Preserve the Core:

Brian Worfolk is U.S. Sales Manager in the Midwest U.S. & Michigan for Sheridan Nurseries Ltd.. Brian is also the wonderfully dedicated past chairman of ANLA's Wholesale Plant Sales Committee. He continues to help organize meetings bringing together sales people at trade shows through out the season in order to network and learn from the speakers he schedules. The next meeting will be during the Mid-Am show January in Chicago.

My perspective is that of a wholesale nursery sales representative in so far as trying to maintain customers who are retailers, other nurserymen and rewholesalers.

In my 25 years in this business, I have experienced a range of situations with customers and customer service. I have attended a number of seminars and learned a lot from fellow sales representatives. It has been stressed that it is very important to maintain constant contact with customers. If you do not then someone else will. There are many ways to keep in touch ranging from in person sales visits, mail, texting, pinning, emailing and phone calls.

It has been stressed to me that personal phone calls are likely the most important. The phone call is more personal and promotes a long term professional relationship. I like to call my customers on their birthdays...but it takes time to build this relationship. Emailing is a great means of communicating to all your customers and prospects at once. This can be an effective way to promote a brand, new service and new plant introductions.

In order to maintain the best customers, it is necessary to deliver on time, what is ordered, competitively priced product and of course quality product. I have learned that the term quality can be over used in business and sometimes its meaning in this business can be very abstract. The sales rep must determine through careful questioning what the customer expects upon delivery. Often you only get one chance to do this. Consistency is what separates the best growers from the average.

I have found more recently the importance of branding. Despite the economic downturn, demand for new plants promoted through a certain brand is being requested from the consumer. Consumers are intrigued through the advertising and demand is generated. It is important to help retailers promote new introductions through signage and well stocked fresh displays.

I have slanted this perspective more towards retailers but I have seen landscapers become inspired to purchase based on branding and specific plant introductions. I would like to think that it is especially important for growers to employ sales reps who have experience and of course a good attitude towards sales. Plant knowledge can be acquired but if the sales rep has poor people skills then this knowledge is useless. There are many incredible sales reps in this industry who do outstanding work in promoting their growers.

It will be important for the nursery industry to be well positioned once the economy stabilizes...maintaining existing customers is an important aspect of this recovery.