Catch them young, watch them grow

Rein: “Our activities are very diverse. From providing various figures for the management to registering transport orders for export customers. Conducting performance interviews and supporting the sales department…”

Joke: “Actually, I am a jack-of-all-trades. Whatever comes my way, I pick up!”

Rein: “I get a lot of freedom to do my job. In addition, it is nice to work for a growing company where more and more attention is paid to improving and automating processes. I think this is important to be able to continue in the future to do what we have become big and good at: selling exclusive trade! Joke is an enormous go-getter and gives everything for the ‘tent’! Her enthusiasm is contagious. In addition, she has taught me – certainly in my early days in Aalsmeer – all the ins and outs.”

Joke: “Rein generally remains calm. In recent years I have become calmer and more gentle myself.

Rein: “A few years ago we had a training day at FTG and in one of the assignments to come up with efficient solutions, each group had to use a table and a number of chairs. When two teams needed one more chair and there was only one left, we had to ‘fight’ for that last chair. Joke would not let go, even though the other person was someone from the management, haha. That was a beautiful sight and in my opinion typical of Joke: if she goes for something, she really goes for it!”

Arjan: ”I am responsible for the system administration of Floral Trade Group at home and abroad. During the day, I am busy with many different things like: server-, network-, mail-, pc-, printer management and more. Everything except Florisoft, which I gladly leave to my Florisoft-friends. Projects in the server and network area are my speciality.”

Joost: “I am a helpdesk employee, which means you are actually always the first point of contact in case of breakdowns or problems. This applies to both application management and system management. This means that we have to have basic knowledge of both areas.”

Arjan: “Our cooperation goes very well, we get along well and most problems are taken care of with a smile.”

Joost: “Arjan is quite direct and doesn’t mince words. I like this approach, because it is clear to both parties. I have learned from Arjan that I have to be clear. For the rest, I think Arjan only learns from me. He may be the elder in this case, but he is certainly not the wisest. Just kidding. Arjan obviously has a lot more experience and knowledge in the IT field and I certainly try to make use of that.”

Arjan: “I’ve learned a bit about how the younger generation thinks, although I still have my reservations about that now and then… I think the biggest difference is in the way we solve and trouble-shoot problems. How do I deal with this? I try to explain as well and as calmly as possible how you can view and solve a problem.”

Lianne: “Not one day is the same with us and that keeps the work fun. The contact with everyone is very friendly. The mutual bond with the ladies in the back office is nice and cosy and we are all there for each other, if necessary.”

Cees: “It is indeed varied work in which, over time, you can build relationships with clients that give a good feeling every time you have contact. Corona has been an obstacle in that recently, but once we get back to normal, I’m sure that will recover quickly.”

Lianne: “Our cooperation is very good. We are honest and open with each other. We can also talk about private matters together. For example, I really enjoyed it when his daughter got married in India and I was kept up to date about it by the photos that Cees sent me.”

Cees: “After a long period of time you know what you can expect from each other, and so you complement each other well in order to keep the client as satisfied as possible. Lianne is very direct in her thinking and working. That means I have to react quickly. Differences are also bridged by standing up for each other or offering assistance where possible.”

Lianne: “When Cees turned 60 we were in Frankfurt for a trade fair. The weather was great, we sat outside with colleagues on the terrace with garlands and a cake. You forget for a moment that you are at work!”

Julian: “I am the production coordinator and my main task is to plan the units to be produced and the staff needed to do this. I also take care of the cost calculation and present the results of the production department.”

Johan: “I work at the business office. Together with Tim den Hollander and Patrick de Jong, we take care of all the production orders every day.”

Julian: “Johan has much more experience with the extreme peak periods within Summaflor and knows how to keep his head cool. Especially during my first peak period (Christmas 2020) there were 1001 things that required my attention and I sometimes lost myself in them. I learned from Johan that you achieve the most by keeping calm in ‘the heat of the moment’.”

Johan: “We complement each other very well indeed. My experience and Julian’s eager ambitions make us work well together. We have a lot of contact about the progress of the daily process and what tomorrow will bring.”

Julian: ”Sometimes we clash. I have an obsession with closing every open bin I see, including the one in his office. Johan, on the other hand, is used to showing his inner Michael Jordan at every paper clipping or clock tower. This leads to a harsh confrontation every day.”