Scaling Your Floral Business with Technology

Many service-based entrepreneurs should consider scaling their businesses instead of following the more-more-more approach.

Are you looking to grow your floral company in the new year? Think again. While growth is often on our minds as we switch out the calendar, many service-based entrepreneurs should actually consider scaling their businesses instead of following the more-more-more approach.

Growth is exciting, but it’s also costly. To grow a business, you must make a considerable investment in overhead expenses, like personnel, inventory, equipment, and rental space. Revenue will increase, but it may take a while to see your profit margins budge.

On the other hand, scaling your business is a matter of increasing revenue without taking on significant costs. You don’t need to expand your team or resources; you’re simply finding more efficient ways to boost your top line without sacrificing the bottom line.

Technology is key to effective scaling, as it offers low-cost, high-impact solutions to streamline operations and attract more customers. More opportunities for revenue without the added overhead? That’s where you’ll find the sweet spot in business!

Where to Invest in Technology

Before spending a cent on new tech, run a tech audit to evaluate your current setup. What programs do you currently have in place, and do you use each of them to their fullest potential? You might be surprised to find some valuable features overlooked! Consider the efficiency of your existing tech stack and whether any software needs to be switched, upgraded, or left behind.

Be sure to evaluate your current tech before jumping into something new.

Then, assess the processes and workflows within your business. Where are the gaps that slow down operations? What requires more time and effort than necessary? Are there missed opportunities for automation? Imagine how much easier you and your team could accomplish your mission if you could free up the resources spent on unnecessary tasks.

Work with your team to identify the best areas for automation and tech upgrades. Since they cover the breadth of your organization’s tasks, they’re in an informed position to provide insight and recommendations from the ground level. A few areas you may want to consider: client management, sales, payment processing, and internal communication.

Best Practices for Implementing New Tech

When you’re ready to add new software to the mix, follow these tips for a smooth and seamless introduction.

Start Small

Once you’ve pinpointed the areas best suited for new tech solutions, narrow it down to one or two upgrades to start. Adopting too many changes at once can lead to digital burnout, which may make your team reluctant to transition. Instead, select the tech that will lead to the most improvement in your business, whether it’s automating your invoices or testing a new website chatbot.

Be patient—changes take time!

Give It Time

Big changes don’t happen overnight. So while you might not see the impact of enhanced tech immediately (or even in the first few months), stick with it and let it become part of your regular operations. Assess progress every three to six months to check in with your team and evaluate whether the results are worth keeping the new software or app.

Provide Proper Training

People learn at different rates, so be patient as your team transitions. Make it as easy as possible, providing training opportunities beyond a program’s native tutorial. Learning to operate isn’t the same as learning to use a platform in a real-world context, so consider challenging your team with use cases to test their knowledge before putting them in a high-pressure situation. Leverage the support from your software’s member success teams that provide training for users to maximize their product — they’re here to help!

Keep Up with Tech Audits

Beyond your new tech check-ins, schedule annual audits to reevaluate your digital environment and keep tabs on new-to-the-market tools that may support your business. Software companies regularly add features to their programs, so you’ll want to stay abreast of any upgrades that can enhance your team’s efficiency.

There are a few things you can do in business to exponentially increase revenue without incurring hefty costs. Yet, technology is a shining opportunity to do just that. A nominal monthly fee or one-time purchase of software that will transform the way your company operates provides a guaranteed return on investment — so long as you leverage the power of the tech you adopt!

Photography by Heather Payne Photography & Floral Design by Kelly Perry of Team Flower