The Plant Bus stops at sales companies, large florists, garden centers and supermarkets to present seasonal products from several Danish and Dutch nurseries.
The Plant Bus has been traveling the Danish country roads since January 2018. Behind the wheel is bus driver Jette Malmskov, who prefers the title plant ambassador. The idea for the Plant Bus came about on the basis of her previous experience as a traveling salesperson for the sales company Greemex.
“There had to be rationalization gains to be able to plan a route and visit a large number of different customers in the same area at one time. That's what I want and can do with the Plant Bus”, explains Jette Malmskov, who as a plant ambassador can work independently.
“It is nice to see the width and the quality and to know that the plant I see in the bus corresponds to the plant I receive in a few days”, says Marianna Eskesen, left, who owns the garden center Hobbyland in Hasselager, Denmark. She gets a visit from the Plant Bus 8-10 times a year.
Runs for 27 weeks
The concept behind the plant bus is that nurseries pay for the space they need in the bus whether it’s a single box, a shelf or a whole CC-container. Typically, new and niche products are on the shelves, because the main idea is to show the widest possible assortment to the customers, who gets an overview with a single visit to the Plant Bus.
The Plant Bus is on the road in 27 weeks in 2019. Each week it stops by 20-25 customers.
Provides inspiration
The purpose of the bus tours is first and foremost to keep the customers informed and to provide inspiration for an exciting and up-to-date plant assortment. The sales are taken care of by the sales companies, and it is always the customer who decides where the order is placed. The concept includes that Jette Malmskov photographs the products, communicates information via Plantebussen.dk and the Plant Bus Facebook page.
“Another thing I really want is to give feedback to both sales companies and nurseries. Feedback on how the products are received, which colors catch attention and so on. I often find that the customers are surprised to exclaim: "I had heard that this plant was out of the market” or “This plant I have completely forgotten about - I didn't have that at all last year," says Jette Malmskov.
The Plant Bus stops at garden centers, florists and supermarkets as a showroom filled with plants in season from several Danish and Dutch growers.
Inspiring assortment
The plant bus can hold 5.5 CC containers - and three more when it is warm enough for them to be pulled out and displayed outside the bus. When the bus is full, Jette Malmskov believes she has created the world's best job for herself.
“My most important task is to contribute to the growers selling their plants, and fortunately I can feel that the customers are happy that I come around. It is great to step into a full plant bus, where you can get a lot of inspiration,” says Jette Malmskov.
For more information:
PlanteBussen.dk
www.plantebussen.dk