Behind the Buyer Curtain
Hi! I am Molly and I have been with Christensen’s for 14 years. Many of you may remember me from my days on the perennial lot. These days, I am the perennial buyer, sadly working at a desk (not so sadly during a heat wave or rainstorm). My main goal is to source fresh, quality perennials that are landscape ready!
I wanted to give you a little peek behind the curtain, so that you can understand all that goes into offering the best customer care possible!
Let me start with the most important aspect of my job: timing. The plant buyers are always working one to two weeks out. For example, today is Monday July 13th. By the end of this week, I will have trucks for the week of July 20th set in stone and am unable to make additions or changes.
This is how I lay out the perennial shipments. Each sticky note represents a shipment, sometimes several. It's necessary for the plant buyers to plan several weeks in advance - not only to source stock material but to plan for
large orders.
You might be wondering, why do I need to know this?? As the contractor, it’s important to understand the lead time required to get your material to Christensen’s. Basically, the buyers need a week or two, sometimes more (depending on time of year) to get you exactly what you need. If you need something ASAP, let us know ASAP so your material arrives fresh and in a timely fashion.
If a project requires a large quantity of a plant, or something funky no one has ever heard of, please let us know, in advance! We want to help! But we order your plant material from all over the country, and with the logistics involved, it takes proper planning on our part.
I use this form to keep a running list of what I need to order from a given vendor on a given truck. This list is then emailed to the vendor.
Note that next to the Aster October Skies, I have (Qts?) written. This happens sometimes where you, the customer, ask for a certain size or a specific plant. After checking my sources, I might have to think outside the box and come to you with alternatives.
Flexibility on both sides ensures we get the best possible results for everyone!
There is another snake in the grass to be wary of. Say you give me the list of materials and deposit right on time, I order it for the following week, and all is good. Then the dreaded “bounce back” email arrives, notifying me that the plants are no longer available: crop loss, water issues, pruning issues, someone stole them for another order. Whatever the reason, your plants are not coming as planned.
As a buyer who prides herself on meeting deadlines, this is not an ideal situation for either of us. After follow-ups with your salesperson, who will then notify you of the snag, the plants are added to my “get it here now!” list and your arrival date is pushed back at least another week.
Why am I sharing this bit of information? It’s a gentle reminder that some things are out of our control and many issues can be mitigated with advance planning. For example, after receiving a “bounce back” email, there still might be a chance to meet your deadline because it’s several weeks away.
Finally, advance notice of large or unique orders allows the buyers time to search. Even if you are unsure of the exact date, let us know! I am always putting out feelers to my suppliers, inquiring about finish dates and availability, and am sometimes able to place plants on order for me until we are ready to ship. This will secure your order until you are ready for it! Please know that with special order items, or large quantity shipments, we require a deposit of up to 50%. This lets the buyer know that the order is good. And lets you know, I AM ON IT!
This image is just a sample of how I track needed plants.
Much of my day is spent looking at "Availability Lists" from our suppliers.
By keeping a "Needs List", items are less likely to get missed.
Let your sales person know if there's something you need to add to my list.
The moral of the story is that we, the buyers, are committed to providing you with quality material, in stock when you need it. That quality, however, requires regular turnover. Therefore, we may not have the quantity or item you’re looking for on any given day. Advance notice allows the buyers to work with you to source the material you need when you need it. When situations out of our control pop up, please know that we work hard to make it right.
Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your orders! 
