Business partner received first Bloomnet shake down.....

[Flowerchatter03]

My business partner is usually out of the shop alot because she does the delivering as well as all the other things that go along with owning a small business. Therefore, I usually handle most of the phone calls.

Today she happened to be in the shop and answers the phone. The lady on the other end seems confused saying that she is trying to reach a flower shop. Lisa (BP) says, yes, this is Cross Lanes Floral. Lady then asks her if she has ever heard of 1-800 flowers. She tell her yes she has. Lady goes into her speech and Lisa tells her that we are already affiliated with 800 flowers/bloomlink.

Lady changes her tune and then wants to know why we don't send orders through bloomlink. Lisa tries to be nice and explains what our own personal reasons are. Lady then tells her that if we don't start sending out orders through bloomlink, they are going to send a rep to our area and seek out other shops that will. blah blah blah.

This conversation goes on for about 10 minutes. Lady asks her about cc processing, web hosting, the whole nine yards. Lisa again tries to be nice and explains that we have the TF POS and that our cards are processed through them and that when we send out orders through them, it decreases our % of processing fees if you reach the magic number, etc. Lady says that is just a ploy to rope people in and Lisa says she know a lot of wire services that use the same tactics.

Lisa even goes on to try to explain that at the time we were looking for a POS, Bloomlink didn't even offer one, nor cc'd processing etc. At the time, we were limited to FTD, TF, or Visual ticket. Way before I ever heard of Flowerchat, florist ware, etc.

The conversation doesn't end well and after Lisa gets off the phone she asks me if 1-800 flowers needs to shake down florists to find more business. I just had to laugh and laugh and laugh!

Thought all of you would appreciate a good chuckle today. I have kept the lady's phone number. I am considering calling her back........

 

[BOSS]

The conversation doesn't end well and after Lisa gets off the phone she asks me if 1-800 flowers needs to shake down florists to find more business. I just had to laugh and laugh and laugh!

Short answer... Yes, they do need to, they're bleeding members too, and it will only get worse as time goes by.

 

[steve]

I agree Mark I think all the wire services are in trouble at this point between florist failing and dropping out and the negative press they are treading water. The other thing that makes it tough for them is once you pass a certain size business modlel the infrastructure that is in place become far to expensive to contract. So a major change in direction of their business model is probably not possible as the losses caused by the change will be to much to bare. Meanwhile they will try to fight it out and hope to be the last one standing.

 

[mikec]

While reading the initial post, did anyone else imagine that the Bloomnet rep has a voice like Edward G. Robinson?

 

[CHR]

The other thing that makes it tough for them is once you pass a certain size business modlel the infrastructure that is in place become far to expensive to contract. So a major change in direction of their business model is probably not possible as the losses caused by the change will be to much to bare.

This is the same logic used by shops who actively seek more incomings in attempts to keep existing infrastructure filled.

Do I personally know of anyone who has made it work long-term? No.

The shakedown calls always come, no matter the business' size. Either the fees to continue receiving the volume will go up, or the array of other services needed to get the volume will go up.

You can do a smashing, above-and-beyond job with quality and delivery, but they seem to care very little about that aspect. I know too many really good florists who got the shake down and walked away, leaving their inferior competitors to represent the company. And it shows.

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

and this a great "danger" to our livelihood, for those of us, that do truly give a darn about doing things "right"....

 

[BOSS]

Cathy's right. They DO NOT really CARE...

If they did, they would not use FED/UP.

We sublet our talent, and whored our same day delivery function to them, times come for that to stop.

100% direct consumer biz... mine to you, and yours to mine is THE only viable option for this decade. That alone, all by itself, would kill the wire services and OG's. Don't believe me? Think about it...tis true.

 

[Rhonda]

all it would probably take is a few words regarding .........loyalty? reciprocity? HUH??????????? Be Gone!

 

[anytimeflowers]

I think I've probably been getting those calls. After the first two times I picked up the phone just to hear a recording telling me I had "urgent messages" waiting on my bloomlink, I stopped picking up when those 866 numbers showed up on caller ID. Bloomnet would have recieved their certified letter three weeks ago. EVERY DAY, at about 10:30 am, they call four times in a row. I do not pick up. I specifically said in my letter that they should not bother to contact me unless it was through the mail. Typical of that company, they just go on about their daily dogging and pay no mind to this little puppy except to harrass the crap out of me. Never could get them to call me or talk to me when I needed to speak to them, now I seem to be their most popular person. Go figure!

