Complaints on design?

Do you get more complaints on...

  • Custom

    Votes: 3 11.5%

  • Cookie Cutter

    Votes: 23 88.5%
  • Total voters
    26
BOSS

BOSS

FlowerChat Administrator
Oct 31, 2002
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Midland
www.smithsflowers.com
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Based on the complaints mentioned on another site in this thread I thought I'd just check...

Since almost, if not all CONsumer complaints posted online about products from FTD.com, Proflowers.com, 800Flowers.com and yes, sadly some florists too revolve around "cookie cutters" I thought I'd propose the above questions.

We, like you very rarely get a complaint, but 90%+ of the times, they involve faulty product and not the style. I did have one VD Week that the lady just hated (yes literally) what I did personally (staffs still talking about it, and it's still sitting in the design room even worse looking today).

Complaints? Custom or Cookies?
 
I literally had one complaint on design in the first 10 years of business. And she was right, I did a chop and drop because I was not feeling well that day.

The past two years, I've had four complaints. They did not look like the picture Bloomnet had. One of them was for $29.99 total with delivery, on Memorial Day. I should have rejected it but it was actually nearby and I happened to go into the shop. Filled with EXACT recipe, even had the magenta spray asters. Complaint was that it was not full like the picture. The order was sent through Bloomnet from BloomsToday.

And it only took me another 7 months to tell them to screw themselves!
 
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The most complaints I get are with the TF holiday specials to be completely honest...There are two reasons...The pictures always make the product seem so big like the ruby nights for Valentines...and it is a disappointment when they see it...and then on top of it the containers just don't hold quite enough water for the flowers put in them and then the flowers die prematurely and further the disappointment...

I have gotten complaints on bloomnet low end arrangements but I just tell them that it doesn't look like the picture because their arrangment will look like the picture in about 7 days...I also let them know that if they are unhappy at that point to call me and discuss it, I have even gone as far as to call them myself to check up(way far and beyond for a wire in, but my name is on it) and found that once mature the customer finds it looks like the picture...they then appreciate the fact that I sent out flowers that would last 10 days rather than 3....sometimes the complaint needs to just be diffused and explained...this is where listening ears come in real handy...
 
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listen, people are GONNA complain, it's how you DEAL with it, is going to predict the outcome!
Most people keep their complaints, to themselves, but, just WON'T come back, and we too, randomly, just call and ask how we did, and OFTEN, that easily "diffuses" ANY lurking issues!!
IF you DO enough work, across a broad spectrum, SOMEONE is NOT likely to be "happy", because we are "mindreaders" and are SUPPOSED to know that the colours DON'T match their dining room.
 
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We don't get a lot of complaints-but when we do-like Boss-they are usually quality issues and not design issues.

I chose custom designs because those are the ones that stand out in my mind. Like spending 30 minutes while a teen (or worse, teen + mom) picks out everything but the kitchen sink for a prom wristlet and then thinks it looks "too busy" when they come to pick it up!

Or the customer who says "oh, just do something bright and cheery-I'm not picky" and then when they pick it up or it gets delivered they say "I was really thinking of something with some pinks and purples...".
 
I rarely hear complaints with my work - but then again, we haven't used WS containers for many years (except occasional kinkades)
Are you gonna post a picture of this "horrible" design?? LOL
 
usually its a complaint about the size not color or style. we stay far far away from doing wire service looks like stuff. Until they start showing realistic pictures of what a person should get (the old one side shows all flowers - but all around style requirement) we will not do them

My biggest struggle is being on the same page as the customer when it comes to price = size. Lately its been the folks looking to spent $20-$30 and wanting size. I had a guy a couple weeks ago want fresh to a funeral for $20. When I told him the size, he just couldn't get it thru his head that is wasn't going to show very well next to a $75+ fresh arr. So do you decline to take the order? and yes I tried to steer him into a plant item that would look a little larger than fresh but he wouldn't budge. grrrr
 
What complaints we do get or quality issue or they best to date is: These tulips are not happy enough,I want them replaced. My designer was laughing her a@@ off but we replaced them with happier tulips.

