In the July/August issue of Floral Management, James DelPrince, Ph.D., AAF, AIFD, PFCI, describes how employees at a florist should prepare for the arrival of a flower shipment.
A trendy design is nothing without fresh flowers that have been properly cared for so the end customer can enjoy them for up to a week. And many times, that responsibility belongs to the employees in the shop’s back room who receive shipments, process the flowers and keep the cooler inventory.
In a new series of care and handling articles for Floral Management, James DelPrince, Ph.D., AAF, AIFD, PFCI, an associate extension professor at Mississippi State University, provides step-by-step guidance to ensure flowers maintain the highest quality from the time they are received until they leave the shop.
“The unsung heroes of the retail florist are those who process the flowers, clean the buckets and deliver the flowers,” he says. “They keep the behind-the-scenes portion of the floral operation running smoothly and efficiently and have a major effect on the products sold, the reputation of the store and building a returning customer base.”
In the first article of the series, DelPrince describes how employees should prepare for the arrival of a shipment. He suggests tracking shipment delivery dates and scheduling time to prepare for them by cleaning the processing area for dirty buckets, old vases, boxes and other objects that will slow down the process.
“An unkempt processing area leads to frustration and the potential for safety issues,” he says.
He also suggests taking inventory of flower food powders and concentrates, as well as bucket sanitizers.
For more tips on how to prepare for smooth processing and the best set up to process flowers, read the Quality column in the July/August issue of Floral Management.
Amanda Jedlinsky is the managing editor of SAF NOW.
