Article Number : 2695 |
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| Date | 11/20/2007 8:22:31 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=2695 |
| Abstract | By Matthew Spieler Miami—Whether it is a minor change or a major upgrade, QFloors wants its users to be directly involved with how the software developer adds to and transforms its programs... |
| Article | By Matthew Spieler Miami—Whether it is a minor change or a major upgrade, QFloors wants its users to be directly involved with how the software developer adds to and transforms its programs. In order for this to happen, the company understands two things need to be done: It needs to constantly listen to and deliver what its customers want and need, and it has to make sure the users are fully educated into how the program works so they can get the most out of it. QFloors’ Users Conference 2007 allowed the company to accomplish both. The seven-day event, “Sun, Sand & Smarts,” gave users an intimate look at what QFloors did—and didn’t—accomplish since the 2006 event and what the developer has planned for the coming year. It also gave attendees over a dozen educational opportunities to help them better understand the latest features and programs being offered. Held on the largest passenger cruise ship in the world—the Freedom of the Seas—the conference also gave users the chance to openly discuss any problems or issues they may be having with the program as well as give their input on what they feel is needed in the QFloors’ network to help make their businesses more efficient and profitable. “Our customers are our key to success,” said Chad Ogden, CEO and creator of the QFloors software. “We don’t discount any suggestion—everything is kept.” Brother Trent, QFloors’ CFO, added that is especially true “for those who attend our conferences every year—they are seeing the continuity in our message and progress.” At the same time, Chad noted, “We get to introduce and educate them more on using the new features and programs we have either recently released or will be coming out with in the near future.” Partners, not developers Interestingly is that QFloors doesn’t see itself as just a developer of flooring software but rather a business partner. “We don’t just do software training,” Chad explained. “We also provide business consulting to small- and medium-sized dealers. Sometimes it’s just helping put systems in place for them to get a better grip on things that could range from employee relations to bookkeeping.” The Ogdens believe in order for them to deliver exactly what their users want and need they must have a thorough understanding of their customers’ wants and needs. Their family history gives them a natural inside edge into what a retailer needs to be successful: Their father was the founder of Steve Ogden’s Flooring & Design, which was once the largest dealer in Utah. It was also a major franchise in the state. Dad eventually sold the locations to the various managers when it came time to retire, but growing up in the business gave the brothers the foundation they needed to understand the industry. Their formula must be working because in the eight years since introducing QFloors, nearly 500 business owners—including some large players who do more than $10 million a year in sales—have purchased the software, using it in more than 1,000 locations. David and Angela Key of A&D Carpets in Martinez, Ga., purchased QFloors about three years ago and “couldn’t be more happy with the results.” When it comes to some of QFloors’ programs and solutions, such as its QEstimator, users like as Barbara Clements from Al’s Carpet in Loves Park, Ill., noted “no one else has something like it” and that it can be used as a selling tool. Two-fold event The purpose of this year’s conference was really two-fold: update users and get feedback on new and upcoming developments, and provide education. Chad opened the conference with a candid talk on what QFloors accomplished in the past year, where management feels it fell short and where the company is going in the next year. By all accounts, the past year was a good one for both the company and its users. “We developed new relationships with groups such as Shaw Flooring Alliance, Flooring Plus and Abbey. This will help us get new customers, which can only help you as well. As we get stronger and make inroads you’ll be able to get more.” These new relationships were seen through a record number of sales for the company, which, according to officials, outpaced the next biggest by more than 50%. This included doing over 70 onsite installs, which involve having two to three people spend a week converting a business over to QFloors. “We don’t just go in and install the program,” he told FCNews. “We conduct a week-long in-house training program so that by the end, everyone is actually using QFloors in their daily operations.” The Ogdens said this is part of a larger initiative in what separates them from other software companies and why their users are satisfied with QFloors. It includes the fact that “all our phone trainers do store training as well. This way the people who go to our customers’ stores are the same people they deal with on a regular basis. So we are constantly in contact with them, which allows us to not only understand them better but develop a solid relationship.” With all the new sales, plus the potential for rapid growth through its new affiliations, QFloors spent the last six months adding more offices and computers for support staff and restructuring its sales force model into four regions, each overseen by a manager with increased people on the ground. The company is also getting ready to launch a totally revamped Web site at the end of the month. “We threw away the old site,” Chad said. Along with having everyone in the QFloors management team in charge of a section on the new site, it will allow the company and users to better interact with one another, including users chatting with users in forums so they can discuss and share problems and solutions. “It will be a place to get answers, a place for us to do more e-training, complete with downloads. In addition, Trent and I will have monthly blogs, there will be a tips and information sections, a news section, calendar of events and more. We put a tremendous amount of time and money into making a place where our customers will want to visit.” New products, features Despite all the effort going into managing its growth “to ensure customer support levels are maintained and even surpassed,” Chad noted QFloors still found the time to develop new programs and updates to existing ones. “We released Version 4.0,” he explained, “which has a variety of payroll tax features among its new offerings. We also continued to add and update supporting products such as QEstimator II, QReporter and QSched.” And, Chad pointed out how QFloors helped spearhead the development of the standard for Floor Software Data Exchange (FSDE), which enables a flooring retail business to seamlessly exchange data among different software programs provided the software is compliant with the standard. “Often the programs simply were not compatible with one another and had to be used separately,” he explained. “If these programs are compliant with the FSDE Standard, the user can quickly and efficiently complete his/her transaction without all of the manual effort and thus save a significant amount of time and money.” While the standard has progressed some, officials noted their disappointment more companies are not jumping on board. With these new programs—and the updates coming next year—users now have the ability to generate detailed reports using data from all areas of their business to help make themselves more efficient and profitable, not to mention better coordinate their daily and future operations on an advanced scheduling system. “There is tons of data available, but you don’t need all of it,” cautioned QFloors’ Ron Cluff. “We want you to use as much data as you can from QFloors, but too many of us want to be Libraries of Congress—save everything—when there is no need. When it comes to information, always ask yourself, ‘why do I need it,’ ‘will it help me manage my business better’ and ‘will it do the most important thing: help increase the bottom line?’” |