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Working in conjunction with flower growers, we are making improvements to Floriday so that the platform is better suited to the way they do business. Going digital means working faster and more efficient processes. It also means fewer errors and greater security for your customers. We recently spoke to Robin van der Knaap at the Together2Grow nursery about the link with Floriday and the results for his organisation.
Together2Grow (part of the Decorum brand) began as two separate family businesses which merged together some 15 years ago through a shared passion for growing alstroemerias and florincas. Robin, joint owner and responsible for sales, ICT and marketing: "We have now grown into a company with 75 employees, spread across several locations. Since 2016, we have also had a production site in Ethiopia, where we grow alstroemerias in partnership. Whereas we used to have 10 customers, we now supply 150 customers each week. We sell 35% of our produce via the auction and 65% through direct sales. We use Greenmaster software for this, which is linked to Floriday. Moving to digitisation has played a role in our success and visibility."
Working more efficiently and minimising errors
Moving to digital demands change and a fresh approach. How did Together2Grow find this? Robin: "We used to work by phone, Whatsapp and email. All orders came in that way. It was quite prone to error as we were re-typing a lot to create the final order. Now we do as much as possible digitally. We have been closely involved in the development of the Floriday platform since its inception. It helps us work more efficiently and minimise errors because you no longer have to retype data."
Challenges for flower growers from digitisation
"We certainly see digitisation as a challenge, but overall it's just a matter of time before we can't imagine working any other way. The main challenge is working on all the different software, which takes time. We started testing buyers' systems regularly. One at a time to start with, but this soon got quicker because after a while you have solved most of the stumbling blocks."
Sharing information more within the sector
We asked Robin what benefits he has found from working digitally. "Before, we used to phone and email a lot. Where previously the mailbox was full by 6 am, it is now virtually empty. This means you have time for other conversations with customers, such as discussing new products and business trends. And as a grower, trading through Floriday also gives you guaranteed instant payment. We are also working faster and sharing more information about our products, such as where they come from and what certification we have. We are keenly anticipating the exchange of sustainability data such as carbon footprint: initial steps have already been taken in this respect. This promises added value for the floriculture industry and Floriday has made it something which can be shared very easily."
Opportunities for flower growers too
We can see that many plant growers are already using Floriday every day. But Floriday is also a platform with many opportunities for flower growers. Robin: "Flower growers should try Floriday, be open to change and expand their network thanks to digitisation. We would never have gone from 10 customers to 150 without digitisation."
Our wish list: dynamic pricing
"With the current platform, I miss being able to apply dynamic pricing based on supply and demand. Prices vary from week to week. By applying dynamic pricing to each item, we can ensure the best possible price and generate more sales."
Working as a cooperative using Floriday as a global platform
And also as a cooperative, we need to work together. To take the next step in digitisation, we will have to embrace Floriday. As a result, we will be strong as an industry sector, we will work more efficiently, make fewer mistakes and be able to share information easily. We can also collect data as an industry so that we have a better understanding of where our products are being marketed. The platform means our products are not only traded physically here in the Netherlands, but also beyond our borders, increasing sales opportunities. So let's be trailblazers and create a global platform from here in the Netherlands."