Tropical plant broker Primaflora International relies on to help sustain the relationships that keep • Desktop computing • Mobile computing business blooming • Workstations

“We simply can’t afford to have our server or computers down for very long— productivity would come to a halt.... Reliability is my number-one reason for buying Dell.”

Cheryl Shaver, Controller, Primaflora International

Customer profile Company: Primaflora International Industry: Wholesale Country: United States Benefits Employees: 4 • Provided a robust, reliable Website: www.primaflora.com IT foundation for running all the communications, Business need financial, and customer service To maintain vital relationships with tropical plant growers and applications needed by this customers, Primaflora International needs highly dependable computer tropical plant brokerage systems that are easy to order and simple to manage. • Simplified ordering with an online store that does not Solution require technical expertise Using a three-year roadmap designed by Dell consultants, Primaflora uses a combination of Dell™ OptiPlex™, Dell Dimension™, and ™ • Gained outstanding performance, desktops, ™ mobile workstations, and a Dell PowerEdge™ reliability, and system longevity, server to provide the robust, reliable foundation for a full range of which helps protect the small business functions. business’s IT investments Over the past 22 years, Primaflora International has built a very successful business in a small but competitive market. The company imports live tropical plants from Central America and acquires additional foliage from Florida, selling cuttings and rooted plants to nurseries up and down the western United States and Canada. One of only three tropical plant brokers in the United States, Primaflora established its niche by consistently delivering quality products, offering fair prices, and providing outstanding customer service.

