800flowers cuts call center cost

[mlou]

Call in an order to 1-800-Flowers.com Inc. for Mother's Day, and there's a good chance it will be handled by a home-based agent. The same is true for consumers calling The Vermont Teddy Bear Co. or to book a room at a Wyndham International Inc. hotel.

http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dsbiz/152bd2.htm

She's an employee of 1-800-Flowers, but never leaves home. She does it all online. "It's perfect," she says.

http://9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGN...MPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf
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[BOSS]

FTD **used** to have the same thing...even some of their tech support was done this way, however today, I think they have brought it all back "in house".

It is the most cost effective way to do things...might even work for smaller operations for holidays, however the phone systems needs may make it cost prohibitive for most...

 

[clay]

Other Florists

I know that this is also how some of the calls that go to Walter Knoll Florist are handled -- I think the overflow calls, those that don't get picked up at the store within a certain amount of rings (he's very anti-voicemail for customers).