A turning point is imminent. Traditional opening hours and opening days are giving way to new concepts: service times for customised bouquets, self-service shops and sales times without staff are emerging. In addition, price premiums are being charged for cut flowers or floristry services are being offered without a shop at all. The flower retail sector is becoming increasingly differentiated after coronavirus and in the wake of the multi-crisis.
The positive thing about this is that the most innovative business ideas often emerge in stagnating markets - the flower and plant market has been in decline for two years. The focus is shifting from "self-realisation and self-exploitation" to economic rationality and securing the future of the business.
Our tips:
- Take an honest stocktaking, perhaps with external help. With a view to earnings and the future, ask yourself: Are sales development, the location, the personnel situation, costs or your personal attitude key challenges? What will not change significantly, what is an "asset" for the future of your business model?
- Develop a scenario that shows the economic development of your company over the next two to three years, assuming the framework conditions and concepts remain the same. Do you recognise a perspective for securing your business? How will it develop?
- The future scenario helps you to recognise whether your business requires a continuous improvement process with little time and change pressure or a substantial transformation in order to remain future-proof.
- When it comes to self-renewal and substantial transformation of the business model, optimising the existing model is no longer enough. Take a look at your business model: How do you provide your service in the value chain, what are your added values for which customers and how do you earn or lose money? What can you leave out, what do you need to add? Go through everything: Location, time, organisation, personnel, skills, abilities and everything else that could offer potential for improvement.
- The stronger the realisation that something really needs to change, the more successful your change project will be. You need a clear vision, sufficient energy for change and the necessary skills as a team or individual to be successful with a different business model.
"Life is change - if you don't change, you will lose what you want to keep." - Gustav Heinemann
