OT: Bonus Rhizomes

From: Sharon McAllister <73372.1745@compuserve.com>

Perhaps describing the process of filling orders will help explain why you
get certain bonuses.....

I'm sure others have their own procedures, but for each "dig", we

1.      Prepare a master list of cultivars to be dug to fill the orders --
including total number of shipping-size rhizomes needed of each one.

2.      Dig, clean and label the rhizomes.

3.      Sort the labeled rhizomes into individual trays, one tray per
customer, until all specific orders have been filled.

4.      Distribute additional shipping-quality rhizomes among the orders
for surprise packages, and set up a bonus pool with any remaining rhizomes.

5.      Determine what additional cultivars are needed to complete the
surprise packages and repeat steps 2, 3 & 4.

We ship the best, replant the rest -- but when all orders have been filled
there are inevitably shipping-size rhizomes left over.  This "bonus pool"
is distributed among the orders, based on a percentage of the value of each
order.  [Once in a while, we do have to dig additional rhizomes to do
this-- but if so we select something that has outperformed expectations.]

Now, consider what ends up in the bonus pool....    

A relatively inexpensive older variety is apt to appear on a number of
orders, so that few rhizomes [if any] are available as bonuses.  

For current introductions, if even one rhizome has been ordered whatever
one thrust of the spading fork brings up must be processed.  This means
that it may or may not have been dug for a given batch of orders -- but if
it was included in the dig at least one rhizome will probably be in the
bonus pool.

Relatively new introductions are ordered more often than current ones, less
frequently that the cheapest ones -- so that these are most likely to turn
up in the bonus pool for a given weekend.

So how do you make the system work to your advantage?  If a supplier asks
for a substitution/bonus list -- by all means, include one.   Don't be shy
-- the longer your list, the more likely you'll get something that you
really want.  [Just don't expect a current introduction as a bonus for a
$15 order -- you'll probably be disappointed!]

Some of our customers have requested bonus iris to be additional rhizomes
of cultivars they've ordered.   If you have limited space, but would like
to have some instant clumps, this is a good strategy.

Sharon McAllister
73372.1745@compuserve.com

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