Intelligent SME.tech Issue 27 | Page 45

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“ Our customers expect seamless experiences , whether they ’ re looking to change a delivery address halfway through a journey or we need to communicate delays so no surprises are ruined ,” she said .

“ When order numbers doubled during lockdown , Macquarie helped us maintain this standard and prevent website downtime . Our own seamless experience with Macquarie ’ s local team meant we could also easily call them if any issues arose and have them fixed on the spot .”

Taggart said the successful service delivery during lockdown has since seen Roses Only achieve record levels of customer retention .

She said : “ The pandemic showed customers they can purchase , customise and alter orders from the palm of their hand . It ’ s been great to see the amount of people already re-engaging our services this year .

Managing customer orders during Brisbane floods

Roses Only ’ s strong technology environment played a part in managing service continuity when the February / March floods in Brisbane impacted one of its warehouses .

Luke Clifton , Group Executive at Macquarie Telecom , part of Macquarie Telecom Group . said : “ The practice of gifting flowers dates back to the Ancient Egyptians , Greeks and the Roman Empire . Today , thanks to technology advances and companies like Roses Only , the process is both simpler and more sophisticated . We ’ re excited to continue working closely with the team and to see how the business evolves , grows and meets future challenges .”

Taggart spoke to Intelligent SME . tech about how the company has grown .

How did you start your business and how has it grown ?

Roses Only officially started in 1995 in Sydney by a family that had sold flowers since the 1960s . In 2014 it was purchased by the owners of 1300 Flowers and Fast Flowers , and it ’ s since grown to be Australia ’ s leading online flower delivery service . We ’ ve now got 10 sites across Australia including three floral studios across Brisbane , Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast . Around 300 full time and casual staff work for the business , and we have about 100 different types of flowers and greenery in our range .

Previous page : Kelly Taggart , CEO of Roses Only

Taggart said : “ Reliable communication is key during these events . Luckily , we had plenty of warning ahead of the flood , and our deliveries were only delayed by 24 hours . During this time , we were able to contact thousands of customers via phone and text and update delivery dates on our system without a hitch .”

Taggart continued that with this strong foundation , Roses Only has the confidence to embark on growth plans .

“ We ’ re looking at adding more brands and businesses to our mix , and the support from Macquarie is comforting in this respect . I ’ m not concerned that adding another website will be a house of cards . We ’ ve got the stability there to grow and scale .”