In today’s competitive marketplace superior customer service, up-to-date product knowledge and staff professionalism is crucial to attracting customers and retaining their loyalty. How can you gain recognition from your customers and employer for these qualities?
The Certified Nursery Professional (CNP) program is the nursery & garden industry’s accreditation scheme for people. It recognises the professionalism and expertise of individuals and encourages the public to seek out businesses that employ Certified Nursery Professionals. It also emphasises the need for ongoing skills development.
The program aims to:
- Acknowledge members’ commitment to improving their skills and abilities in order to both enrich their personal experience of work and to meet the needs of their customers
- Encourage a highly skilled industry
- Provide members with networking opportunities and access to professional development activities.
For more details, contact Anthony Curnow, Robert Chin or Alan Hollensen on
(03) 9576 0599.
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‘Why CNP…? (Certified Nursery Professional)’
‘The CNP Programme is the industry’s professional recognition scheme for individuals.’
As the newest member of the NGIV staff and development officer of the CNP programme and accreditation schemes, I have begun to scope out the position of the CNP programme within Victoria. At this stage we have just 55 CNP Accredited members, out of a lot of you in industry who are no doubt eligible! So the question I posed to myself is why should we become CNP accredited?
As members of the Nursery and Garden Industry of Victoria (particularly those of you accredited under AGCAS and NIASA), you understand the significance of the work undertaken by the NGIV and your ongoing commitment to the industry is demonstrated through your membership. No matter what level of membership you pertain, you are involved in the development of this industry by assisting to set standards and continuing to achieve a higher level of professionalism.
As a result, you understand the need to continually raise the bar, and in doing so it begins and ends with the people that operate, manage and staff the businesses and organisations of the industry. The CNP program is about investing in people. The same way we all have Superannuation as an investment in our future, it is important that we invest in people’s professional careers and the professionalism of the industry.
CNP is about adding value tothe person’s credentials by acknowledging their knowledge, skills and training as professional members of a growing industry, which ultimately results in the creativity of a highly marketable person. I am not only speaking about the marketability of the person in relation to their career development, but also your business. It shows customers and competitors that your staff are the best, giving your business the edge, making you a cut above the competition.
Your investment in your employees by ensuring they attend industry PD events to meet the CNP point system makes them accountable members of the industry. They will gain ideas from such events, network with other stakeholders, learn more about the industry which will inevitably have a flow through effect back to the overall development of your business.
Particularly for retailers - Consumers know that going to one of the large chain DIY stores that they will indeed sell you a cheaper product. But what independent garden centres need to be striving for is to not only provide a quality product at a competitive price, but with the most accurate and professional staff in the business. We need to be seen as the first port of call, particularly for new comers to gardening (generation X) and the returnees (Baby Boomers) [both growing markets], and in doing so marketing ourselves as Certified Nursery Professionals is the first step in building a quality professional industry.