SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 8 February 2021 - AsSingaporeans spread the love this Valentine's Day, local florists likeFloristique roll up their sleeves to cater to the peak in sales. Unperturbed,owner Wendy Han knows all too well about the hustle. Taking a leaf out of herbook, she shares five tips on what e-commerce businesses can do better toremain operationally-ready.

1. Build good partnerships

Oneof the most important aspects that underpin the success of Floristque is itspartnerships with professionals. Having engaged with logistics companyLalamove, Wendy rests assured that deliveries of her Valentine'sDay flowers will run smoothly. 

"Logisticsis usually the main concern during peak seasons," she adds. "Hiringprofessional logistic providers to manage the bulk of orders means I can betterutilise my manpower."

Maintainingrelationships with overseas partners for fresh flower delivery is alsocritical. However, the strong support from local suppliers just minutes fromtheir store means they always have resources to tap on.

2. Invest in infrastructure &resources

Asa florist, one cannot compromise on fresh flowers. Having to pre-book stalksahead of time to fulfil orders that came in as early as 14 January, there was aneed to keep these flowers at best from the moment they arrived. Building a newcold-room to store all her fresh flowers proved effective. Now, she couldpurchase more in advance and store flowers safely to complete the hundreds oforders that will trickle in on the week of Valentine's Day.

Herbrand new fleet of vans that are delivery-ready is also something Wendy can'tget enough of. "They are bigger, so they can hold more flowers. I no longerhave to worry about the lack of resources to complete my orders on thelast-mile."

Investmentssuch as these, she notes, are necessary when you consider a long-termperspective.

3. Go digital

Freshflowers must always be delivered on time, so Wendy found a solution in acustom-built GPS where delivery locations are optimised to each driver on theroad. Hiring a programmer was necessary for this, she says, adding thatbusinesses must look towards streamlining processes and simplifying workflowswith the help of technology wherever possible. "Embrace the technologies andmake them work for you."

4. Expand your team

Afterobserving month-on-month growth in sales, Wendy knew her team would not be ableto handle the uptick in orders when the peak season arrives. In a strategicmove, she invested in experienced florists and customer service assistantstrained to work collaboratively on day-to-day operations. Noting that it maynot always be cost-effective for businesses to expand manpower just to meet thesurge, Wendy advises exploring freelancers and part-timers as a temporarysolution.

5. Set operational strategies

Astrong strategy for operations is always essential to businesses likeFloristique. Foreseeing the peak in orders on Valentine's Day itself, Wendysets a plan. First, she ensures to cap her orders within her production andoperational capacities, so nobody - florists and drivers - is overworked and noorder is compromised. Second, she will have enough staff on standby to cater toany last-minute requests.

"Alwayshave a plan B too if things go wrong," Wendy adds. "Customer service is moreimportant during such seasons, so having a full-proof strategy is necessary."

About Floristique

Brainchildof floral-enthusiast Wendy Han, Floristique specialises in floral arrangementsof all types, from fresh bouquets, flower baskets and bags to wedding floraldecorations. With free flower delivery across Singapore, Floristique ensuresthat flowers are readily available to those who need them. Same-day deliveriesare also available for orders made before 2pm on weekdays and 12pm on weekends.For more information, visit their website: https://www.floristique.sg/