PR ES I DEN T’S COLUM N
IT’S TIME TO MAKE IT PERSONAL As usual, September was hot and dry, then cool and wet. While last month I may have been holding onto every last ounce of summer, I am now ready for fall. For those of us in the nursery industry, this means the beginning of digging and shipping season – one of the craziest seasons we have. Not only are we trying to handle fall planting, we are also working through the marketing of plant material for winter trade shows – and, believe it or not – planning for spring. If you were to ask me what my favorite part of my career is, it would be said without hesitation that giving our customers the nursery tour and explaining the how, what and when of what we do and why we do it tops my list. Not only does it give our customers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to get materials into their hands, but it gives me a chance to learn about their businesses, allowing for a better working relationship to be formed.
MARIE MCCONNELL Lake County Nursery
completion dates been effected,” and “How is your company surviving,” or “Have you had to lay many people off, or turn away much work?” Truth be told, until now I’ve tried to avoid writing about the labor shortage, because the news has not been good. That said, there may be a silver lining on the horizon – and while it may be a small one – it’s an impressive one. But, it also adds another question to my arsenal…
If you’ve been on the tour, then you know that I come prepared with a set list of questions. I ask these questions because it not only gives me the opportunity to understand your business better, but also helps me recognize whether we’re both open to learning and sharing with each other, which in the end, helps us form a long-term working relationship. Personally, I’ve always felt anyone can take an order, but taking a company from the status of a ‘prospect’ to a ‘customer for life’ is a real accomplishment.
In past issues of The Growing Concern, as well as associationwide emails, Sandy has discussed the efforts of some of our members to raise money for local politicians who can help us fight for H-2B reform. Most recently, in her September Directions column, she also let you know about the program that was initiated to raise money to attend the Ohio GOP State Dinner, held in Columbus, where our industry was afforded the opportunity to sit at the table with President Trump.
That said, up until this year, my list of questions has not varied much. My focus has always been on my customers’ plant knowledge, their operations and their personal life – because knowing a person (not just their business) is essential. So, what’s changed? You guessed it – labor. Where I was once asking fairly-easy-to-answer questions, I’m now asking the not-so-comfortable ones, like: “How have your
What might have been somewhat understated, though, is that these members have literally been making the fight personal; using monies from their own wallets – not their businesses – to make sure ALL OF OUR VOICES are heard, NOT just theirs. All-in-all, 33 individuals donated over $75,000 of their personal money, so that 22 of our members could attend the GOP dinner, 3 of which got to speak with the President face-to-face. continued on page 6 The Growing Concern | October 2018 | 3