Summary
• Forest Garden launched Forest Connect in 2008.
• In the past 12 months it generated £2.5m worth of sales.
• Customers receive a 2.5% discount for ordering online.
• Customers can view their order history.
• Recent developments include continual order tracking.

Since Forest Garden launched its online ordering system, Forest Connect, in 2008 the facility has become an increasingly important sales tool, generating £2.5m worth of orders in the past 12 months alone.

More than one-third of Forest Garden’s independent trade customers – garden centres, builders merchants and retailers – use the system on a regular basis, and this is expected to increase significantly as new developments in the system make ordering even easier.

Forest Garden designed Forest Connect to offer as much flexibility and convenience as possible, with the aim of providing a one-stop shop for every ordering need.

Entirely password protected for optimum security, access to Forest Connect is via Forest Garden’s website – www.forestgarden.co.uk. Once customers have accessed the system they are shown their own dedicated page, which includes details of past orders and the latest prices. As an added incentive, customers receive a 2.5% discount for every stock order they place through Forest Connect.

Wide range of functionalities

The real benefit of Forest Connect lies in the wide range of functionalities, all designed to make ordering Forest products as easy as possible. Orders for stock and home delivery can be placed directly into the system, while users can also compile quotes and view ‘saved’ orders. Access to sales order history is also possible, enabling retailers to review their best-selling lines so that better buying decisions can be made.

Added to this, Forest Connect allows users to view product promotion opportunities such as bulk deals, helping them to maximise seasonal sales potential in advance of consumer demand. A reminder email is also sent on the day of ordering to prompt order acknowledgment, as is an update during the order process if it does not meet the minimum carriage paid, enabling additional items to be added.

Order tracking

Recent developments in the system have also included the introduction of continual order tracking, including details regarding expected delivery dates, plus immediate stock level notifications (using a traffic light system of red, amber and green to highlight stock availability), which has helped retailers plan orders and stock quantity effectively, particularly during peak seasons. Ordering facilities to receive Forest’s marketing support materials will also be introduced.

“Forest Connect has been designed exclusively with our trade customers in mind,” said sales and marketing director John Gomersall. “We wanted to offer a facility that made it really easy to access our product portfolio, and provide a one-stop shop for all their ordering needs. The system was designed entirely from scratch to our own bespoke specification so that it works in harmony with our existing systems. Orders are placed in real time, ensuring that stock is secured the moment an order confirmation is received.

“Since its launch in 2008, we have worked closely with those customers that have adopted the system to continually update and upgrade its functionality. It means we are not only able to build a system that works efficiently but we are able to attract a significant number of new users.”