Case Study: How Uncle Tim's Boosted Sales and Streamlined Operations with FormPay

Founding story and business inspiration

I’m Timonthy Solis, the founder of Uncle Tim's Delicacies, a Mississauga family-owned Filipino bakery that specializes in selling kakanin, a variety of gluten-free Filipino sweets made with glutinous flour, coconut milk, or glutinous rice. Our signature dessert is our coconut pie, and we also offer products from our sister company, Purple Oven. 

All my life, I’ve been surrounded by my family in the restaurant and bakery industry for over 25 years. Although I never thought I'd be part of the family business, I started creating social media content for my parents to help promote their products in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). As I started to transition away from my corporate job, I realized that joining the family business was the right path for me. My passion for storytelling and connecting with the community through Filipino sweets has become the primary reason I started this business.

Challenges and obstacles before FormPay

Our online sales process was previously all manual and cash-based. Clients would call or message us on Facebook to place orders through DMs or Google Forms. This process was extremely time-consuming and often led to errors, which led to even more time wasted and frustrated customers. The heavy order administration time also took away from my ability to promote and grow the business. In addition, we weren’t able to accept credit card payments, which limited our reach. This led us to seek out FormPay to streamline our operations and provide more convenient payment options to our clients.

FormPay's positive impact on day-to-day operations

Before, our manual order system of social media DMs and Google Forms consumed 40% of my time each week in administration work. Every transaction took me 10 to 15 minutes, from taking client orders to sending confirmation emails, processing payments, and adding them to our bakery queue. On top of that, I had to handle order reminders near the delivery date, which took even more time. 

FormPay has helped us eliminate most of these manual steps. Adopting FormPay has significantly improved our daily operations, decreasing my time spent on administrative tasks by 75%. This freed up time has allowed me to focus on other areas of the business that need enhancement, such as growing our presence in the community. It has provided me with the time necessary to concentrate on different aspects of the business, letting me reach more clients and manage orders simultaneously.

"Adopting FormPay has significantly improved our daily operations, decreasing my time spent on administrative tasks by 75%."

FormPay's role in increasing sales

After making the switch to FormPay, we've experienced a drastic positive change, as clients now have the ability to place orders at any hour. In fact, for half of our orders, clients independently place their orders through FormPay without needing any extra communication or inquiries.

In addition, the option to accept credit card payments has proven to be a valuable advantage, letting us broaden our customer base. Since incorporating credit card payments, our total sales have increased by 20% compared to when we operated on a cash-only basis.

We've successfully carried out marketing promotions and initiatives, with FormPay playing a crucial role at the point-of-sale. In fact, after coming across our social media content, half the viewers would choose to buy directly through the platform. Overall, our customers have enjoyed a positive experience with it.

"Since incorporating credit card payments, our total sales have increased by 20% compared to when we operated on a cash-only basis."

Favorite features of FormPay

My favorite feature of Formpay is the seamless ordering process, with clients and the baking team receiving automatic email notifications for upcoming orders. The order dashboard is easy to navigate on both mobile and desktop devices with all the information we need at our fingertips. More importantly, the customer support we receive from Formpay’s team is my favorite aspect of this experience. FormPay has been instrumental in helping us achieve our sales and automation goals.

“My favorite feature of Formpay is the seamless ordering process, with clients and my team receiving automatic email notifications for upcoming orders.”

Advice to new food entrepreneurs

I recommend connecting with positive-minded individuals who can help bring your ideas to reality and guide you toward your overall business goals. Don't hesitate to seek help, as there are always people (and software platforms!) willing to assist. Be patient with your progress, and remember to make time for yourself. Engage in activities like meditation, exercise, and spending time with family. If things go sideways, taking time off can help you assess the situation, identify issues, and implement corrective actions.

Check out Uncle Tim's and order from them here.