view from the shop floor
a sunny spring day there is no bet- happens to mention the plant of ment managers working together put up some clip frames in the toi-
ter place to be than a busy vibrant the day then sales will only in- so they can plan their stock and lets with the same plant informa-
outdoor plant department. How crease. Especially if those plants displays accordingly. tion on them. A picture and that
about getting other staff members are displayed at the till point! A plant department is only as plant’s benefits can be printed off
out into the department for a few Are you lucky enough to have a good as the lowest quality plant and placed on the back of the cu-
hours to freshen up some displays, merchandising or display specialist available. If you display a hundred bicle doors or at head height
learn a few plants that are in sea- on your team? If you do then plants of fantastic quality but one above the urinals. Although you
son and selling well. If you can’t make sure they are let loose to per- of them is well below standard may find you can have some fun
physically get shop, till and leisure form their magic in the plant de- then that one will be remembered using watering products instead,
department staff into the plant partment too! Obviously you need and will lose you sales of the re- “Do you need an attachment for
department for a few hours, then to seek the plant team’s approval maining stock. Your plant team your hosepipe? Then visit our wa-
why not take the plant depart- first and explain what you’re trying must be allowed to maintain ex- tering department!”
ment to them? You could try a to achieve. Are you consistent with ceptionally high standards and It’s all too easy to forget the
plant of the day information your point of sale signs, bed cards, root out sub-standard stock. Sell plant department and leave the
scheme. A member of the plant posters and banners? If not, set up them off at a discount if you team to get on with what they’ve
team could make a quick presen- templates so that a similar style, must. A “Search and Rescue” bed always done. However as we di-
tation to the rest of the staff on a typeface and presentation are used often achieves the desired result – versify further there is a real dan-
particular plant that’s looking that imitate the rest of the busi- but do we really want to be seen ger that we forget to invest in the
good. Explain its merits and sug- ness. Too frequently I see the plant to sell sub-standard plants? one department that only good
gest some linked products from team producing their own point of Would you buy it? Probably not, garden centres get right. Plants
other departments such as types sale in one style and the garden so why hope someone else will. are the very core of our business –
of compost to use and the best care team producing something Donate them to a local school, la- but sometimes they can go out of
feed etc. The benefits of such ex- totally different. bels removed of course, or con- focus. Concentrate on offering
ercises are simple. When a mem- Ultimately we want to increase sign the rubbish to the skip. the best plants, inspirationally dis-
ber of staff pulls on their uniform sales of plants and introduce as When the plant centre is full of played backed up with great serv-
and walks on to the shop floor many linked sales as possible. fresh plants customers will fill ice and expertise. ■
they become an expert in every Getting the department heads their trolleys.
product you sell – well that’s what working together on this is vital. Promoting your plant depart-
the customer expects. So the next Producing offers in isolation some- ment in other areas lifts your pro-
time a member of staff from the times misses the biggest opportu- file and increases sales. Table
furniture department is ap- nity. Can you set up a deal that talkers on the restaurant tables
proached by a customer asking for sells more of both products? For with plants of the month can help.
a particular type of rose they can example the customer spending Better still, if your restaurant has
take the customer to the outdoor over £25 on bedding plants gets a windows then bring a selection of
plant department and sell on 1kg box of Miracle Gro at a spe- plants to the restaurant. As buyers
route. The staff member should cial price. How often do we flip sip their cappuccinos they can
explain to the customer that they the idea so the customer spending view the real thing through the
are being taken to a member of £25 on hanging baskets gets 10 windows and read about your
the plant team to check on the per cent off their plant purchases? new plant introductions or the re-
rose availability and in passing The key here is to get the depart- liability of old favourites. Why not
Garden & Hardware News 15
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