Prom kits free up designers and customer service representatives so they can take and create as many prom orders as possible.
When it comes to prom, volume is the name of the game. To maximize efficiency and profit potential, one Indianapolis florist has developed a system: prepping and packaging hard goods before a rush of teens descend upon the shop.
Sarah Gillespie, vice president of Gillespie Florist, streamlines production by way of a “prom kit.” For corsages, this includes a cardboard box with a bag, corsage pins, a wristlet, corsage leaves, ribbon, tulle and additional trim options. Boutonniere kits include an optional holder, ribbon loops, feathers and other creative add-ons.
Assembling the kits in advance helps designers crank out more pieces, reduces stress for the entire staff and prevents the shop from looking like bedlam when customers arrive in droves the night before or the day of prom.
“Before, the designers were literally carrying around the corsage and boutonniere boxes, gathering the materials in each box then carrying the boxes back to their design stations to assemble the product,” Gillespie said.
The kits reflect the input of customer service representatives, who take the prom orders and report what styles teens are ordering. Once the kits are distributed, Gillespie designers take over the process without the burden of rummaging through bins to find the right ribbon or bracelet; meanwhile, customer service employees, no longer busy answering designers’ questions, are available to take more prom orders, improving profitability even more.
Looking for other ways to maximize labor efficiency and reduce stress this prom season? Check out more ideas from Floral Management’s past prom issues here.
