In This Issue:

WF&FSA Operations Committee News

Customer Elimination: Brilliant Strategy or a Fool's Game?

U.S. Retail Sales Jump Over Thanksgiving. Florists Still Weighing In.

Growers Learn to Combat Top Crop Threats
CRUSH PRICE OBJECTIONS: Effectively Managing Negotiations Along the Customer Chain

WF&FSA 2013 Calendar - Check Out These Events!

So, What's New With You?
Value Partners: ABC / Amega, Inc.

 

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WF&FSA's President is Pat Dahlson, Mayesh Wholesale Florist, Inc., Los Angeles, CA.

WF&FSA's Executive Vice President is Trish Lilly.


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careWF&FSA Operations Committee News:

Care and Handling Tips from Steve Daum for THE COOLER and PROCESSING AND RESTOCKING AT STORE LEVEL - DRY PACK

 

The WF&FSA Operations Committee is happy to share with you Care and Handling Tips prepared by Steve Daumfor the cooler and processing and restocking at store level - dry pack. To read these Care and Handling Tips, click here.

 

Thanks to the Committee and Steve for a great job. We hope you find this information helpful.

customerCustomer Elimination:

Brilliant Strategy or a Fool's Game?

  

By Dr. Albert D. Bates, President, Profit Planning Group

 

Distributors have been concerned about unprofitable accounts for nearly fifty years (the first rigorous analysis of the topic, Marketing Productivity Analysis by Charles Sevin was published in 1965). The inescapable conclusion then, as now, is that distributors lose money on about one-third of their customers.

 

Until fairly recently the unprofitable customer concept was simply that, a concept. With the advent of more sophisticated technology and computer programs (especially Excel�) there is now the ability to precisely measure which customers are and are not profitable and why. Alas, such sophisticated analysis has frequently lead to automatic, ham-handed efforts to deal with the unprofitable customer problem by simply eliminating large number of customers.

 

This report will suggest that customer elimination programs have the potential to do far more harm than good. It will do so by exploring two aspects of the customer profitability relationship:

  • Customer Elimination Economics-An examination of the sales, margin and expense impacts associated with eliminating customers.
  • Customer Strategies-Some specific suggestions for ensuring that the firm drives maximum profit from its customer set.

 

To read the full article, click here.

retailU.S. Retail Jump Over Thanksgiving. Florists Still Weighing In. 
 
Reprinted Courtesy of SAF E-Brief, November 28, 2012

 

Whether it's Cyber Monday, Black Friday or Small Business Saturday, U.S. retailers in general appear to have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday. But it's too soon to tell whether florists can join the party, according to initial results of SAF's instant sales survey launched earlier today.

More retailers than ever were open for business this Thanksgiving Day, as eager shoppers put down their drumsticks and picked up their credit cards either in person or online. Online sales continued to grow; ComScore
 reported online sales jumped 32 percent on Thanksgiving Day, from $479 million in 2011 to $633 this year.

 
Read entire article.

growersGrowers Learn to Combat Top Crop Threats
Reprinted Courtesy of SAF E-Brief, November 28, 2012
  

Progressive growers will find out how to combat new and expanding threats from invasive pests, diseases and weeds at SAF's 2013 Pest and Production Management Conference, Feb 21-23 in San Francisco. The annual conference has become a must-attend event for ornamental plant and flower producers, researchers and field experts.

 

An opening presentation on the political and economic impacts of invasives sets the stage for two and a half days of training about today's most pressing crop health concerns. Researchers and field experts explain current best practices for combating issues including new Boxwood Blight, Impatiens Downy Mildew, Bagrada bugs, Whiteflies, the European Pepper Moth, dangerous exotic weeds and more. Attendees will go in-depth during four rounds of breakout hands-on workshops where they can practice disease diagnosis, pest identification and scouting techniques.

For more information and to register for P&PMC, visit
safnow.org/ppmc or contact Laura Weaver at 800-336-4743, [email protected].

crushCRUSH PRICE OBJECTIONS: Effectively Managing Negotiations Along the Customer Chain

Industrial Distribution Presents an Educational Webinar: FREE!

