Going Digital To Give The Gift Of One Less Chore
Nicarno Francis is the proud owner of Avondale Cleaners and Alterations, a dry-cleaning business that is constantly adapting to best serve its customers. Located in Brampton, Ontario, Avondale Cleaners and Alterations offers a variety of services such as dry cleaning, washing, clothing alterations, and even money transfers. The business doesn’t stop at services, they also offer products for purchase, such as face masks and clothing.
Constantly looking to improve his business, Francis joined the ShopHERE powered by Google program to take his business online. Upon being partnered with an eCommerce Coordinator, Francis was able to collaborate and build a new website for his business.
At first, Francis was new to eCommerce and wasn’t sure how everything would turn out for his business. After getting started, Francis was amazed at the process and results.
“Going online was a dream for me and ShopHERE made it happen”
Having a strong digital presence can be greatly beneficial for small businesses. Francis worked with his Coordinator to ensure his website contained all of the features required for his business’ success, including an online booking system and an eCommerce checkout for tangible products.
“This program helped me to offer the services and products in the most convenient way.”
Building an eCommerce website enabled Francis to reach more customers and expand his business offerings by providing pick-up and drop-off options online.
The ShopHERE program assisted Francis in elevating his business operations to become more customer-friendly and tech-savvy. The free eCommerce tools allowed Francis to confidently lead his website on his own upon completion of the ShopHERE Program.
“it's free, very resourceful, and will add some kind of benefits or upliftment to your business”
Although the COVID-19 Pandemic showcased a new set of challenges for small businesses, the ShopHERE program was able to assist Francis with overcoming some of those obstacles through free resources and support related to eCommerce and their digital presence.
Francis’ experience is not an isolated one, his advice for other small business owners is to,
“Keep open, keep employing, keep being strong [and] keep believing”.
Click here to view Francis’ website and experience his services if you're in/near the area! If you enjoyed learning about Francis’ experience with the program, you can view more information and sign up for the ShopHERE powered by Google program here.
Digital Main Street was created by the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) with direct support from the City of Toronto. DMS is also supported by a group of strategic business partners, including Google, Mastercard, Shopify, Meta, Intuit QuickBooks, Square, Lightspeed, Ebay and Canada Post.
Continued investment from the Province of Ontario, through the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade (MEDJCT) has allowed the ongoing expansion the Digital Main Street Platform in order to support more businesses going digital across Ontario.
