Member Testimonial - Driving efficiency and ease-of use with Florist Manager

For many florists, one of the key benefits of working with Direct2florist is access to the D2F Florist Manager Software. This professional software suite, designed for florists by florists, makes a host of everyday tasks simple and straightforward, including invoicing and accounts, order entry, database management, receipt emailing and marketing.

One advocate of the software is Andrew Hayes from Buttercups & Daisies in Manchester. “The first thing that shouldn’t be underestimated is the power of the review. I used to use the Clarity Software, which is what Florist Manager was born out of and, to be honest, I was a long time coming to Direct2florist and the software, simply because I carried on using Clarity for the accounts package. However, we were using the Direct2forist directory, from which we started getting positive reviews.

Efficiency savings

Andrew adds that, as the features of the software have been developed, he’s using it more and more.

“The most notable addition for me was the accounts package. We migrated away from Clarity onto Florist Manager and we now find it very easy to do our accounts. From an efficiency perspective, you only have to enter an order once – it’s automatically pushed across to the accounts side to be charged once the order has been delivered. On Clarity I used to spend a day a month doing the accounts. Now I hardly notice I’m doing them! The software tells you what needs to be invoiced, so I now spend no more than an hour a month on it.

“A benefit of this is that I don’t need to worry about it. All orders are clearly marked according to whether they’ve been paid by cash, card, cheque or on account, so it’s all there. You do have to set up your accounts, but once everything is in place it’s easy to use.”

Customer experience

As well as saving time for the shop – Andrew points out that another huge benefit comes when you’re doing a repeat order, as customer details can be retrieved using a simple search that takes no time – Florist Manager ensures customers receive a great experience.

“As well as making the ordering process faster, customers like the professionalism that having their details to hand offers,” Andrew explains. “They also appreciate the communication they receive. They get an order confirmation and, crucially, notice that their order has been delivered, which we do through the delivery app. This drives the all-important feedback, which is positive because we’re keeping them informed.”

Website traffic

Andrew continues on to say that out of the ease-of-use of the software, Buttercups & Daisies now also uses a Direct2florist website, which as well as providing a strong website presence, provides another way to generate feedback.

“We’ve shifted our focus as a business. Our official business name is E-Flowers UK trading as Buttercups & Daisies and E-Flowers UK was our web address. We set it up at the time it was all wild west and we were delivering everywhere in a box. That has clearly changed and we’re now focusing on local business. We want the world to look at us if they want flowers in a six-mile radius of us. Direct2florist is therefore ideal – we’re in the directory, so we’ll be found, we can put our own products on, which allows us to compete effectively and we have the website which drives local traffic.

“Using Direct2florist for the website makes sense from a financial perspective too. The cost of website hosting has gone up, so it’s cost-effective. You can’t do everything I would like to do with the site, but the pros outweigh the cons. That said, if you suggest a change to the site, the team will generally go away and make it.”

Buttercups & Daisies also utilises Direct2florist’s ecommerce solution on its website.

“The fee they charge per order – currently £4.95 – may at first seem hefty, but when you work it out it’s actually good value. If you break it down and consider all of the charges that are covered on a £35 order, including the payment process fee, as well as the fact they’re dealing with customers and the associated cost of staff time, it is cost-effective. I think this is often overlooked.”

Andrew concludes by saying: “At the end of the day, Florist Manager and the service from Direct2florist makes life easier and more efficient for us. At a time when running a florist business is challenging, that can only be a good thing.”

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