Planteria October 2005
"Excellent professional service and top quality plants from Indoor Garden Design.
A short tube ride from Euston on the Northern Line brings you to Highgate, home of Indoor Garden Design. This well-kept industrial building is home to one of the U.K.'s major landscaping companies.
The entrance provides an immediate view of their huge collection of interior plant material, which completely dominates the building. What is also apparent was the quality of each plant, evident by the volume of polished foliage that engulfed us as we walked between trolleys and shelving. Plants from floor to ceiling, not crammed in but carefully arranged ready for dispatch to clients sites within the next few days.
THIRTY-YEAR TRACK RECORD
This is the Head Office for an interior landscape company with an impressive thirty-year history and certainly an enviable track record of clients and client service.
Indoor Garden Design Limited is an independent landscaping company founded by Ed and Brita Wolf in the mid 1970's to supply tropical plants to offices in London. Great attention to detail backed up with excellent customer service has been at the forefront from those early days. The result is an enviable client list that still contains some of those first names, many of which have moved on to new, larger sites and taken Indoor Garden Design with them.
Ian Drummond is one of the four executive directors who is totally committed to the company philosophy and is responsible for making things happen. On many large prestigious sites he acts as Project Manager to co ordinate the many diverse actions required. Examples have included the removal of external glass walls to allow mature specimen trees to be planted within an older building development and the seasonal window displays at a famous department store in central London where work could only take place throughout the night. He is currently working on large-scale alternative Christmas displays.
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ARCHITECTURAL NETWORK
A strong network of contacts with architects and designers ensures that Indoor Garden Design is involved at the early planning and discussion stages for new projects. Many existing clients are keen for IGD staff to be in contact with their site facilities managers to ensure contracts develop and run smoothly. 'These links are important to us, we are looking for long term relationships with clients' says Ian Drummond.
VITAL STAFF TRAINING
There is no specific sales team out on the road; the company believes that every member of staff represents IGD when out on a site. All staff, including Plant Technicians receive detailed training not only on horticultural topics relevant to interior landscaping and plant knowledge but also how to carry out operations safely, efficiently and appropriately within very sumptuous surroundings for very prestigious clients. 'Staff training is vital' says head of marketing, Emma James, 'Maintenance programmes are on two week cycles, our technicians are responsible for making sure they have the equipment, material and any plant requirements for their particular sites. It is essential they work professionally, training ensures this happens'.
Staff retention is good, a ten/twelve year stay being average, with some members having over eighteen years service to date. The company has developed its own training manual and has appointed personnel specifically for staff training and development.
Other interesting corporate initiatives adopted by all staff are the green environment issues, from turning lights off, recycling waste materials and travelling to work Ð there were several bicycles parked in the yard. The new look company vehicles in their individual 'foliage' livery designs are selected for their efficiency, the first electric van is undergoing trials at present.
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SICK BUILDING SYNDROME
A company with such a positive attitude towards global environmental issues is popular with many image conscious multi-nationals and has played a part in negotiations with potential clients.
The health of buildings and the people that work in them has had considerable research carried out to determine the extent of 'sick building syndrome'.
There is evidence that living plants within the working environment can dramatically improve the well being for all concerned. Indoor Garden Design Ltd are at the forefront for companies wishing to improve their indoor work environments with high quality plant material.
Prospective clients are invited to visit and view the plants and designs. 'For some schemes we can build models or use materials and plants to construct a mock up so clients can visualise our proposals more clearly' says Ian Drummond.
Indoor Garden Design also provides clients with comprehensive information packs and documentation to support their plans and proposals.
The evidence of this hard work and commitment towards the landscape profession was hanging on the walls of their main office Ð there were several dozen top awards from the leading industry bodies for some exceptionally good completed contracts.
Continuity of excellent professional service and top quality plants has allowed this company to maintain its position among the few leading UK landscapers."
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