Company name: Native Plant Trust
Company size: midsized company
Native Plant Trust is deeply rooted in its mission to protect New England’s native plants and share their beauty and ecological value with the community. Established over a century ago, it holds the distinction of being the United States’ first organization dedicated solely to plant conservation. Today, this non-profit organization continues its work as a leader in native plant conservation, horticulture, and education, dedicated to preserving the native plants of New England.
Beyond their foundational conservation work, Native Plant Trust extends its impact with a diverse range of offerings at Garden in the Woods, their botanical garden in Framingham, MA. This not only includes plant, book, and even boxed lunch sales, but also garden tours and educational certificate programs in field botany and horticulture. These efforts not only highlight the beauty and ecological importance of native plants but also provide practical ways for the public to get involved and support their conservation efforts.
For over a decade, Noni Macon has been leading the sales efforts for the organization as their Manager of Retail. Her early adoption of QuoteMachine transformed how they managed sales online and allowed them to offer pre-orders, which proved invaluable during Covid. This strategic shift has been crucial in helping Native Plant Trust navigate through challenging times and ensuring its mission continues to thrive.
Navigating Sales Through the Pandemic
Prior to learning about QuoteMachine, Native Plant Trust had a more manual sales process. They would have to send out quotes to customers and then follow up with them over the phone to collect payments. While it was a straightforward process, it was not the quickest method, especially as they wanted to make things smoother and faster for both their team and their customers.
The search for a solution led them to QuoteMachine, which was at its early stages and recommended by their existing point of sale (POS) system provider. Noni recalls how easy the transition to QuoteMachine was. “Everybody at QuoteMachine who was there at that point made sure we could be up and running quickly and we did.” With a seamless integration with their point of sale, QuoteMachine had an immediate impact on improving their sales process.
“QuoteMachine helped in that we could send a quote and they could pay for their order online and then we could track it all through QuoteMachine”
Noni
The shift to QuoteMachine also could not have come at a better time, because within a month of using it, the pandemic began. As the world grappled with sudden lockdowns, many businesses scrambled to adopt digital channels, often struggling not only with the technical aspects of going online but also with maintaining the quality of customer service and communication during the pandemic. However, with QuoteMachine all set up, they were well-positioned to effectively handle the surge of online orders that came with the restrictions of the lockdown.
This transition period marked a significant turning point for Native Plant Trust, not just in how they managed sales but also in how they adapted to the unexpected challenges brought on by the pandemic, showcasing the flexibility and resilience of their operations. Reflecting back on the transition to QuoteMachine, Noni highlighted how “it was a great success story through covid.”
More Than Just a Sales Tool
For Native Plant Trust, the seasonal nature of their work significantly influences their operations and sales potential. With the adoption of QuoteMachine, their team found a way to not only boost sales through pre-orders but also to better gear up for their peak season. “It’s been a really great tool to be able to extend our season and take pre orders and become ready for the opening of the season,” she explained. Especially with Covid-19, they found the number of pre-orders they received skyrocketed.
Beyond facilitating online purchases, QuoteMachine has helped them streamline their overall sales process. It’s now become integral to multiple parts of their sales operations, from handling ticket sales for their garden tours to scheduling their plant pickups through the appointments feature within QuoteMachine. Noni goes on to explain how they “also use the order forms tool for online book purchases, and even sales of box lunches. So, if you want to come to the garden and buy a box lunch in advance, you can now do that with our order forms.”
A key area where QuoteMachine has made a significant difference is in customer communication, particularly for complex orders that require multiple fulfillments. With QuoteMachine integrated into their sales process, the team at Native Plant Trust find it much easier to reach out to customers and follow up on orders. With built in communication tools, such as email, text and live chat, it allows for more direct and transparent interactions with customers. For the more complex orders, they can simply share the order with live progress trackers to allow their customers to follow along the progress of the order easily. Plus, the platform’s seamless integration with their inventory management system has simplified tracking what’s in stock and what’s pending, saving the team considerable time. Noni also pointed out the improvement in the consistency and quality of their communications with customers:
“It’s really helped us conduct our business and be more professional at doing it. That’s one thing we haven’t touched upon much–which are the forms and how things go out to customers–it makes it all a lot more consistent and professional. That’s another real plus.”
Noni
This improvement in customer interactions, paired with the operational benefits QuoteMachine brings, has elevated its role beyond a mere sales tool for Native Plant Trust. It has become a comprehensive solution that supports their mission, helping them connect more effectively with the community they serve.
A Partnership in Growth
Since integrating QuoteMachine into their operations, Native Plant Trust has witnessed remarkable growth, notably in their sales volumes.
“We’ve seen our sales volumes increase significantly year over year, to the point where we’ve probably doubled our sales since we started using QuoteMachine.”
Noni
While not all credit can be attributed to QuoteMachine, it has definitely played a part in organizing their operations. Reflecting on the journey with QuoteMachine, she sees a parallel growth trajectory between the software’s evolution and the expansion of Native Plant Trust’s retail operations. “We’ve really been there from the very beginning, and we might’ve fallen behind with all the features that’s been added, but I’ve been working with Ash and it’s been great to catch up to get our system streamlined,”
“I think everyone at QuoteMachine, every time I’ve asked, have been very willing to address questions and address any issues so that’s been great. You know, that’s a great partnership there.”
Noni
Noni suggests QuoteMachine as a solution for any business aiming to streamline their operations, “I think QuoteMachine is a really strong contender to look at for simplifying workflows.” The order management tool, in particular, is useful for any sale that’s not a simple cash-and-carry order.
“It’s a very useful solution to manage not just the sales but the money in and out. I think it’s not only a sales product, but also a bookkeeping, and appointment making tool too. So, that’s a pretty full service piece of software.”
Noni
For Native Plant Trust, QuoteMachine has grown to be more than just a sales tool; it’s become a growth partner, simplifying complex processes and improving customer engagement. As QuoteMachine evolves, adding more features and integrations, our commitment to empowering organizations like Native Plant Trust also continues to grow. We believe that our journey with every customer goes beyond the initial sale, providing ongoing assistance and feature enhancements to continuously improve their sales processes as they grow.