We rarely have trouble because even when we were FTD we would tell customers the arrangements will not look like they do on our site they will look better.So no one would be disappointed
 
clay said:
The poll is skewed against "cookie cutter" IMO. What is you defination of "cookie cutter".....at best it should have Categorized as WS Cookie Cutter AND Shop Cookie Cutter.....again, IMO.
Click to expand...
I think it would have been skewed more had I added in the words: wire service.

In my mind Clay, "shop cookie cutters" are still custom designs. At least the first one is. Florists *clone* their own designs, and maybe some of their friends too,the Big Brothers creates cookie cutters.
 
Semantics, semantics ... but I get your drift.

Hmmm, we should probably start logging complaints to get a clear picture. OTOH, there's so few complaints that it's probably not worth it. I'd guess that most are quality issues (and I'd bet that most of those are hydrangeas going to sleep).

The last complaint I had was for a WS cookie cutter, but I don't count it as a valid complaint. The customer selected an vased item but asked that it be put in a basket with foam, for a hospital visit. As we all know, we can control the placement of flowers in foam and I can swear that each flower was exactly as shown on the WS photo, nor were there any substitutions. The customer had all kinds of wild claims, but I believe the real problem is that her $40 purchase didn't compare favourably to the $100 arrangements that the patient also received.
 
Well we got some complaints at Christmas. Most were Bloomlink arrangements. However, since I've been here we have also gotten other complaints, but not with my work.
So, pretty much now only I make the arrangements.

During Valentines day week, My former boss Mayra came to work for the shop. Not the first time that has happened! Anyway, I had her do most of the recipe work, I did all of the custom work and the dozens.

I am SOOOO Happy to report- Not one complaint. Not ONE! In fact it's been the opposite, people calling to speak to the manager (and I sort of wince when they say they say that) and then they say "That was the most beautiful arrangement I've ever seen." Sweet!

I'll be honest, Christmas was a disaster with complaints. But now that I get Bloomlinks policies, it's better now.

I'm dog tired though. Been working like a crazy person. I Haven't had a day off since January 31st. Came to work today at 8am to meet with a bride and her mom. Totally got the job. I have 3 more brides to meet with today. It's been a whirlwind, but a good one. PLUS I am in the middle of moving to this side of town. Yes, I'm crazy.
I told Bettina if she wanted to- to take this past week off to relax. So she did. She needed it. She's been through the wringer tha past several months. But things are looking up. She has to work today though, I can't run the shop and talk to brides at the same time.

Ok, Break time is over! Back to work!
 
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BOSS said:
Since almost, if not all CONsumer complaints posted online about products from FTD.com, Proflowers.com, 800Flowers.com and yes, sadly some florists too revolve around "cookie cutters" I thought I'd propose the above questions.
Click to expand...

The reason they ONLY get complaints on cookie cutters is because they only sell cookie cutters. You will never see a bad review for McDonald's onion rings.

Perhaps the poll should have asked "Do you get more complaints on wire orders (incoming and outgoing) or local orders?"
 
Yea but...

Like I said earlier in the thread, I wanted to eliminate the wire service aspect, and make it a style issue...
 
BOSS said:
Yea but...

Like I said earlier in the thread, I wanted to eliminate the wire service aspect, and make it a style issue...
Click to expand...

Well then I agree with Clay, this poll is skewed.

All the variables aren't equal.

If a shop's website is represented by mostly cookie cutters, then odds are more complaints will come from them, just due to sheer volume.

If a shop's website is represented by mostly custom, the odds are more complaints will come from them.

I think the cookie cutter complaints aren't a style issue, it's more of a wire service issue from a filling standpoint. The florist is unable to fill the order to specs for various reasons but fill anyways. Some causes are flower availabity, hard goods, lack of order value, or they just plain suck.

"Cookie cutter" is automatically associated with wire services, how can you not bring the wire service element into it?
 
Fair enough... I understand your point.

So the poll is skewed against wire services, but more so towards *THEIR* style and not ours?
 
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