Side note - I finally managed to get their software off of my crappy computer that just did not want to do anything or go anywhere. GUESS WHAT? Sucker is performing like a champ! Hmmmm...... even my computer is happy that they're gone.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

Oh how I do hate to tell you all this....

BUT....

The shop I work for is ((((((((((((((big sigh))))))))))))))))))))))) Bloomnet/link whatever the hell you want to call it.

And poor Bettina, they love screwing with her.

So here's the whole story- Bettina bought the shop 3 years ago- never worked for a florist in her life (why dear god why?)

Anyway- they USED to service a Big hospital here, former business partner pissed them off and the hosp found a new florist, and they had TONS of standing orders, that was their bread and butter.. things were great- then the recession hit. And standing after standing dropped their standing order.

They did a lot of things wrong. Well maybe not wrong per se, but for sure not right for the shop. Things got very very bad.

Then boyfriend left, he worked in the shop, and designer quit right before I came along. Bettina was left by herself.

Several months back she hooked up with bloom link (((((((((another big sigh)))))))))) Because she felt she had to.

So here's the sucky part-
She gets about $3k a month from them. She feels she needs them, and right now she sort of does.
BUT- here's the extra sucky part- they act like nazis. They send us ridiculous low dollar amount orders, we even got one the other day with a total (including delivery mind you) for $22.00

So she was rejecting these stupid low orders before I got there. But right before I got there, they call her and tell her basicly "We aren't sending you very many orders for Christmas because you reject all low orders and keep only big ones."

So, she gets the impression that she MUST fill all the orders to make them happy. So we do, even the stupid ones. I made ALL the christmas arrangements. I had to make some subs, but the arrangements were beautiful, even the stupid 29.99, including delivery.

Anyhow we got 5 complaints.... All for various reasons. Give me a break, I rarely get complaints. But the customers never call us they call bloomyuck and then bloomnazis send us a message saying "We aren't paying you for this order." And Bettina told me "That's how it works."

como??
Ok, i figured she knew what she was doing, new concept to me all around. It's her shop, so I left it alone. But I didn't realize they were really big jerks/bullies.

well guess what? Bloom link calls the other day. Bettina is not there, she had gone out of town to take a mini vacation.
I tell Bloomgross that I'm the new manager and what can I do for them. the conversation was really quite comical to me. They are so bullies. I'm not easily bullied.....

So I listen to them threaten us with suspension because we had 5 complaints. I told them they didn't even give us a chance to address the complaints. We just get a message saying too bad so sad, we ain't payin' you!
I continue to tell them "look you told her you were going to not send her orders because she rejected too many orders, so she felt she HAD to fill EVERY order we got, no matter what, just to make you guys happy. Sounds like she @@@@ed if she does and @@@@ed if she doesn't. So we are out the money it cost to pay me to make the order, the container, the flowers, foam, the delivery fee, AND the recipient gets to keep the flowers and the customer is given back their money according to the messages we receive from you "

I swear to you the Bloom-ick woman comes back with "Well Bettina needs to grow a backbone and she can send a message when she gets a cancel, then we can review and she may get paid then."

By this time I know I sort of started laughing. What a freaking joke.
Finally I said, "look do what you gotta do, if you can find a shop to fill $22 orders including delivery- go for it."

Bettina is scared, but I know her shop will survive. I KNOW we will not need stupid bloomjerks.

I have wedding consults all week long, everyday somebody calls to book a consultation. We got ANOTHER (that makes 3) card back today for a free plant. Gained another LOCAL customer.
Bettina told me she has never had so much walk in traffic as we have had in the past couple of days. The word is getting out. Funny thing is at least half of the people coming to the shop think we are a brand new business.

Marketing works, just have to know what sort of marketing to do. My plan is to be done with Bloomlink within 6 months or less. hopefully within 2 months. She wants to be able to be self sufficiant as well. I am not a slave and Bloomlink sure as heck is not my master. I'm so not a dumbass and I refuse to be treated like one!

