Department: Plant Centre
- Very rainy day job of clearing up loft & throwing out things above the office where display materials are kept.
- Went round picking up plants that had fallen down in outdoor sales area.
Introduction to the Customer Service Desk:
- Solely for the purpose for advising people on things related to the Plant Centre itself. May end up imparting quick horticultural advice even if not relating to a plant being bought, but if a RHS member would generally point them to 'Advisory Service' for that, who has a desk there too on the other side of the room. Print out Horticultural leaflets on many topics (written by advisory) to give to people, tries to use RHS only material - part of being not the average garden centre.
- Has plants lists (e.g. of roses, fruits that they stock etc).
- They use NAVISION that has an item browser to see if plants are in stock. Has Dashboard showing how much has been made on the day so far. Customer orders/ reservations are taken manually then put through this system. When stock comes in, notification is given through a computer system, then you can print out order receipt and put a yellow tag (with name of person, date & order no.) on item and put in reservation area (Photo 1). Reservations are kept for two weeks.
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| Photo 1: A-Z Reservations area. Indoor things are kept in a different smaller section inside. |
- There is a shop online but it has nothing to do with the plant centre/ shop - Crocus manages and runs that (who also does Tesco & Waitrose's site(?) Plants tend to be more expensive on there.
- They deal with deliveries - covers most of Surrey but not London (close but don't do it because of costs like congestion charge). £20 within a certain zone e.g. GU5, GU6/ Esher - Redhill. And £40 for a certain area outside of this zones. One price for multiples unless more than one person is required to deliver/ carry - then there are extra charges.
- They also process returns. If electrical, through sale of goods act they have to refund. If unwanted - refund. All hardy plants bought not in a sale have a 5 year guarantee (Photo 2; this started three years ago - doesn't apply to plants bought before this), as long as there is receipt, the plant is returned with a rootball, ideally a label; they are given a credit note. A form is filled in and taken to tills to deal with actual refund.
- They deal with deliveries - covers most of Surrey but not London (close but don't do it because of costs like congestion charge). £20 within a certain zone e.g. GU5, GU6/ Esher - Redhill. And £40 for a certain area outside of this zones. One price for multiples unless more than one person is required to deliver/ carry - then there are extra charges.
- They also process returns. If electrical, through sale of goods act they have to refund. If unwanted - refund. All hardy plants bought not in a sale have a 5 year guarantee (Photo 2; this started three years ago - doesn't apply to plants bought before this), as long as there is receipt, the plant is returned with a rootball, ideally a label; they are given a credit note. A form is filled in and taken to tills to deal with actual refund.
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| Photo 2: Plant guarantee & conditions. |
- Lost Property
- I.D. badges for visitors & contractors.