Epitomizing Return on Investment, StemCounter.com Solves Two Critical Problems All Florists Face: Sustainability, Time Management

ST. LOUIS, May 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- StemCounter.com is on pace to radically alter how florists do business. The software liberates florists from the arduous task of producing custom quotes for bridal clients – a task that generally might not be finished until a week after the consultation. By delivering an accurate, on-the-spot quote as part of every consultation, StemCounter.com pays for itself quickly in the form of more – and more satisfied – clients. A public beta of the software is coming soon.

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"Time is arguably just as important as money when we think about return on investment, and StemCounter.com's mission is to give florists more time – yes, time to spend on professional development and tasks around the shop, but also time to spend with their families," explained Ryan O'Neil, software developer and creator of StemCounter.com. "When I saw how much time and energy my wife Rachael spent producing quotes for her own company, Twisted Willow, I knew there was a better way."

Before StemCounter.com, Rachael's to-do list included hours of number crunching following each consultation. In the meantime, prospective clients would have many opportunities to comparison shop. Unfortunately, Rachael saw more than one prospective client jump ship during the interval between the initial consultation and the delivery of her quote. StemCounter.com effectively closes that window. Thanks to the efficiencies made possible by the software, Rachael has seen a 25% increase in bookings, and 75% of her consultations end with a contract signing.

"Brides want a once-in-a-lifetime experience on their special day, but that doesn't mean they're careless about price," explained Rachael. "Before using StemCounter.com, the affordability question was left hanging until I could do the stem counting involved in a custom and fair quote. Without that work, I'm either not being fair to the bride or I'm not being fair to my family."

More so than most wedding industry professionals, florists often deal with a broad scope and are expected to pivot quickly to meet the needs of clients, which makes it difficult to have transparent and simple pricing. StemCounter.com can be pre-loaded with inventory, and prices can be changed on the fly, so that florists can forget about crunching numbers and concentrate on the creative aspects of their business.

The economic challenges faced by both upstart and established flower shops are universal. A reader survey conducted by Australia's Tesselaar Flowers asked florists to identify their biggest worries and risk factors. Near the top of the list was the fluctuating costs of flowers and supplies, coupled with the tough task of delivering timely, accurate quotes. On the issue of time, the survey revealed that time management is easily the biggest pain point for many in the industry.

Tesselaar survey respondents also underscored how all of their clients are more cost conscious than ever, and bridal clients "take the cake" in terms of scoping for bargains. The rise of DIY, meanwhile, has encouraged many couples to "insource" wedding tasks that were traditionally the purview of professionals.

By removing the tedious and time-intensive aspect of producing quotes for bridal clients, StemCounter.com looks to relieve florists' most persistent pain points, enabling them to have more time and quickly see a return on investment.

About StemCounter.com 
Ryan O'Neil set out to develop StemCounter.com after seeing the frustration that his wife, Rachael, endured when producing quotes for prospective bridal clients. He applied his software expertise and problem-solving mindset to the core functionality of StemCounter.com, while Rachael certified that the tool was practical and useful for its end users – floral designers. A professional florist herself for ten years, Rachael is the owner of Twisted Willow, a wedding and event floral design boutique.

Contact:

Ryan O'Neil 
314-585-1733 
Email

SOURCE StemCounter.com