My shop
L - R: Barbara, Caitlin, Andrea, Judith and Dawn - the Millers Florist team millers florist, oldham
She may have been in fl oristry for 34 years - but Barbara Jackson is as enthusiastic about her business now as when she started out as an idealistic 18 year-old. In fact her drive, energy
and inspiration won her the title of Retailer of the Year in the prestigious One Oldham Business Awards in May. It was the second time in
fi ve years that she’d taken the top retailer title, and in between, she won the Businesswoman of the Year award. So what makes Millers
Florist in Oldham so special? JACKIE MCCARRICK has been fi nding out. Pictures by New Image (PR) Ltd.
Having a Tesco store right next door might be seen as a threat by some independent fl orists – but Barbara had learned to appreciate the advantages of having the retail giant as a neighbour, because of the footfall it brought past her shop. Indeed, the Tesco shuttle bus
literally delivered customers to her door!
So when in 2008, it was
announced that the supermarket was to be demolished and re- built, it hit like a thunderbolt. “I suddenly realised how
vulnerable my business was,” she explains, “because I relied on that regular footfall. “In fact, I had no other way
of keeping in contact with my regular customers because we weren’t computerised, and I hadn’t kept a database”. Fortunately, Barbara had a few months’ grace before
Tesco closed for its 18-month demolition and rebuild process – so she and husband Clive used it to the max, amassing a detailed database of her customers using the well-tried Strelitzia system. That way, she was able to keep
them connected and involved by way of a regular newsletter mail-out, full of special off ers, news and chat, and to do follow- up sales by using details from previous orders. “I had to get my act together
fast, so we got in three computers, confi scated the staff ’s order pads and we all learned to get as much information as possible on the database” she says. It certainly paid off , because
Millers can now boast over 5,000 customer names on its detailed records system – and former technophobe Barbara now says she
F&wb Summer 2013
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