Edition #23

The room erupted in cheers at our recent QFloors conference, when we showcased some of the new features and enhancements for QPay, our integrated credit card processing. We are seeing an unprecedented, overwhelmingly enthusiastic response to QPay and particularly these recent updates. What’s the big deal? I think customers are excited about all of the pay-at-home options they can now provide their customers.

One of the biggest changes is that we just released a complete overhaul of our QPay payments website. This is the webpage (featuring your store logo) that your customers will go to as they are typing in their payment info, in order to pay electronically from their home. There is a brand new look and feel to this webpage, which can be linked to through “Pay Now” buttons on your website, emails you send out, QReporter reports, and more.

There are also new expanded capabilities to this new customer payments page. For instance, you can lock in a sales order number, payment amounts, and more.

We’ve added the option of featuring a Pay Now button on QReporter reports, so as you send things out to customers, there is a link right there for them to use to pay electronically.

In addition, there’s now a deeper integration with your QFloors system. For example, with the latest version of QFloors, you can download payment information from the customer payment page right into QFloors. This is in addition to getting automatic notifications.

Surcharging continues to be growing in popularity as well, especially as the word gets out about how much money dealers are saving on their credit card fees. Of our QPay customers, currently about 20% are utilizing surcharging. They report that they are saving between $5K – $15K per month, just on processing fees.

We’re hearing so much great feedback about QPay. The excitement is coming from people who switched from other processing systems. Not only are we almost always saving them money on their rates, but even more importantly, they love the integration features we have between QFloors and QPay. They’re top notch, and a level of integration that most other ERP and credit card processors cannot offer.

This recent webinar highlights a lot of the new QPay features. I highly recommend you watch it. I quickly breeze through a lot of different things, just because there was so much to show. But if you have questions, or if you’d like us to give you a rate quote, simply reach out to a member of our QFloors sales team at 801-563-0140, option 4, or email sales@qprosoftware.com.

Jennifer Homeyer, The Design House, Denton TX

“We absolutely love QPay. We used to feel like we were chasing customers for money all the time. Now being able to send a link for the customer to pay at their leisure has changed the way we do business, for the better. I think it just brings us up to speed with many other industries that are able to send links and have customers pay when they are ready to. In addition to the fact that we are saving money [on rates] with QPay, this has been such a huge benefit.”

Brian Ericson, Floorz LLC, Brecksville, OH

“Our business is up, and has continued to trend up [the past few years]. But we are down almost 1% in credit card fees. We have 3 locations and do a lot of builder work, so that is a very, very substantial savings.”

Kerry Lenz, Rice’s More Than Floors LLC, Marshfield, WI

“I’ll be honest – I was worried it would take a lot of time to set up, like our Heartland system did, but that wasn’t the case at all. It was super easy. It was “plug ‘n play”, and we were off and running.”

In the competitive world of flooring retail, clinging to traditional methods like manual pricing and static displays is increasingly proving to be a disadvantage. In an era where swift, accurate service is paramount, these outdated methods can significantly hinder your business’s ability to keep pace with the market.

Transitioning to digital pricing displays, such as E-Tags, signifies more than a mere technological upgrade; it marks a pivotal shift towards modernizing the customer shopping experience. Digital displays offer the dual advantages of providing real-time pricing updates and the flexibility to adapt quickly to various promotional strategies. This digital leap not only streamlines operations but also enhances the customer’s interaction with your products and brand.

Furthermore, the integration of visualization tools like Roomvo profoundly transforms the customer experience. By allowing customers to visualize and interact with your products within their own spaces, these tools cater to the needs and expectations of a digitally adept consumer base. This interactive experience doesn’t just attract customers — it engages them, and elevates the overall shopping experience to new heights. If you can get them to fall in love with your products, they won’t go anywhere else.

Equally important in this digital transformation is the role of effective communication and customer feedback. In our industry, where the journey from sale to installation is critical, maintaining constant communication is vital. Utilizing platforms like Podium enables continuous dialogue and gathers essential customer feedback. This ongoing engagement fosters trust and strengthens customer loyalty, which are both key elements in a sector where personalization and responsive service are paramount.

