Rebecca Butler speaks with director of Sierra Consultancy, Pooja Sahny, about the supplier’s growth and business highlights from 2023.
Can you talk us through your business and the services that you provide?
2024 marks Sierra Consultancy’s five-year anniversary. It’s been quite the journey!
In these five years, we have grown and been able to support the industry creatively through the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council and our educational partners.
We’ve always taken a hands on approach to everyone we work with, be it a partner or a client.
Sierra Consultancy is known for offering 3D CAD design software, as well as one-to-one and group training courses that respond to the needs of the jewellery trade. All our services are accompanied by high-quality support and customer care.
We are the official 3DESIGN jewellery software reseller and support provider for the UK & Ireland, which means we assist a growing network of software users across the country.
We offer a flexible, trustworthy, and well-respected service that has grown significantly in recent years thanks to the strength of our reputation.
How long have you been serving the UK jewellery industry?
12 years now. When I moved to the UK in 2012 (from Antwerp, Belgium), I worked for Type3 which later became the Gravotech Group. I was in charge of developing the UK, Irish, and Indian market.
In 2019, Sierra Consultancy was set up with the objective to provide CAD training focussing on making designs ready for manufacturing. This is also where we take the opportunity to learn new things about the latest technology available to jewellers.
The more we understand, the more we can guide our clients down the path of the technology that is most suited and beneficial to their business.
I’ve had many great moments, formed many great connections, and had some great opportunities come my way. It’s been hard work to make it happen, and I have been fortunate to receive invaluable support and advice along the way.
What type of retailers do you usually partner with?
We work with retailers, workshops, and educational institutes of all sizes.
Since 2019, we have expanded our educational network in the UK and welcomed Jewellery Academy of Wales and, most recently, City of Glasgow College.
A large part of our growth and development can be attributed to the National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) and our partners, like H S Walsh.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for their continuous support over the last five years!
Which products/services are proving most popular in your offering at the moment?
Our 12-month subscription licence is proving to be popular, as are our payment plan options on permanent licences. Our online top-up training packages are flexible in terms of timing and can be as long or as short as the client wishes.
We are expanding upon the consultancy and project management/guidance that we already offer to companies looking to develop new collections or those who are uncertain about the manufacturing process. Due to the economic situation and the subsequent impact on client budgets, a popular part of our training course is showing clients how to save time and avoid metal wastage.
We branched out internationally and already work with companies in Belgium and Spain.
Are you set to introduce any new products or services in the next six months?
We are continuously adapting according to the requests we get. For example, we try to accommodate everyone with our course schedules. For those working weekdays, we have our weekend courses. For those working in retail, we have our evening courses. We are always on the lookout for new projects and collaborations!
On the software side of things, 3DESIGN V12 will be released later this year… watch this space.
Have you experienced any challenges in the last 12 months? If so, how did you tackle these as a business?
Most businesses have had to adapt to the demand of the industry and the economic difficulties in the UK. As we turn five, we have seen quite a number of challenges face the industry in this period.
With every challenge comes an opportunity to learn and adapt. We have evolved by streamlining internal practices, enhancing our courses to keep them fresh and relevant, and increasing our marketing. In this time of change, we also found creative ways to teach and support our clients and the industry.
For this reason, our CAD Taster Days have now returned. Last year, we had our Taster Days in London, Birmingham, and Glasgow. This provides essential opportunities for potential clients to decide for themselves whether CAD is for them before making an investment in technology. We allow them to test software under our guidance so we can support them and explain how to create a design efficiently.
What is Sierra Consultancy best known for?
PRODUCTS
- 3DESIGN 3D parametric CAD software enabling clients to design and create as they would at the workbench. As a parametric software, 3DESIGN saves each parameter of the design in the History Tree. This parameter can then be modified at any stage of the design process, without having to start from scratch. It is a great timesaving factor when designers have deadlines to reach and quick changes to make.
- 3SHAPER This plug-in allows for organic modelling and the freedom to create animals and objet d’art. This module works within the same interface as 3DESIGN making it an easy transition from one module to the other.
TRAINING SESSIONS
- Online Each session is recorded for the client to download and review at their convenience. This can be group-based or one-to-one.
- Face-to-face This gives us the opportunity to cover aspects of the software that the client might be struggling with.
- Top-up For those struggling with time who can only commit 30 minutes to two hours of their time.
SUPPORT PACKAGES
- Remote control We log onto our client’s computer to resolve issues.
- Video creation Video tutorials for clients who have gotten stuck.
- Client support Phone and email support to ensure our clients are feeling confident every step of the way.
2023 Business Highlights
- Delivering a workshop at the 2023 NAJ Summit Valuers’ Conference on CAD Software: Understanding the challenges and opportunities that come with it.
- Being Highly Commended in the Supplier of the Year category at the NAJ Awards.
- It was such an honour to be asked to select the winner for Excellence in CAD at the British Academy of Jewellery Final Show London 2023.
- Having the City of Glasgow College join our list of educational institutes and being a part of their first 3DESIGN Taster Day. The college’s CAD tutor, David Finlay, is a true star, quickly understanding our software.
- Continuously supporting the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council as a sponsor of the Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship & Design Awards.
WEBSITE: WWW.SIERRACONSULTANCY.COM
PHONE: +44 (0) 7588 696 691
EMAIL: INFO@SIERRACONSULTANCY.COM
FACEBOOK: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/SIERRACONSULTANCY
INSTAGRAM: WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/SIERRACONSULTANCY
