SMB of the Year
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To the company, IT is a crucial value-add tool for the business. It not only automates work processes for greater speed and efficiency but also helps to improve the customer's buying experience.
FarEastFlora.com's most impactful IT initiative within the last two years is the Flower Memo, which was developed jointly with Hewlett-Packard and now pending a patent grant.
The two companies innovated a printing technique that allows full-color images to be displayed on rose petals, giving a brand new meaning to expressing oneself with flowers. Customers have the option of having their messages printed directly onto the roses; those who prefer a more personalized touch can also choose to print handwritten messages using tablet PCs.
The return on investment was apparent almost immediately--within three months of the launch of Flower Memo, FarEastFlora.com was able to recover its initial investments in the development and implementation of the technology. Flower sales also increased by a monthly average of about 11 percent.
The forward-looking company is also on the pulse of industry trends. Tapping on Singapore's high mobile penetration, FarEastFlora.com integrated mobile commerce into its sales strategy last year. The partnership with StarHub, a Singapore-based telco, allows I-mode subscribers to order flowers using their mobile phones, a service not many floral businesses can offer.
Technology is also very much involved in FarEastFlora.com's expansion plans. The company, having firmly established itself in Singapore, is now aiming for a greater regional presence, with Hong Kong as its first stop. To facilitate its business expansion, FarEastFlora.com is focusing on developing a Web business model to reduce the set-up time in each country.
At FarEastFlora.com, IT and business goals are not distinct entities but interweaved in a seamless manner. Behind the technology innovation lies a team of people dedicated to executing sound business plans and going the extra mile to complement technological enhancements.
To support new IT-enhanced business initiatives, FarEastFlora.com implemented strategic marketing decisions that raised the brand profile and improved customer awareness. The dedicated team behind the Flower Memo project organized an official launch and sent out electronic mailers to its clients to create awareness of the novel service. For sales through mobile devices, FarEastFlora.com tied in exclusive promotions to appeal to the m-commerce customer base.
When it comes to IT implementations, training is vital to help employees at FarEastFlora.com manage change. Meetings are conducted to explain how the technology is used, and staff are briefed properly on solutions to possible glitches. The company also places a lot of emphasis on testing and feedback to ensure that problems are highlighted and eliminated, and doubts and uncertainties resolved, before the rollout of new technology.
According to Chioh, winning the coveted SMB of the Year award and being recognized as one of Asia's smartest users of IT is an affirmation for the company, but it also exerts pressure on FarEastFlora.com to do better. "[More than ever], we need to constantly innovate and improve in all areas of our work with the key focus of satisfying our customers' requirements," he noted.
Stand out, it may not in terms of size, but FarEastFlora.com certainly is in the league of giants in the use of IT to power the business.