It's always such an amazing experience to gather with QFloors users, and our latest conference was no exception. “Explore New Horizons” was the theme of the 2023 Users Conference, and attendees had plenty of time to do so, both from a business sense and a literal sense.
Held at the entrance of Zion National Park in southern Utah, the conference itinerary was specifically organized to allow guests afternoons free to explore the beauty of the surrounding areas. Attendees hiked, took scenic drives, and participated in group canyoneering, rappelling, and UTV (side-by-side razor) tours.
They also were able to learn of new ways to use technology to improve their businesses, sales, and operations.
It was cool to listen in as attendees shared Best Practices and asked questions to one another. While business and software training classes are an important part of these conferences, attendees tell us that the networking and sharing between attendees are just as beneficial.
Breakout sessions were held on commercial project management, estimating, financial benchmarking, warehousing and barcoding, and maximizing the efficiencies of QFloors. General sessions included discussions on future development, QR codes, QPro, partner integrations, new features of QFloors, and more. An energetic conversation on QR codes segued into an intriguing brainstorming session on the viability of making a universal QR code for the industry that could be shared across platforms and providers (much like the fcB2B standard). Friday night, Danny Crutchfield, Vice President of Shaw Flooring Network, gave an inspirational keynote address on "Head or Heart? Which One Drives Your Success?"
Attendees were also enthusiastic about their individual adventures outside of the meetings. In addition to the group excursions, many enjoyed riding e-bikes, jeep sunset tours, dark skies star-gazing, and the world-class hiking of Zion.
Here's what a few attendees had to say about the conference:
Attendee Dan Griffith - All About Flooring (Greenville, SC)
"This conference has been very, very good for us. Just learning about features [of QFloors] that maybe we don’t utilize or don’t utilize well. We liked learning about the future of QFloors. And the financial benchmarking class that Trent Ogden provided this year was awesome. Knowing where we are and how we compare really helps us, because sometimes we feel like we’re operating out on an island. And obviously we’re not going to share our numbers with our local competitors. So that was really helpful to us."
Attendee Marifrances Kelly- CarpetLand USA ColorTile (Grand Junction, CO)
"The Users Conference has been awesome. It’s just a really great way to network, get ideas on how other people are running their own systems, and hear about best practices. I feel like it pulls you ahead of where you want to be and helps you know how to make the next steps possible.
And you know, everyone from Chad and Trent, Chris and Aerin, they all have this very similar heart and mindset, that it’s customer first, it’s customer best. They do a great job of making us feel like maybe not that we’re the only customers, but that we are equally as important, whether we’re a million dollar business or a $20 million dollar business. We all have equal say at the table. And I appreciate that."
Attendee Kerry Lenz - Rice’s More Than Floors (Marshfield, WI)
"I think the biggest thing about a QFloors Users Conference that's different from any other conference we attend is that it's very much geared around networking with other dealers, learning their tips and tricks, as well as learning through classes. So there's a lot of learning and networking that you don't always get at other conferences that seem to be more focused on the party, or what's happening afterwards.
And the connections you make with other dealers, the friendships you build, and just to have somebody in the industry that understands you and can maybe help you with something… things like that are invaluable. For instance, this year we learned about an individual that started an apprenticeship program, and so we’ve been working with him to get ideas and insights to help with the installation crisis that’s coming.
And one of the best things about this conference is that they give you time to explore wherever you are, so you don’t have to feel like you have to decide between 'Do I need to go learn or should I go explore a new area?' It’s great that you get to do both."
We’re so grateful for all of the customers and partners who took time from their busy lives to attend this great event. I’m also grateful for the many hours of hard work that our QFloors team members put into making it such a success.
Our next Users Conference will probably be Fall 2025. We hope you’ll join us!
