Oct. 9, 2009, Toronto — To help retailers enhance customer relations and increase customer response speed, this month’s Garden & Floral Expo is launching the Green Tech Force, a showcase of experienced technology experts, vendors and consultants.

Garden & Floral Expo is being held at the Toronto Congress Centre on Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year’s theme is, “Trends for 2010.”

Across Canada, retailers are recognizing that technology facilitates their business communication. They look for technology that suits their needs. At Garden & Floral Expo, they will discover communication tools and vendors who are on the cutting edge. The Green Tech Force experts will answer questions, host mini-workshops and demonstrate a variety of technology tools related to IT training, website management, email newsletters, and wireless POS, among other topics.

Technology vendors participating in the Green Tech Force include:

• C-Seven Media, a leading web developer for creating sites and business solutions that help increase business and revenue. Visit them to discuss websites, web content management, search engine optimization, and e-newsletter marketing.

• SBI Nursery Software, a software partner exclusive to the green industry. They work with retail garden centres, wholesale growers and landscape distribution centres to provide business e-management software that includes handheld wireless sales and inventory, point of sale, production management software, live web inventory and online orders, and more!

• JN Software Training, which offers consulting expertise that helps you make better use of your software and IT systems, and tackle obstacles previously viewed as insurmountable. You will expand your skills, enhance your IT confidence, and keep your boss, employees and customers happier. The company offers one-to-one and small group training sessions that make your business processes work better.

• Chase Paymentech, a leading global payments firm and one of the world’s largest merchant acquirers. As an industry leader in payments processing, Chase Paymentech provides credit, debit, gift card and e-commerce solutions, as well as the most recent Chip and PIN and Contactless point-of-sale (POS) technology. In addition, they possess Canadian-specific industry experience and a reliable reputation that customers depend on.

• Two-West.com, a renewable energy product developer, distributor and marketer engineering a number of wind turbine products with solar accessories. Two-West works with businesses eager to embrace environmental sustainability initiatives as part of their branding and corporate strategies. It is also a marketing and branding group with over 30 years of expertise and experience in the branding and outside visual communications industry.

Garden & Floral Expo is Canada’s fall buying show for the green and floral industries. Over 3,400 buyers will attend the expo, which showcases new products, recent plant and floral introductions and product demonstrations.

The Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association has over 2,000 members. Its trade mission is to promote the horticulture industry in Ontario, and its public mission – Green for Life – promotes the joys and benefits of plants and green spaces. Visit www.landscapeontario.com for more information.