CONFERENCE REPORT
“Meanwhile, there should be a strong connection between what you’re doing in your food hall and your café and the rest of the centre. Bents in Warrington has tasting and sampling points around the centre with lots of things offered. When someone sampled cheese, the sales assistant came straight in and was very knowledgeable. These tasting locations on site are driving the extra sales through as a result. Tong Garden Centre did a similar thing with the quiche it sells. “Looking at different departments, indoor lifestyle is becoming less
cluttered. Now you need one or two ambient areas to focus on and get right. Barton Grange made great use of merchandising and coloured lighting in indoor lifestyle.
“And, why not feature houseplants in the restaurant area? Not many of you have plants in your garden centre restaurants. “One thing you have to remember is that your greatest asset is your staff. When visiting Klondyke at Howton Hall, I met a woman in the furniture department and I asked her how she clinched the sale, what she said to make the difference. She told me that when she sees customers looking at the price of the furniture lines, she says: “you do realise you can leave this outside all year?”. Then often have no idea and it makes a difference. So, ask yourself ‘how many products are there in your shop or department that you know the benefits of but your customers don’t?’. “For some departments you score and do really well in but others, not so well. So, can you transfer some of those skills to your other departments? That should be your challenge for next year.”
The top 10 Garden Centres of Excellence (in alphabetical order):
Associate of the Year:
Garden Centre of the Year:
Aylett Nurseries
Michael Cole also added some of this thoughts on the inspections he carried out: “Several garden centres, including Wyevale Wych Cross, had a chalkboard out where someone had handwritten the local weather for the week or weekend. That’s great – it sends the message: ‘I’m a retailing and we’re sharing’. I saw a lot of chalkboards used in POS and displays in the garden centres I visited and I don’t think they are ever going to go out of fashion. It’s market-stall retailing and people love and relate to that. “Think about your customer. Squires of Milford has a tissue dispenser up with a sign alerting customers to use it if they have a wet trolley to wipe the handle.
“Pots stacked up in outdoor areas do look a bit like graveyards but Garsons of Esher had planted up pots and displays and it looked fantastic. Some of you do it but a lot of you don’t. Some people say ‘there’s no one to water the plants’ – well get a tap and blimmin’ well do it! “And we could do well to try and desmystify compost. There are so many composts I think we make our lives a lot harder. At Wyevale there was a great display helping consumers to choose the right one. “Well-dressed furniture can really entice customers. Look at using
“It’s about having the right range and amount for the size of garden centre you are”
backdrops – whether that’s wallpaper or scenery – as well as cushions, brightly-coloured fruit and bowls, glassware and so on. Make it look appealing and then have a sign highlighting the fact that they can ‘buy today’. You need to let them know that this suite is in stock and ready to take home or be sent for home delivery today, so they haven’t got to wait. That could clinch a deal. “Garden centres are really thinking about merchandising , which is great.
A lot of these displays are as good as some of the top retailers in the country. “You should promote your catering offer throughout the centre – at basket bays, in toilets – don’t miss an opportunity. In fact, why not have promotions in frames on the outside of toilet doors rather than on the inside? Anyone who has been inside a women’s toilet knows there is always a queue. “Then, make your café a compelling environment – why not have it overlooking the plant area, so people have a lovely view but might also be inspired to buy more.
“And, when it comes to your offer, you don’t have to have a huge amount of stock. It’s about having the right range and amount for the size of garden centre you are.”
www.diyweek.net
9 FEBRUARY 2018 DIY WEEK 13
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