Dan Simmons is sales manager, Kokopelli Nursery, 9160 K-7 Highway, Lenexa, KS 66227; (913) 397-0020; fax (913) 397-0070; dsimmons@kokopelli
nursery.com.

You know the kind of customers I'm talking about -- the ones who will stand atop the nearest mountain and scream as loudly as they can that we've exceeded their expectations.

We've all got customers like this, don't we? They're the 20 percent of our customer base that accounts for 80 percent of our annual sales.

I'm not talking satisfied customers. Satisfied customers are a dime a dozen. Loyal ones are worth much, much more.

As a sales manager, I am rapidly learning the value of loyalty. I've had to. Our company, Kokopelli Nursery in Lenexa, Kan., is the new kid on the block -- the young upstart -- and we realize that today's customers are smarter, more discerning and definitely more demanding.

I've never been content with simply having satisfied customers. For me, customer satisfaction is merely a starting point. My final destination, as yours should be, is customer loyalty, and I am unwilling to compromise.

Rarities and staples

Kokopelli Nursery is a horticultural resource and distribution center just west of Kansas City. We specialize in te procuring rare, unusual and hard-to-find plant material, but we also offer a line of popular shade, ornamental and evergreen trees, shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses and groundcovers.

Since opening on June 1, 2000, we've remained committed to providing both residential and commercial landscape contractors, as well as other green-industry professionals, the opportunity to purchase hand-selected, premium-quality nursery stock in a fun, friendly, relaxed environment.

We tend to be somewhat nontraditional in our approach to business, perhaps even a tad unorthodox. But what's more important is we've given our customers a choice. We've offered them something different, new and exciting.

As a distribution center, our goal is pretty much the same as everyone else's: Buy and sell. It's how we get there that differs. For starters, Kokopelli Nursery is the only exclusively rewholesale distributor of nursery stock in the Kansas City area.

Our local competitors are growers first, wholesalers second. Our mission is much simpler. Buy, sell and create happy, loyal customers.

The benefit we offer over the others is that we are not married to our own inventory. We have the luxury of seeking out the absolute best plant material offered by some of the nation's finest growers.

Small in stature

Next, because we aren't growers, we find ourselves as the smallest distribution center in the area, having a holding yard of less than 10 acres. Being the smallest, we recognize the importance of turning our inventory regularly and maintaining a consistent supply of fresh stock.

We're also aware of the fact that a smaller piece of land necessitates a simpler floor plan for the nursery. This results in quicker loading times for customers picking up orders and for our own crews processing orders for delivery.

We take this point very seriously. The longer it takes for crews to get in and out of the nursery, the more costly it is for our customers. Less time at the nursery equates to more time on the job.

These are just a couple of the more obvious ways we differ from the other distribution centers in Kansas City. As a resource center, however, the differences are greater still, although much more subtle.

For example, when was the last time a supplier sent you the resume of an outstanding applicant that they had received, or offered to post your open positions in their office? At Kokopelli, this is something we routinely do for our customers.

After all, why wouldn't we? It doesn't cost us anything. I'm a firm believer in matching quality people with quality organizations and can't stand to let a good one get away.

By passing along resumes, we've placed a number of key people with some of our best customers. All of these new hires were able to make an immediate contribution to the success of their new employers. Does this provide customer satisfaction? Certainly. Does it promote customer loyalty? You bet!

Teach your customers

Kokopelli also differentiates itself by providing networking opportunities for customers and a chance to interact with peers and suppliers. For the second year in a row, we partnered with Ryan Lawn & Tree, a Kansas City maintenance firm, to co-sponsor a half-day networking seminar and workshop for independently owned green-industry businesses.

This invitation-only event brings together landscape contractors, designers, professional gardeners, horticulturists and related affiliates for educational purposes and to exchange ideas. With 25-30 companies represented by 45-50 people, this forum has proven itself to be a solid stepping stone for strengthening our local industry, promoting our company and increasing customer loyalty.

Want to know something else? It was simple, inexpensive and effective.

We have taken what was, at least locally, the complicated and convoluted process of supplying goods to landscapers, and reduced it into its three basic, essential elements:

1. Provide quality products.

2. Offer competitive prices.

3. Deliver outstanding, world-class customer service.

As we say around the office, it ain't rocket science. Take care of people, make it easy for them to do business with you, and cultivate long-term relationships both personally and professionally.

In a nutshell, that's what developing customer loyalty is all about. Listen to your customers. Treat them as individuals, not account numbers. Give them a reason to stand on the mountain and shout your name.

. . © 2003 Branch-Smith Publishing