In the Netherlands, Vlasman Nursery has recently experienced a bit of a turbulent time. The normally quieter periods are busy, demand is high, and prices fluctuate. Also, their software no longer suited Floriday's requirements very well. It was time for a change.
After searching and comparing, they chose GreenMaster. They are the first plant grower to do so. The software supplier did a bit of their own research. And they talked to owner Luuk van der Burg and employee Sharon Beliën.
Sharon Beliën among the Saintpaulia
Every year, Vlasman nursery grows 4,7 million Saintpaulias. They come in six single and five bi-colors. Many of these plants go to Eastern European countries. For the holidays, the Saintpaulias are also supplied with glitter on request. These go mainly to Italy. For Christmas, they also grow pink and white poinsettias.
Being the first plant grower to use GreenMaster involved much discussion and review. "The package was initially very focused on flowers. Plants are a different world. Working with pot sizes and trays, for example, was new. After good talks, the world of plants is now well incorporated. We're delighted with it and can express our wishes well. The biggest plus for us is working in the cloud," says Sharon.
"We were burglarized last year. The thieves took a computer, among other things," adds Luuk. "Our software was installed on it. In one blow, we lost everything. Orders, history, customer data, everything. Sales were down for a day. What a disaster not to be able to deliver. If that should happen again, all we need do is buy a new computer and log in. And we can continue."
Sharon uses GreenMaster every day. "It allows us to work faster and more efficiently. And it's very easy to use. Creating new customers used to take six actions. Now, we're done in two. We had a few days of training. And if we encounter problems, we contact GreenMaster."
Communicating well with clients is essential. "The digital world is necessary, but not always nice," Luuk admits. "We're happy to now be using this software. But we still contact most of our customers by phone. We also try to see them twice a year. We like to know who we're dealing with. We like being able to show understanding of each other's work. And we can act quickly if this can't be done smoothly digitally."
Vlasman's future still looks bright. Among other things, they still want to renovate their staff canteen and offices. Then they can receive clients properly. A modern look will provide a pleasant working atmosphere. Also, the nursery has plans to invite customers twice a year for a tasty lunch.
Sharon performs several tasks but hopes to soon work exclusively in GreenMaster. She wants to manage everyone on the work floor. "We're also planning to connect well with Datagrowers. Then we'll have a better overview and clear analyses. That's regarding customer sales. And, who knows, maybe we'll even add a new location," concludes Luuk.
For more information:
Vlasman BV
31B Oosterlandweg
3641 PV, Mijdrecht, NL
Tel: +31 (0) 297 593 707
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.voila-vlasman.com
GreenMaster is a 9 Knots Solutions B.V. product.
9 Knots Solutions B.V.
170 Voorling
1424 RS, De Kwakel, NL
Tel: +31 (0) 852 100 195
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.greenmaster.nl