Customer stories


Elk Mountain Nursery

From seedling to shipping, FileMaker Pro 8.5 databases keep mail-order nursery in the green!

From the beautiful North Carolina mountains to you – native Eastern perennials, shrubs and trees direct from Elk Mountain Nursery. One of the first nurseries to specialize in e-commerce, Elk Mountain is going stronger than ever and has thousands of satisfied customers. The Web has evolved since Elk Mountain produced its first online catalog back in 1996, but the quality of its product remains a constant – just as FileMaker Pro remains the foundation of Elk Mountain's day-to-day operations.


Business Challenge

Elk Mountain Nursery began as a casual venture for owner Craig Mailloux. "My daughter decided she wanted to sell pretty rocks by the side of the road," he recalls, "but it didn't work out that well. So I said 'Well, why don't we do plants?' I'd been a gardener for a number of years, so we got some styrofoam cups, dug some plants out of my garden, went down to a local tailgate market – and they all sold! So we took the money from that and bought some commercial pots, and it just kind of grew from there. One thing led to another, and I've been at it ever since."

From the start, Craig saw the company as a mail-order enterprise. "I could work on my own time and set my own hours," he continues. But very early on, Craig realized the Internet offered an untapped market. "We expanded online in the second year," he notes. "When we first started I could only find two other nurseries that were marketing on the Internet at that time, so I was one of the first."

From tiny acorns mighty oaks will grow, and this is especially true of Elk Mountain Nursery. When the enterprise began, Craig used a very simple card file system to keep records. But it didn't take long for him to realize this wasn't going to be a long-term solution. He'd only recently bought his first computer, and he began searching for a database product that could help him manage the increasing data generated by the business. "I looked for a pre-packaged software solution designed for mail-order nurseries," he relates, "and there wasn't anything. So I did some research into database applications, looking for one I could understand and use without too much trouble, and FileMaker Pro was it. I'd never used a database before, but it was easy to learn! I started with the first version of FileMaker Pro to feature relational capabilities, and was able to pick it up -- and I went from there."


Successful Solution

From that simple beginning, Craig has kept up with subsequent versions of FileMaker Pro, building a powerful and efficient database system that organizes every facet of his business. Currently, Elk Mountain Nursery runs six FileMaker Pro 8.5 databases, handling customer and vendor records, artwork and labeling, personnel and payroll records, plant data, purchase orders, and plant care. All together, these databases contain thousands of records, all readily accessible. Working together, these powerful data-management tools allow Craig's business to serve a far-ranging clientele with only a handful of employees.


Customer Benefits

Before FileMaker Pro, Craig depended on boxes of file cards to organize his data – and when he needed a specific piece of information, the search could be daunting. "I probably only had a hundred different plants when I started," he recalls, "and a hundred file cards was enough. It was getting confusing even then. Now, if I had to do it all by hand, I probably couldn't afford to do it at all."

For example, the Plant Data database makes vital information instantly available for a number of different purposes within the business. "Using FileMaker Pro allows me to manipulate the data any way I need it," Craig declares. "With my Plant Data, I have 60 or 70 fields in each record, for every kind of data I'd need on each plant from propagation through inventory, including year-to-year comparisons, and I can use this data in many different ways. When I do a new catalog, I can export the data to a word processor, set up the order of the fields, and use scripts to assign tags for PageMaker. The system automatically sets the type for the catalog, and I can produce it in less than two hours. Without FileMaker Pro, it would take me days to do that."

Customers benefit too – from both rapid service on orders and from comprehensive data sheets included in each shipment. "My customers get much better information on the products they buy," Craig emphasizes, and I get many compliments on the information I provide. When I send them a receipt with a plant order, each plant comes with custom directions on care and maintenance. FileMaker Pro makes it possible to insert all that information automatically!"

From start to finish, from season to season, Elk Mountain Nursery relies on FileMaker Pro to keep the business healthy and growing. As Craig puts it, " I couldn't run my business without FileMaker Pro!"


"When I do a new catalog, I can export the data to a word processor, set up the order of the fields, and use scripts to assign tags for PageMaker. The system automatically sets the type for the catalog, and I can produce it in less than two hours. Without FileMaker Pro, it'd take me days to do that."

Craig Mailloux, Owner, Elk Mountain Nursery



Contact information

Contact Info for Customer:

Craig Mailloux
Owner
Elk Mountain Nursery
828-683-9330
craig@elk-mountain.com
http://www.elk-mountain.com


Filemaker Contact:

Kevin Mallon
Public Relations Manager
FileMaker Inc.
408-987-7227
kevin_mallon@filemaker.com
http://www.filemaker.com


Overview
  • Mail-order nursery ships quality eastern native plants from coast to coast
  • Based in Alexander, N.C.
  • Approximately 5 employees
Industry
  • Retail/Wholesale
  • Small Business
Solutions
  • FileMaker Pro 8.5 databases provide full operational support for every facet of the business, including plant care, inventory management, administration, and shipping.
Benefits
  • Efficiency of FileMaker Pro 8.5 allows business to function smoothly with minimal staffing.
  • Easy software learning curve means no need for extra training or third-party development.
  • One-step access to vital data on plants simplifies management of stock.