Ready, Set…: Maple Ridge Farms in the First Quarter
February 19, 2014
iStock_000009666715Small-300x208.jpg
Getting the year off to a solid start is essential to success!
After the hectic time that is the fourth quarter at Maple Ridge Farms, we look forward to the first quarter and the opportunity to catch our breaths, look around, and evaluate where we stand. Although we enjoy the chance to get in a spot of skiing at nearby Granite Peak, there is also plenty to keep us busy in the office!
Across the board, the first quarter is the perfect time for review. What worked, what didn't? Where can we improve to provide an even better customer experience? Are there other services we can offer our distributors? It's also a great time to assess our internal processes and begin preparing our manuals for the next season, so they're ready when a new crop of fresh faces arrives.
The first quarter is a whirl of marketing opportunities and tradeshows. (Our booths are never empty, and there are never any samples left!) Our sales team is busy following up on leads, even as calls and emails continue to roll in for projects large and small. This keeps our order processing and production teams hopping, as well, as they work hard to get those orders out the door.
Perhaps most exciting, the first quarter is when we decide on our new products. Our office becomes a flurry of packaging and tasting samples as we consider what the perfect additions to our line are, narrowing down countless options to give our distributors a wide variety of gifts to present, with a mix of selections ranging from timeless and traditional to contemporary and unique. Once the new products are chosen, it's time for us to begin work on our catalog, where months of effort come together with beautiful photographs that look good enough to make anyone's mouth water.
Although it lacks the frenzied pace of the fourth quarter, the first quarter still has a thousand and one ways to keep busy. There is never any shortage of work to do, and no better time than now to do it. Everything we prepare in the first quarter helps the fourth quarter run that much more smoothly, which translates to the best service in the industry. Never underestimate the importance of preparation!
Are there any new products or services you would like to see us offer in 2014?
