What should I do in the first months after buying a flower shop?

A flower shop depends on timing. Stems arrive on certain days, orders must go out on others, and a few peak dates bring most of the pressure. After closing, you inherit that rhythm. Learn it before you try to improve it, and make sure the people and accounts that keep it moving are now working for you.

Wholesaler and grower accounts

Contact each wholesaler and grower early. Confirm who holds the account, learn the order days and cut-offs, and ask how past problems were handled. Suppliers like to hear a plan. Tell them what you intend to keep ordering, so the relationship starts steadily. Ask your accountant how to set up the payment terms and records for these accounts.

Order relay and website orders

Many shops take orders through relay networks and their own website. Confirm that each one now pays you, and that the contact details, delivery settings and hours are correct. Test an order from start to finish. A missed relay order can cost a customer you have not met yet. Our answer on wedding bookings when a florist is sold covers a related handover.

Designers, peaks and key accounts

The designers hold the shop’s style, so talk to each one early and ask what they need from you. Look at the calendar and plan for the first holiday peak weeks ahead, including extra hands and driver cover. Call corporate and funeral-home accounts yourself. Those customers value a familiar voice, and a visit can settle questions before they turn into worries.