Anyone needing to send DIRECT orders to Albuquerque please call me. Be sure to talk to me as I don't know if Bettina actually gets how f2f works. I will give you 20% discount on the whole order. We also serve some surrounding areas of Albuquerque like parts Rio Rancho, Alameda, Corrales. Kirtland AFB...

 

[prestonway]

Oh how I do hate to tell you all this....

BUT....

The shop I work for is ((((((((((((((big sigh))))))))))))))))))))))) Bloomnet/link whatever the hell you want to call it.

And poor Bettina, they love screwing with her.

So here's the whole story- Bettina bought the shop 3 years ago- never worked for a florist in her life (why dear god why?)

Anyway- they USED to service a Big hospital here, former business partner pissed them off and the hosp found a new florist, and they had TONS of standing orders, that was their bread and butter.. things were great- then the recession hit. And standing after standing dropped their standing order.

They did a lot of things wrong. Well maybe not wrong per se, but for sure not right for the shop. Things got very very bad.

Then boyfriend left, he worked in the shop, and designer quit right before I came along. Bettina was left by herself.

Several months back she hooked up with bloom link (((((((((another big sigh)))))))))) Because she felt she had to.

So here's the sucky part-
She gets about $3k a month from them. She feels she needs them, and right now she sort of does.
BUT- here's the extra sucky part- they act like nazis. They send us ridiculous low dollar amount orders, we even got one the other day with a total (including delivery mind you) for $22.00

So she was rejecting these stupid low orders before I got there. But right before I got there, they call her and tell her basicly "We aren't sending you very many orders for Christmas because you reject all low orders and keep only big ones."

So, she gets the impression that she MUST fill all the orders to make them happy. So we do, even the stupid ones. I made ALL the christmas arrangements. I had to make some subs, but the arrangements were beautiful, even the stupid 29.99, including delivery.

Anyhow we got 5 complaints.... All for various reasons. Give me a break, I rarely get complaints. But the customers never call us they call bloomyuck and then bloomnazis send us a message saying "We aren't paying you for this order." And Bettina told me "That's how it works."

como??
Ok, i figured she knew what she was doing, new concept to me all around. It's her shop, so I left it alone. But I didn't realize they were really big jerks/bullies.

well guess what? Bloom link calls the other day. Bettina is not there, she had gone out of town to take a mini vacation.
I tell Bloomgross that I'm the new manager and what can I do for them. the conversation was really quite comical to me. They are so bullies. I'm not easily bullied.....

So I listen to them threaten us with suspension because we had 5 complaints. I told them they didn't even give us a chance to address the complaints. We just get a message saying too bad so sad, we ain't payin' you!
I continue to tell them "look you told her you were going to not send her orders because she rejected too many orders, so she felt she HAD to fill EVERY order we got, no matter what, just to make you guys happy. Sounds like she @@@@ed if she does and @@@@ed if she doesn't. So we are out the money it cost to pay me to make the order, the container, the flowers, foam, the delivery fee, AND the recipient gets to keep the flowers and the customer is given back their money according to the messages we receive from you "

I swear to you the Bloom-ick woman comes back with "Well Bettina needs to grow a backbone and she can send a message when she gets a cancel, then we can review and she may get paid then."

By this time I know I sort of started laughing. What a freaking joke.
Finally I said, "look do what you gotta do, if you can find a shop to fill $22 orders including delivery- go for it."

Bettina is scared, but I know her shop will survive. I KNOW we will not need stupid bloomjerks.

I have wedding consults all week long, everyday somebody calls to book a consultation. We got ANOTHER (that makes 3) card back today for a free plant. Gained another LOCAL customer.
Bettina told me she has never had so much walk in traffic as we have had in the past couple of days. The word is getting out. Funny thing is at least half of the people coming to the shop think we are a brand new business.

Marketing works, just have to know what sort of marketing to do. My plan is to be done with Bloomlink within 6 months or less. hopefully within 2 months. She wants to be able to be self sufficiant as well. I am not a slave and Bloomlink sure as heck is not my master. I'm so not a dumbass and I refuse to be treated like one!