Though Primaflora is firmly entrenched bought whitebox computers from in the natural world, the company a local store, but there were always “The ability to build relies on technology for a full range problems,” says Shaver. “I recommended systems online of essential business functions. For moving to Dell computers. I had used example, Primaflora’s staff manages Dell systems in my previous job, and I helps us simplify finances with Intuit® QuickBooks® was very happy with the reliability and and corresponds with suppliers using performance. Primaflora started using purchasing and save Microsoft® Outlook®. “E-mail is our Dell for everything.” primary mode of communicating money....Ordering is Today, Primaflora employees use a with Central American growers,” says variety of Dell systems, including Dell Cheryl Shaver, the company’s controller. so simple through OptiPlex and Dell Vostro desktops as well “Phone calls to Central America are as Dell Precision mobile workstations. Dell, we don’t need expensive, and many of our growers Shaver uses a Dell OptiPlex 780 equipped spend their days out in the fields. With with an Intel® Core™ vPro™ processor to pay an IT person e-mail, growers can read our messages to manage the in the evening, and we have a response by morning.” process.” Microsoft Access® provides a central storehouse for customer and supplier Technology at work Cheryl Shaver, information, and serves as the foundation Controller, Hardware Primaflora International for the company’s custom ordering system. “This company is built on Dell OptiPlex™ 780 with an Intel® relationships, and our Microsoft Access Core™ vPro™ processor database stores much of the information Dell Dimension™ 8300 desktop that keeps those relationships strong,” ™ says Shaver. “To make sure we can share Dell Vostro 200 that information among geographically Dell Precision™ M4500 dispersed team members at all times, ™ we run Microsoft Access on individual Dell PowerEdge 2900 server ® ® systems and then replicate data to a with Intel Xeon processors centralized server.” Software Selecting the right computer systems Intuit® QuickBooks® is essential for sustaining business efficiency and productivity. “We need Microsoft® Access® systems that are easy to order, simple Microsoft Office to manage, and above all reliable—for our business to run smoothly, we Microsoft Outlook® cannot afford downtime,” says Shaver. Microsoft Windows® 7 and Establishing roots with Dell Windows XP For more than a decade, Primaflora Microsoft Windows Server® has used Dell computers throughout its business. “In the past, the company to deliver the performance for running Working with a top-tier vendor helps essential business applications. “I need a ensure that Primaflora can find the computer that can provide outstanding right systems without difficulty. “In some cases, we processing performance, significant “Though we’re a small company, we have kept systems memory capacity, and sufficient storage have distinct computing requirements to simultaneously run my very large for each position,” says Shaver. “We for six or seven QuickBooks database and Microsoft can choose from a broad product Access without a hiccup,” says Shaver. “I portfolio from Dell and easily configure years, and they want to have financial data plus 13 years systems to meet our precise needs.” continue to run fine. of supplier and customer information The Dell online store provides a one- accessible at all times. I can keep years stop shop that helps eliminate the need We can extend the of information right at my fingertips with to buy and install separate software the Dell Vostro 200.” life of computers applications. “With Dell, we don’t have Primaflora also uses a single Dell to purchase software applications easily and maximize PowerEdge server with Intel® Xeon® separately and then spend time loading processors to run the customized them and ensuring they all work our investments by ordering system and provide the central together,” says Shaver. “Of course, using Dell systems.” repository for e-mail data as well as we also have the option to purchase customer and supplier information. “We computers without software. We Cheryl Shaver, have more than enough performance can order systems without Microsoft Controller, and storage capacity to share key Office, for example, and have our IT Primaflora International information with the Dell PowerEdge person load applications to a new server,” says Shaver. employee’s station remotely. We have the flexibility to order computers in the Simplifying computer ordering way that makes the most sense for us.” with the online Dell store Working with Dell enables Shaver and Primaflora orders all new Dell systems other employees to stay focused on online. “The ability to build systems their core responsibilities. “After 20 online helps us simplify purchasing years of working with computers, I still and save money,” says Shaver. “Our IT feel like a novice,” says Shaver. “I just person recommends certain processors, want to order a product that will arrive memory, and hard drive capacity, quickly and perform like a workhorse. I and then one of the nontechnical can achieve those goals easily with Dell.” team members can easily configure the machine online. We just ask for Bolstering reliability and extending confirmation from IT by e-mail before the life span of computers making the purchase. Ordering is so When ordering from Dell, the Primaflora simple through Dell, we don’t need to team knows they are investing in robust, pay an IT person to manage the process. dependable products. “We simply can’t But if we ever have trouble selecting afford to have our server or computers the right configuration, we can talk to down for very long—productivity would a Dell customer representative and find come to a halt,” says Shaver. “Fortunately, answers fast.” we can avoid significant hardware issues Shaver. “At the same time, our workers by using Dell systems. Reliability is my can easily move from one system to number-one reason for buying Dell.” the next if necessary. Once they log on, they have a similar experience no Though Primaflora refreshes systems matter which Dell computer they use.” regularly, the team occasionally keeps Dell systems in service for Keeping business fresh with Dell many years. “In some cases, we have Looking ahead, the Primaflora team plans kept systems for six or seven years, to further capitalize on technology to and they continue to run fine,” says streamline collaboration with growers Shaver. “We can extend the life of and deliver even stronger customer computers easily and maximize our service to plant nurseries. “We are going investments by using Dell systems.” to enhance our Web site, integrating it Streamlining management with our Microsoft Access database and and enhancing flexibility with adding new features for suppliers and a single platform customers. Suppliers will be able to confirm shipments while customers While Primaflora uses a number of will track orders and even find unique different Dell models in the office, cuttings on our weekly ‘hot list’ that are standardizing on a single platform not pre-sold,” says Shaver. “Tropical has helped simplify IT management plants might seem to have nothing and enhance flexibility for workers. in common with technology. But with “Whether he is loading software, adding Dell systems as a foundation, we can memory, or upgrading a hard drive, continue to strengthen the relationships our IT person can complete tasks that have made our business bloom.” quickly because he has to deal with only a single computer platform,” says

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March 2011. © 2011 Dell Inc. Dell is a trademark of Dell Inc. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. This case study is for informational purposes only. DELL MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS CASE STUDY. Reference number: 10009422