With dozens of ficus species and other green houseplants - including many exclusive ones - Esperit Plants is a well-known and established name. We recently spoke with Robbert van Spronsen about Esperit Plants’ focus on digitisation, the use of Floriday, the benefits of the platform and the company’s working method. Read more in the interview!
Esperit Plants is a one-stop-shop cultivation partner for young plants, mature plants and plants in arrangements. Esperit grows many exclusive plants. After their start, the young plants grow quickly and make a carreer at Esperit Plants, the specialist in green and flowering plants. Esperit Plants sets high standards in terms of ornamental value, exclusivity and shelf life and supplies high-quality ficus species and other green houseplants to its customers.
Starting with Floriday
Esperit Plants has worked with Floriday from day one and got off to a flying start. Orders are processed by the SDF software package, which is linked to Floriday via the API connection. In recent years, more and more functionalities have been added to Floriday, giving Esperit Plants more methods of doing business digitally and adding new customers to its network. Robbert started with direct sales in Floriday. He subsequently started trying out new things and is gradually doing more in Floriday.
Up-to-date and fully stocked catalogue
Esperit Plants adds its supply for direct trade in Floriday, and uses various other functionalities. “I enjoy working with it. My colleagues and I quickly understood how the platform works. It’s easy to use and enables you to clearly communicate the current supply and what can still be ordered.”
Robbert ensures that the supply is always correct in Floriday. “Our catalogue has to be professional and well-organised. We highly value excellent product photos, extensive product information and a well-organised catalogue with collections. Floriday offers all the necessary direct sales functionalities to sell our day trade. For example, we have set up price groups for different types of customers. Which really speeds things up. In the past, different rules were created per trade item for different customers. This is no longer necessary. We are able to adapt more rapidly and trade efficiently.”
Contracts and applications
Esperit Plants also created several contracts for its regular partners, for which call of orders are created. “Contracts are easy to create and user-friendly for us and the customer. More and more contracts are being added. For example, we recently signed a contract with Hamiplant. Both parties know exactly what’s agreed. If you want to change something, it’s easy to do so.”
“The 'request' function is also good to have available. Every day we receive requests from buyers. We sometimes find ourselves with leftover products. We can then quickly sell these products via the request function. We can respond to this with minimal effort with just a few clicks!”
“We wanted to focus more on orders via Floriday”
Robbert explains that there were days that he received 7 phone calls an hour from customers wanting to place an order. Esperit Plants launched a commercial experiment for this. “We wanted to focus more on orders via Floriday” With this experiment, we tried to focus on a digital approach for our customers. We experienced that it is good to be clear and decisive about this and to make a choice.
We charge a higher rate for orders placed via the old channels, such as telephone or e-mail. Why? We also want a single environment in which everything runs smoothly. Every day, we try to take our customers by the hand with this. It’s important that we all make this transition, in order for the sector to take genuine steps forward. Floriday is our guiding principle at all times.”
Digitisation in the floriculture sector
“At Esperit Plants, we fully support the idea of digitisation in the floriculture sector. Compared with other sectors we lag behind and we need to start catching up at some point. People are often reluctant when first faced with something new. We have also observed this. I would like it if the sector could also see the benefits of the platform and this change. It has so much more to offer us.”