Anyone needing to send DIRECT orders to Albuquerque please call me. Be sure to talk to me as I don't know if Bettina actually gets how f2f works. I will give you 20% discount on the whole order. We also serve some surrounding areas of Albuquerque like parts Rio Rancho, Alameda, Corrales. Kirtland AFB...

WOW!

Good thing you're not working for me.

You'd be fired immediately.

Don't care how bad YOU think the owner is...she's still the owner.

Your relationship with the owner is working on borrowed time, so...GOOD LUCK!

 

[Victoria]

May I suggest you teach Bettina how Florist to florist works.

V

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

WOW!

Good thing you're not working for me.

You'd be fired immediately.

Don't care how bad YOU think the owner is...she's still the owner.

Your relationship with the owner is working on borrowed time, so...GOOD LUCK!

Really? Why?

BTW- I do not think the owner is bad. I think she is a very nice person, I think she had poor training and was left by her entire staff, and was about to close the doors and walk away- her words, not mine.
I'm doing everything I can to help her. I'm working constantly trying to save this shop. I'm really surprised by your comments. Unbeleiveable that an employee that actually gives a crap about the shop they work for would be fired.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

May I suggest you teach Bettina how Florist to florist works.

V

Yep, asked her this morning if she understood how it works. She told me the process that was taught to her by the former owner. Lucky for me, he was old school and he taught her the right way- So one thing she did already know. YAY!
I told her my offer I extended to all the FC members, and she said "Fantastic!"
She said she always gets tax ID #, and keeps them in the shops info in the computer. That's what I always do as well. I'm glad I didn't have to explain the process.

 

[LJVF]

Really? Why?

BTW- I do not think the owner is bad. I think she is a very nice person, I think she had poor training and was left by her entire staff, and was about to close the doors and walk away- her words, not mine.
I'm doing everything I can to help her. I'm working constantly trying to save this shop. I'm really surprised by your comments. Unbeleiveable that an employee that actually gives a crap about the shop they work for would be fired.

I think you're a good fit for the job of savior for the FWOAC who has reached the eleventh hour, I'm getting a kick out following your experiments. Keep it up!

But...I would feel real uncomfortable if you worked for me and you were posting pseudo-publicly all my so-called inadequacies.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

I think you're a good fit for the job of savior for the FWOAC who has reached the eleventh hour, I'm getting a kick out following your experiments. Keep it up!

But...I would feel real uncomfortable if you worked for me and you were posting pseudo-publicly all my so-called inadequacies.

Ok, I understand what you are saying, but the fact of the matter is she's quite aware. When she hired me she said "I really need help all the way around, I need to learn"
And the whole Bloomnet nonsense is Bloomnet fault for not explaining it to her how it all should work. I put the Blame on Bloomnet, not Bettina.
I've said it before- Bettina is an amazing person, she even speaks 5 languages. She did the best she could with the things she was taught. I never meant for it to sound like I was saying Bettina was dumb, because she isn't....But I tell you what she loves me!

 

[anytimeflowers]

Shannonlovesflowers -

It has been clear to me from the beginning, back in December, that Bettina was no dummy.

She hired you as her manager, and you are doing a superb job.

BTW, I think it IS becoming a new shop, I've even grown used to the name!

 

[dhamil6490]

While reading the initial post, did anyone else imagine that the Bloomnet rep has a voice like Edward G. Robinson?

I was thinking Pee Wee Herman

 

[Flowerchatter03]

Well, I guess they mean it! Our Bloomnet orders were way down in January and down so far this month. We didn't receive nearly as many orders during the holiday as we used to. Of the few we received, I rejected some that was WAY discounted or needed items that I just didn't have. I guess with the shakedown and the rejects, we are on the @#$% list. If this keeps up and this relationship is no longer beneficial to us, we will say Adios!

I do, however, own some stock in 800flowers. Perhaps I need to go to a stockholders meeting? LOL

 

[Jenny Behlings]

[Lady then asks her if she has ever heard of 1-800 flowers. QUOTE]

I accept Teleflora orders from 1-800Flowers, but that's as close as I come to doing business with them. I do wish that they would hire people who have "heard of" flowers or at least know what one looks like - I like to play with them when they can't pronounce alstromaria (or other types of flowers), buy saying that "I don't know what that is...could you discribe it for me!" It drives them crazy!