Details Flowers, a premier florist software, is proud and excited to announce our new partnership with Kennicott Brothers & Nordlie, midwestern flower wholesalers thriving for nearly a century and a half. Working together, our brands can facilitate the day-to-day operations of many florists and event designers. In addition, our alliance will help bring joy, comfort, and beauty to countless people's lives via fresh, fabulous bouquets of floral excellence.
Much of this information comes from a recent conversation with Joe Barnes, the company's manager of marketing and new business development.
Kennicott Brothers enjoys a distinguished history. In 1836, physician and agricultural specialist John Kennicott opened The Grove Nursery in Glenview. Then, in 1881, his sons Amasa and Flint created the Kennicott Brothers wholesale company. Over time, new generations of leaders have kept the business growing and prospering.
In May 2000, Kennicott Brothers became a worker-owned organization. Specifically, it adopted an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Given that they have a financial stake in the company, all its staff members have an added incentive to provide clients with the happiest experiences possible. Isn't that a delightful way to encourage great customer service and perfection in business? In 2014, Kennicott Brothers merged with Nordlie, Inc., maintaining the Nordlie brand and rolling all its employees into the ESOP.
Harrison "Red" Kennicott III is the CEO of Kennicott & Nordlie, and the company continues to find new ways to satisfy its far-reaching customer base. Their flowers come from talented cultivators in the Netherlands, South America, and other international and domestic locales known for lush vegetation. And, for true convenience, they make deliveries six days a week to most of their clients.
Kennicott Brothers & Nordlie sells flowers to businesses in 10 states and sends non-perishable items nationwide. Further, it operates 16 physical stores, each of which services an area within a 50-mile radius.
Kennicott Brothers also brightens lives by making donations to charities and philanthropic causes. For instance, when flowers aren't purchased right away, they are often given to Random Acts of Flowers, a qualified charitable organization that distributes them to the elderly, veterans, nursing homes, hospices, etc.
As Joe eloquently said about his staff members, "Many of our key salespeople should be recognized as master horticulturists for their knowledge of flowers and greenery."
Indeed, when customers describe what they're looking for, Kennicott & Nordlie staff members can identify the precise types of flowers they seek and where to find them. Or, if the flower that a client wants isn't available where he or she lives, an employee can name a different kind that looks very similar.
Especially helpful is that Kennicott & Nordlie organizes annual gatherings at its stores. Hundreds of florists participate in these meetings, at which botanists and flower design experts present advice and information. To quote Joe again, "This continued education makes better businesses and helps ensure that their floral designers are profitable at every event." These occasions also let designers network with one another and market their unique offerings.
Of particular note is Nordlie's Spring Training series. Many people in the industry particularly enjoy and benefit from these events. They focus on floral designs that are currently popular, and vendors from across the globe get to show off their recent creations. Talk about bringing an entire industry together - we all benefit!
In addition, Kennicott & Nordlie supply plenty of valuable details about flowers and plant cultivation on their social media platforms. Plus, they send email subscribers price lists for available and popular flowers during any given week.
Why does Kennicott & Nordlie choose to do so much for its floral communities? In part, it's because they share two important things with clients: an enthusiasm for making the world more fragrant and appealing, a deep and abiding love for flowers of every kind, and a great desire to share. Given those strong commonalities, it's no wonder that their team members enjoy working with floral designers.
In return, those florists frequently shower Kennicott & Nordlie with praise on Instagram and Facebook. Joe noted, "we love those florists who share those experiences or have nice words."
At Details Flower Software, we also make customer satisfaction our top goal and get rave reviews from our clients. Joe noted that he has been hearing highly positive reviews of this program and that the Kennicott & Nordlie staff members "have seen how quickly they can communicate and send us those orders faster" when using Details. He even calls signing up with the Details a "must" for all florists.
In short, we look forward to working with Kennicott & Nordlie for a long time. What an honor to be working with a company firmly grounded in honesty, respect, tradition, excellence, and, best of all, extraordinary flowers! At Details, we believe expertise, attentiveness, and friendliness provide a firm foundation for floral success. When these attributes are combined with enthusiasm, a love of beautiful flowers, and a desire to share - it's a recipe for a beautiful bouquet!