has the system in stock. Onboarding them is closer to account development than mass enrolment.
Aluminium fabricators are onboarded most effectively through the section and hardware dealers they already buy from, through workshop visits and through training-led fabricator meets. Sign-up should happen on WhatsApp in one step, the first batch of window kits scanned should pay out the same day, and the workshop owner and his fitters should each have a clear role in the program.
Where to find fabricators
| Source | Approach | Why it works | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium section dealers | Dealer introduces workshops that buy sections from him | Fabricators trust their section supplier | Introduced workshops that scan within 30 days |
| Hardware dealers selling window systems | Sign-up at the counter when a fabricator buys kits | Catches fabricators at the moment of purchase | Counter sign-ups that become active |
| Workshop visits | Sales officer visits clusters of workshops in industrial lanes | Builds a relationship with the owner | Workshops visited vs workshops active |
| Training meets | Hands-on session on a window or door system | Fabricators come to learn, stay to enrol | Trainees installing the system within 60 days |
| Codes on kits | Scanning a code from an unregistered number starts sign-up | Reaches fabricators already using your fittings | First scans from new numbers |
Many fabricators also serve glass and facade work, and some do aluminium partitions and kitchen shutters. Keep the program focused on door and window hardware; cabinet and kitchen fittings belong to a separate track with its own audience. See the furniture fittings page for that segment.
Owner, supervisor and fitters
A fabrication workshop usually has an owner who buys and quotes, and fitters who install at site. Decide who earns before launch:
- The owner decides which system to quote. He responds to tiers, larger catalogue rewards, training access and recognition at meets.
- Fitters do the installation and often handle the packs. A small per-scan reward on their own number keeps them scanning at site.
- A team view for the owner, showing his fitters' scans, keeps him informed and avoids disputes over who should have earned.
Write the rule down and explain it at the first visit. Most programs that run into trouble with fabricators do so because the owner and his fitters each thought the rewards were theirs. Our guide to contractor loyalty programs covers team structures in more detail.
Sign-up in one step
- The fabricator scans a QR on a kit or a dealer's standee, which opens WhatsApp with a pre-filled message.
- His mobile number becomes his account; a voice note in his language explains how kits earn.
- He names his workshop and town; fitters can be linked to the workshop later.
- UPI is collected at the first payout; PAN when earnings approach the level where TDS may apply, as advised by your tax advisor.
- 1Week 1Joins at section dealer; scans first window kit
- 2Week 1Same-day UPI for the batch installed
- 3Week 2Invited to a training session on a sliding system
- 4Week 3First installs of the new system earn a bonus
- 5Week 4Owner sees team scans and next tier
Illustrative timeline. Bonuses and sessions are set per brand.
Activation through the first batch
Fabricators install in batches. The first batch is the moment to win: make scanning a run of kits quick, show a running total, and pay the batch the same day. If the first batch takes three days to credit, the next one will not be scanned. A modest welcome bonus on the first batch, rather than the first single scan, fits how fabricators work.
Training is the strongest hook
Fabricators adopt a new window system or multi-point lock only once they can install it without callbacks. Short hands-on sessions at a dealer's premises or a meet, with a bonus on the first installs, bring fabricators into the program and move them to higher-value systems at the same time. See how to run influencer meets for planning and follow-up.
Keep it simple to use
Many fitters prefer voice and their own language. Let them ask balance, payout status and scheme rules by voice on WhatsApp, and keep screens visual. Our guide to app adoption for low-literacy users has practical design rules.
What to measure
- Workshops enrolled by source, and share active within 30 days.
- Time from sign-up to first batch payout.
- Fitters linked per workshop, and share of scans from fitters versus owners.
- Trainees who install the trained system within 60 days.
- Section dealers whose introduced workshops never scan.
How Unotag helps onboard fabricators
Unotag lets fabricators and fitters join and scan on WhatsApp or app, binds each code to the first scan, pays by UPI or points, and answers questions by voice in Indian languages. Tiers, badges and meets are built in, and the same scan verifies genuine fittings for the buyer. See the influencer loyalty program and the hardware fittings page.
Key takeaways
- Reach fabricators through their section and hardware dealers, workshop visits and training meets.
- Define clearly what the workshop owner and his fitters each earn.
- Sign-up in one WhatsApp step; UPI at first payout.
- Win the first batch: quick sequential scans and same-day payout.
- Use training on new systems as both an onboarding hook and an upgrade path.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find aluminium fabricators to enrol?
Through the aluminium section and hardware dealers they buy from, by visiting workshop clusters, through training meets, and when they scan a code on a kit you already sell.
Should the workshop owner or the fitter earn?
Usually both, on separate rules: fitters earn a small amount per scan on their own numbers, and the owner gets a team view, tiers, training access and larger rewards.
What welcome bonus works for fabricators?
A bonus on the first batch of kits installed fits how fabricators work better than a bonus on a single scan.
Why does training help fabricator onboarding?
Fabricators adopt new systems only when they can install them without callbacks. Training brings them into the program and moves them to higher-value systems.
Can fabricators use the program without installing an app?
Yes. They can join, scan and check balances on WhatsApp, including by voice in their language.
How is a fabricator program different from a carpenter program?
Fabricators are fewer, work from workshops with teams, buy from section dealers and install in batches, so onboarding is more account-led and training-led than mass enrolment.