At Safeway, we always say that our customers are like our family. Each and every day, we make meaningful connections with the countless customers who enter our stores, and often find ourselves invested in the details of their lives, their achievements, their goals, and their hardships. If there’s anyone who knows the true value of a meaningful customer connection, it’s Jane Mueller, Manager of the Floral Department at Safeway Port O’Call Mall in Red Deer.
Jane joined the Safeway family a year ago, but has devoted more than 25 years to working with flowers and creating artistic arrangements. Jane’s love of flowers goes beyond their beauty; she appreciates the message that flowers carry and the emotions that they elicit. We recently sat down with Jane to get her thoughts on the role that flowers play in our customers’ lives and the importance of the floral department at Safeway.
What makes the floral department such a unique area of the store?
Flowers carry the beauty of colours and earthy smells that always make people feel good, even if just walking through the department. I also love the sentiment flowers bring. They are not just a gift; they are a thought. Most of the time, flowers are given with meaning and come from the heart, regardless if it’s to celebrate a happy time or mourn a sad time.
I’m sure you interact with customers from all different walks of life. Why is it important to form meaningful connections with our customers – and how do you often do so?
This connects to why I’m drawn to working in floral – to help our customers express their thoughts through the gift of flowers. In my department, it’s important to interact and connect with our customers, understand their occasion and needs, then through our flower selection and bouquets, convey the messages they want to share.
Florists are creative people – we take pride and enjoy selling flowers because we see each floral arrangement as a piece of art.
What is your favourite part of working on the floral team? What is most challenging?
My favourite part of working on the floral team is twofold – working alongside the amazing team I work with, as well as the ability to be creative with such beautiful products. There is never a bad day when working with flowers.
The most challenging responsibility is forecasting the types of flowers and quantities needed for our store. We plan far in advance, so it’s important to understand trends and the wants of our customer demographic. I always strive to serve the needs of our customers the best I can.
Do you have any tips to help keep our floral arrangements looking beautiful for even longer?
There’s a few tips to help keep floral arrangements lasting longer, and it all starts with the preparation stage right in the floral department. First, be sure to use only the freshest flowers and don’t over-handle them. Always keep them in fresh treated water. Once the arrangement is complete, my key ingredient to keeping them fresher longer is the Crowning Glory Flower Spray. Lastly, when conditioning the flowers, cut the stems at least one inch to help them properly absorb water.
What do you look forward to for the floral department at Safeway?
I’m excited for the growth opportunities within the floral department because there are still many people who don’t know that there is a flower shop within their local Safeway store. Through connecting with specific groups and agencies within the community, combined with consistently exceeding customer expectations, we can greatly expand our reach and further connect with our customers during their meaningful moments, like high school graduations, school dances and corporate parties.
Be sure to visit the floral department the next time you stop by your local Safeway store, and stay tuned to Safeway Talks for more Safeway Employee Spotlights highlighting the unique work of our Safeway colleagues!
