Read on and learn how Trevor Herrle-Braun, Operations Manager at Herrle’s Country Farm Market, utilizes both his smartphone and tablet when it comes to his work environment aka the farm. Instead of being tied up in an office, Trevor is able to coordinate the operational activities completely on the go and quickly address any issues or decisions that arise.
Eating locally and pursuing responsible food-purchasing decisions is a fantastic trend that has been creeping into urban centers for some time now. Beyond the health benefits and social responsibility aspect, there’s certainly something satisfying about an afternoon spent at a farm market picking out your own fresh produce. One such business that began over 100 years ago, Herrle’s Country Farm Market, is actively seeking to strengthen the connection between rural and urban communities.
A business like this entails a complex operation, encompassing production, logistics, timely communication among the employed family members, and a retail storefront. Coordinating this system from the fields to the shelves can certainly prove challenging – but Herrle’s has found a way!
Trevor Herrle-Braun, who is the Operations Manager at Herrle’s Country Farm Market, is an avid BlackBerry® user and is leveraging BlackBerry solutions in the business to their greatest potential. Beyond coordinating activities using calendar invites and BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™), he also takes pictures, tracks the weather patterns, and engages with the community using Twitter® from his BlackBerry smartphone on a regular basis (yes, even from his tractor – but not while driving it, of course!). Trevor has leveraged social media in particular as a method to connect urban consumers to the farm, gathering feedback on new product ideas, and reaching out to them in a variety of ways.
Trevor’s BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet extends this functionality by allowing quick review and editing of spreadsheets used to track the progress of crops, as well as the ability to snap colorful photos of the fresh produce in order to entice customers to come by the store. Rather than spend time on administrative work in an office, Trevor is able to coordinate the operational activities completely on the go and quickly address any issues or decisions that arise.
Lastly, BlackBerry platform apps like SellSmart are designed to allow the family to make important buying and selling decisions by keeping them connected to real time commodity prices. A staff BBM group keeps everyone in the loop on important reminders, the latest news, and the sharing of ideas. The story of Herrle’s market is an amazing example of a fresh country farm market leveraging BlackBerry technology to maximize efficiency and keep the business running smoothly.
Have BlackBerry solutions improved the operations of your business? Share your story in the comments!
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