Today’s consumers, especially younger demographics, have grown accustomed to digital shopping experiences. They expect convenience, transparency, and interactivity — elements that traditional methods often lack. By not adapting to these expectations, flooring retailers risk alienating a significant portion of their market.

Lastly I would like to cover how CRM and ERP Systems go beyond operational efficiency. These systems are too often treated like a fancy filing cabinet, but by leveraging the power of a CRM like Zoho, you can cultivate stronger relationships with your customers. It helps in personalizing customer interactions, tracking their purchasing journey, and engaging them with timely, relevant communications. This leads to increased customer loyalty and satisfaction, as you’re able to respond more swiftly and accurately to their needs and inquiries. The real-time data provided by QFloors can be crucial in identifying trends, forecasting demand, and managing supply chains more effectively.

The synergy of Zoho and QFloors unlocks a new level of agility and responsiveness in your business. By having a unified view of customer information and operational metrics, you can adapt more quickly to market changes, anticipate customer needs, and stay ahead of competitors who may still rely on disjointed or cumbersome systems.

The digital transformation in flooring retail is an urgent requirement, not a choice. It’s about evolving from traditional methods to embrace a digital-first approach, meeting the demands of a modern consumer base, and staying ahead in a competitive market. As a retailer, the time to adapt to these changes is now — to enhance customer experience and secure your place in the future of retail.

FAQ on Digital Integration for Flooring Retailers

Start by evaluating your current processes and identifying areas where digital tools can add the most value. For example, consider replacing manual price tags with digital E-Tags, or introducing visualization tools like Roomvo. It’s also wise to consult with an industry expert who can provide tailored advice for your specific business needs.

The investment varies based on the scale of implementation and the technologies chosen. While there is an upfront cost for acquiring digital systems like E-Tags, visualization tools, and CRM/ERP software, the long-term benefits often outweigh these initial expenses through improved efficiency and increased sales.

Training can be approached in phases, starting with basic functionalities and gradually moving to more advanced features. Consider engaging with technology vendors for initial training sessions, and encourage a culture of continuous learning. It’s also effective to designate tech-savvy team members as internal trainers or champions.

Assess your specific business needs and customer base to determine which technologies will be most beneficial. Look for scalable solutions that can grow with your business. Reading case studies, seeking peer recommendations, and consulting with industry experts can also help you make informed decisions.

Set clear objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) for your digital initiatives. These could include metrics like sales growth, customer engagement levels, inventory turnover, and customer feedback. Regularly review these metrics to assess the impact and adjust strategies as needed.

Focus on creating a seamless omnichannel experience that integrates online and offline interactions. Offer digital tools that enhance the shopping experience, like visualization apps and interactive websites. Engaging with customers through social media and via digital marketing can also attract a tech-oriented audience.

The key is to integrate digital solutions in a way that complements rather than replaces the personal touch that traditional retail offers. Use digital tools to enhance customer service and operational efficiency, but maintain the human element in customer interactions and personalized service.

Check Your Progress

See where you stand when it comes to implementing digital procedures for your flooring business. Download this free self-assessment to help you evaluate where you’re at, and prioritize next steps.

It’s always such an amazing experience to gather with QFloors users, and our latest conference was no exception. “Explore New Horizons” was the theme of the 2023 Users Conference, and attendees had plenty of time to do so, both from a business sense and a literal sense.

Held at the entrance of Zion National Park in southern Utah, the conference itinerary was specifically organized to allow guests afternoons free to explore the beauty of the surrounding areas. Attendees hiked, took scenic drives, and participated in group canyoneering, rappelling, and UTV (side-by-side razor) tours.

They also were able to learn of new ways to use technology to improve their businesses, sales, and operations.

It was cool to listen in as attendees shared Best Practices and asked questions to one another. While business and software training classes are an important part of these conferences, attendees tell us that the networking and sharing between attendees are just as beneficial.

