About Schlegel Greenhouse
Schlegel Greenhouse is a family-owned wholesale grower based in Indianapolis, serving independent garden centers, landscapers, and fundraising organizations across the Midwest. As the business grew, its payment processes became increasingly difficult to manage. Manual surcharge calculations created opportunities for missed fees, ACH payments were unavailable, and seasonal volume put added pressure on a lean team. After implementing SBI Software’s grower-specific ERP platform, Schlegel turned to Fortis to streamline payments, improve transparency, and reduce administrative burden.
The Challenge
Before Fortis, Schlegel Greenhouse relied on standalone credit card terminals through its bank and did not offer ACH as a payment option. The larger challenge was managing surcharges manually. Staff had to remember to apply the correct fee or cash discount during each transaction, a process that became increasingly difficult during the company’s busy spring season. Missed surcharges meant the business often absorbed processing costs it intended to pass through, creating unnecessary expense and additional administrative work for a lean team.
How Fortis Helped
Schlegel came to Fortis through SBI Software, which recommended Fortis as its embedded payments partner for growers. Fortis replaced the manual surcharge process with automated fee display at checkout, so customers see exactly what they owe without any manual step required. ACH became available for wholesale buyers, giving garden centers and institutional accounts a faster, lower-cost option. When a large order came in during peak spring season and hit the initial transaction limit, Fortis helped ensure payment was processed quickly, keeping the business and its cash flow moving at its most critical time of year.
The Impact
- Eliminated manual surcharge errors through automated fee display at the point of payment.
- Added ACH as a payment option for wholesale buyers, reducing friction & improving cash flow.
- Provided customers with greater payment transparency.
- Helped ensure payment was processed quickly when transaction limits were reached during peak spring season.
- Delivered a payments experience that works in the background, reducing administrative load on a lean, family-run team.
“With Fortis, there’s no guessing. It’s all very clear.”
— Marsha Schlegel, Co-Owner/Controller, Schlegel Greenhouse