 

December 11, 2012 at 1:00-2:00 pm ET (10:00 am PT)

  

One of the unfortunate implications of business pressures is that they often dominate negotiations, placing pressure on prices and driving margins to unacceptable levels. Distributors, in particular, are often squeezed from both directions, by their suppliers and by their customers.

 

In this free educational webinar, George F. Brown, Jr., of Blue Canyon Partners, will discuss strategies that distributors can use to avoid this unfortunate situation and sustain positive, "win-win-win" relationships involving all three of the participants along their customer chains. Strategies involving value-added services, product line composition, pricing, and relationship management will be discussed.

 

In addition, Tom Reilly, of Tom Reilly Training, will address how to face customer demands with creativity and fairness, in order to keep profit margins intact. Tom will discuss how distributors can win price wars one price battle at a time by arming salespeople with the tactical knowledge they need to prevail in price negotiations-to persist when buyers resist.

 

You'll have the opportunity to pose questions to the expert panel via email at the conclusion of this webcast.

 

Link to register: www.inddist.com

calendarWF&FSA 2013 Calendar - Check Out These Events! 

  

University of Industrial Distribution - REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

 

The University of Industrial Distribution will be held March 10-13, 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Despite the fact that "Industrial" appears in the title, we urge you to consider this program since it is not focused on Industrial Distribution. More than 100 distributors and manufacturers have already signed up!

 

Offered each March, the four-day program offers over 30 full-day and half-day courses, delivered by the nation's leading faculty, distribution consultants and industry experts. Students choose their daily courses, based upon their needs and interests. Over 6,000 students worldwide have attended UID; with many attending multiple times.

 

Known worldwide for excellence in education, UID is developed, managed and delivered by 33 leading distribution associations throughout North America (including WF&FSA) , in partnership with Purdue University. Working together, these groups take great pride in providing a superior learning experience, tailored to the latest industry trends, at the lowest possible cost. Classes are focused on the unique needs of the wholesale distribution industry. To see the full program, click here. WF&FSA members can save $100 off each registration if delegates register by January 11, 2013.

 

Registration is now open for the 2013 University of Industrial Distribution, to be held at the JW Marriott Indianapolis Hotel on March 10 through 13. Attendance is limited - many UID sessions and classes sell out. Complete details are available on the WF&FSA website.

 

WF&FSA Management Institute

March 15-16, 2013

Charlotte, North Carolina

 

See Jim Pancero's quick video telling you what you will learn at the 2013 Management Institute!

 

October 23-25, 2013

Doral Trump Resort, Miami, Florida

socialRemember to Download Your Social Media Guide for Retailers and Wholesalers - Yours for FREE from AFE!
  

The American Floral Endowment (AFE) recently released a Social Media Guide for Floral Retailers and Wholesalers. This guide was developed by Dr. Charlie Hall of Texas A & M, and was recently presented during the WF&FSA Conference.

 

This FREE guide is your one-stop destination for all things social media! Whether you want to brush up on your social media knowledge or you are brand new to social media and don't know where to begin - this information is a must-have!  From written guidelines to videos, your social media presence will benefit from these resources!  Visit www.floralmarketingresearchfund.org and register with the site to gain access to the Guide.

  

newSo, What's New With You?

 

We'd like to know what's new with you and your company. Do you have any organizational changes? Have you changed your address? Added a new product line? Introduced a new product? Just send your information into WF&FSA at [email protected]. If you like, to simply the process, you may use the attached form. Or, just add us to your press release list. Email your press release to the email address above or send it to WF&FSA, 105 Eastern Avenue, Suite 104, Annapolis, MD 21403. We look forward to hearing from you!

value
  

 
 

New rates and free newsletter for members. WF&FSA endorses ABC-Amega, Inc., a credit collection agency with a high recovery rate,to handle your credit collection needs. WF&FSA has negotiated an aggressive fee structure for members, including a 10-day Free-Demand Period. There is no charge for collections made during the 10-day period following first contact by ABC-Amega. For More Information.