Breakout sessions were held on commercial project management, estimating, financial benchmarking, warehousing and barcoding, and maximizing the efficiencies of QFloors. General sessions included discussions on future development, QR codes, QPro, partner integrations, new features of QFloors, and more. An energetic conversation on QR codes segued into an intriguing brainstorming session on the viability of making a universal QR code for the industry that could be shared across platforms and providers (much like the fcB2B standard). Friday night, Danny Crutchfield, Vice President of Shaw Flooring Network, gave an inspirational keynote address on “Head or Heart? Which One Drives Your Success?”

Attendees were also enthusiastic about their individual adventures outside of the meetings. In addition to the group excursions, many enjoyed riding e-bikes, jeep sunset tours, dark skies star-gazing, and the world-class hiking of Zion.

Here’s what a few attendees had to say about the conference:

Attendee Dan Griffith – All About Flooring (Greenville, SC)

“This conference has been very, very good for us. Just learning about features [of QFloors] that maybe we don’t utilize or don’t utilize well. We liked learning about the future of QFloors. And the financial benchmarking class that Trent Ogden provided this year was awesome. Knowing where we are and how we compare really helps us, because sometimes we feel like we’re operating out on an island. And obviously we’re not going to share our numbers with our local competitors. So that was really helpful to us.”

Attendee Marifrances Kelly- CarpetLand USA ColorTile (Grand Junction, CO)

“The Users Conference has been awesome. It’s just a really great way to network, get ideas on how other people are running their own systems, and hear about best practices. I feel like it pulls you ahead of where you want to be and helps you know how to make the next steps possible.

And you know, everyone from Chad and Trent, Chris and Aerin, they all have this very similar heart and mindset, that it’s customer first, it’s customer best. They do a great job of making us feel like maybe not that we’re the only customers, but that we are equally as important, whether we’re a million dollar business or a $20 million dollar business. We all have equal say at the table. And I appreciate that.”

Attendee Kerry Lenz – Rice’s More Than Floors (Marshfield, WI)

“I think the biggest thing about a QFloors Users Conference that’s different from any other conference we attend is that it’s very much geared around networking with other dealers, learning their tips and tricks, as well as learning through classes. So there’s a lot of learning and networking that you don’t always get at other conferences that seem to be more focused on the party, or what’s happening afterwards.

And the connections you make with other dealers, the friendships you build, and just to have somebody in the industry that understands you and can maybe help you with something… things like that are invaluable. For instance, this year we learned about an individual that started an apprenticeship program, and so we’ve been working with him to get ideas and insights to help with the installation crisis that’s coming.

And one of the best things about this conference is that they give you time to explore wherever you are, so you don’t have to feel like you have to decide between ‘Do I need to go learn or should I go explore a new area?’ It’s great that you get to do both.”

We’re so grateful for all of the customers and partners who took time from their busy lives to attend this great event. I’m also grateful for the many hours of hard work that our QFloors team members put into making it such a success.

Our next Users Conference will probably be Fall 2025. We hope you’ll join us!

As many of you know, we had our users conference earlier this month at Zion National Park. While its primary purpose is to help QFloors customers train and collaborate with one another, it also provides the opportunity for attendees to interact with QFloors leadership and partners.

This year, we were excited to have a number of partners join us at our conference. Because of these partnerships, QFloors can offer customers additional integrations, tools, resources, and services. During the users conference, our partners stuck close to the conference theme and presented ideas that could help attendees further “Explore New Horizons”:

FCEF/WFCA

Kaye Whitner, Director of Operations for FCEF (Floor Covering Education Foundation) , talked to attendees about the installation crisis that’s been going on in the industry, and how the FCEF is developing programs to improve training opportunities for installers.

The FCEF’s mission is to raise awareness about opportunities in the flooring industry, attract fresh talent, support students financially in their education, and assist in placing individuals into careers within the flooring industry. We at QFloors support the FCEF and their noteworthy goals in combating current labor shortages.

