UK's florists size up the competition
Florists - 13/07/2006 10:45:36
Competition is hotting up ahead of the decision to select the National Flower Shop of the Year, with a process of elimination now leaving only the very best in the business ready for a standoff.
The winning Gold Award, to be handed out to a UK florist by the Flower Council of Holland, will go to one of 200 finalists who have made it through round one and will now be set a series of challenges to see how their company copes under pressure.
A business investment prize of £5,000 is at stake for the florist that can meet the demands of a range of mystery shoppers - judges in disguise – and telephone calls designed to test their entrepreneurial initiative.
In advance of the decision, to be made next month, the organisers have released a series of tips to entrants on how to prepare their firms for scrutiny, with a stress on beauty and design-skills as the key qualities in generating profit.
"Many of your customers will not know what they want until they see it," the Flower Council advises. "So it's essential that you regularly show off your skills both in the window and inside the shop," - by involving a whole team of staff if necessary.
Florists are urged to build up special relationships with loyal customers, inviting them to see new varieties and giving exclusive access to a dedicated section of the website - all in aid of making the UK's notoriously choosy flower buyers "feel special and valued".
Some of the best local florists in your area can be discovered on line.