Seamless Software

Seamless  Software

“There’s an idea out in the industry that software’s not essential and I think that’s really hurting the industry’s move forward,” says Sharon Nuss, vice president of Starcom Computer Corp. “Because it is an essential core piece to running your business.”

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According to Nuss, you have to start integrating the various departments of your business into a “seamless operational flow.” Without production software, the individuals involved may have their own spreadsheet, and “then everyone has control of their own little universe.”

John Stallmer, president of Innovative Software Solutions adds that above all else, production software creates a more efficient growing operation.

It helps answer the questions, “How do we get as many hands out of the pot as we can? How do we make it simpler, faster, with less labor?” says Stallmer.

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So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to close out of those Excel spreadsheets and listen up.

Conversion Concerns

Software can seem intimidating, but converting to new systems doesn’t have to be painful. “I think some growers get daunted because they think there’s just so much that they have to take on,” Nuss says.

She has dealt with a good deal of hesitancy over the years. Questions come up like, “Do I have the staff to handle this kind of technology, and what am I really going to get out of this versus other possible investments that cost the same?”
It’s important to remember that, “You’re going to get your basic transactions going and then move forward from there.” At Starcom, Nuss says the conversion to its software starts with the “areas of most pain” (e.g., lost sales, production deadlines, material costs), which are things that motivate growers to take the first step toward production
software.

Along with addressing concerns, the software companies spend time at their customers’ sites researching and learning the grower’s operation, Stallmer says. “We’re out there looking at, gosh, there’s six people on this line, can we make it five or four? And asking ‘Why’s that guy writing on every label?’ he explains. “Anything we can throw into the system to make it run smoother and through fewer hands.”

Most, if not all, software companies implement a necessary and comprehensive training process to get the growers accustomed to the software and also to transfer their current data into the new system.

And for those without any sort of technology, “The conversion is probably easier,” says Rick Goff, sales manager of Advanced Grower Solutions (AGS).

My Favorite Things

Gro’n-Sell, Inc., Chalfont, Pa., is a young plant producer that uses the Picas Greenhouse Production Software from Innovative Software Solutions. General Manager Fred Granja says B2B integration is Granja’s favorite feature from the production software. It allows Gro’n Sell to directly connect to brokers with their availability, making the buying process painless. Brokers can see an updated version of the grower’s availability list every hour.

“They input their info and send it to our system,” Gronja says. “The file is then opened in our office. It’s error-checked, which brings up any issues or problems. If everything’s okay, it can be processed at the touch of a button.”

Granja enjoys the accuracy of his software, too. When a customer looks at his availability and orders five trays, Granja knows that there will be five trays available to pull, not three.

Stallmer adds the Picas Software has visuals that allow the grower to analyze pace. “Say you’ve got six people working on the line and they’ve got 1,000 flats to do. How are they doing? I can tell if they’re going to be done at 6 p.m. or if they’re going to be there till midnight.”

You’re Not Alone

While every feature in the production software of your choice may not apply to you, that’s okay. But there may be a time when the software might not have something that you think is necessary. There in lies the beauty of software updates.
“Let’s say I give you a grow list, and on that grow list I’m going to have the plant, its size, how many I want and when I’m going to have it,” says Goff of AGS. “That may work for some growers, but if I take it to another grower, they might go, ‘Oh hey, that’s cool, but can we add that we need to buy plugs for this and tags for that?'”

Production software makes sharing important. “Growers are benefiting from other growers using the same software,” says Nuss. “New ideas and suggestions to help update the software benefit everyone.” Too often people get pigeonholed into a system that’s ideal for someone else. Now, more software companies have the ability to match their products to your needs.

“Software implementation is not a point to a point. There is not a beginning and an end,” says Nuss. “A problem with some growers is that if they never get in, then they just get farther and farther behind. But they need to know, they just have to step into it. Not everything is going to get done all at once.”

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