Mobile Marketing

Dave Geipel, Vice President Sales & Marketing for Mobile Marketing spoke about how MM’s marketing tools and services enable flooring dealers to effectively get their message out to the right audiences. Over the last few years, QFloors has been a technological partner with Mobile Marketing. With QFloors’ QLeads technology, customers can now share lead information between the two programs.

Roomvo

QFloors was also pleased to have Roomvo’s Pawel Rajszel (CEO), and Brandon Shidlowski (Sr. Director of Strategy) at the conference. Pawel presented on how carpet and flooring dealers can leverage room visualization to boost product engagement and accelerate sales.

Recently, QFloors announced that there is now a new QLeads integration with Roomvo websites. Those who use Roomvo’s website services can now freely share and download lead information into QFloors software. This prevents customers from having to manually input website leads into QFloors, and allows them to better understand the ROI of their website traffic.

During the conference, there was also a lot of talk about how QFloors and its technology partners could work together to utilize QR codes so customers can automatically update their product information in their showroom and/or on their website. QFloors development will continue to explore this avenue to determine the best steps moving forward.

Shaw Flooring Network (SFN)

Last but definitely not least, we were honored to have some representatives from the Shaw Flooring Network at some of our meetings. Danny Crutchfield, SFN Vice President, was the keynote speaker at the conference, and gave a meaningful message to all those who attended. His message, titled: “Head or Heart? Which One Drives Your Success?” gave dealers ideas and insights on what they could do to improve themselves as well as their businesses in 2023.

We’re so grateful for our partnership with the Shaw Flooring Network, and for the special care and attention that they give to their dealers. QFloors is dedicated to working with the SFN to ensure the best technology products and services are available to those in the industry.

We thank all of these organizations and all our other partners for supporting our customers. We’re excited to see what the future holds!

At QFloors, we are part of the fcB2B organization, an industry association comprising of manufacturers, contractors, suppliers, distributors, and software vendors.

Each year, we attend an annual fcB2B conference where we discuss industry standards, future projects, and ways to improve the industry. We attended this meeting last September in Nashville, and were reminded of the incredible benefits and value that come from fcB2B features.

The following are two quotes featured on fcB2B’s website that explain the benefits of utilizing B2B technology in your business:

“… fcB2B technology is designed to add value and provide efficiencies to every segment of the marketplace”

Flooring Industry companies, from contractors to manufacturers, all benefit when they are using software that utilizes fcB2B standards. Large, medium, and small businesses will all realize increased efficiency, higher productivity, and real-time cost benefits utilizing fcB2B technologies.

On our website, we have a list of vendors who are currently B2B certified with QFloors. You can click on each vendor to see additional information on how to communicate with them, and current fcB2B documents that are certified.

See the full fcB2B list here.

Here is a list of the most recent vendors to be certified and/or setup for SFTP protocol:

• Surface Art
• Beaulieu Canada

The following vendors are in the pre-certification stage with QFloors:

• 21st Century Tile
• RW Supply
• Midwest Floor Covering in SLC
• Cain and Bultman, Inc.
• Arley Wholesale
• Conestoga Ceramic Tile

Important Note: B2B Product Type Codes

The fcB2B committee continues to make changes to better improve the B2B/Web Services process. Recently, fcB2B added new product types for hard surface vinyl materials.

Please understand the fcB2B committee makes changes to the approved B2B Product Type Code list frequently. This means you may need to make changes in QFloors to reflect the proper code for hard surface vinyl materials being sold. When downloading a hard surface vinyl price list, a new B2B product type will need to be created. Please consider updating the Product Type list in your QFloors Product Catalog.

The following link provides additional information on how to set up or update product types in QFloors: “Recognized Product Types (B2B Standard).”

Don’t miss out on all the tremendous benefits of B2B. Here at QFloors, we are ready to help you through implementation, one step at a time. Please contact us and we can help you get set up, or answer any questions you might have.