MANORVILLE
New Member
- Oct 2, 2006
- 1,607
- 337
- 0
- State / Prov
- NEW YORK
Did you suspend your Mercury or Dove?
- Thread starter bloomz
- Start date
- Status
I don't unerstand
The reason we never get any orders from them is we never fill for them no matter what time of the year no matter how busy or dead it is.
They learn this and they send to others who" only fill those they can make money on"
Let me tell you what "only fill those I can make money on" really means. It means I only fill those orders that I can skim enough off the top by not filling the order to value, but the end consumer won't recognize the fact.
Bosses remark is the same thing I have been saying for years. We have never shut off the Dove. No reason to. This Mother's Day had only 2 orders from OG's come in, one from our friends at 800 and the other from FU.
The reason we never get any orders from them is we never fill for them no matter what time of the year no matter how busy or dead it is.
They learn this and they send to others who" only fill those they can make money on"
Let me tell you what "only fill those I can make money on" really means. It means I only fill those orders that I can skim enough off the top by not filling the order to value, but the end consumer won't recognize the fact.
TOTO
New Member
Some will just NEVER figure it out!
Try as wee might, they'll be some florists who will never be able to figure it out.
What's that old adage: Parkinson's Law is the adage that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." A more succinct phrasing also commonly used is "work expands to fill the time available."
In other words, THE LESS WORK YOU HAVE the longer it's gonna take the staff TO DOO IT!
Which is why folks like yourself and Tom advise other florists to either CUT THEIR STAFF when they CUT A WS (or just cut out DA SKIMMERS) or SEND EM HOME when the day's work is done.
Keeping your WS machine on during a Holiday until you reach ORDER CAPACITY, is a lofty goal, if it weren't for the SKIMMER EFFECT.
Kind uv like being in a car race going at 100 miles per hour, but with no FUEL LINE FILTER.
All of a sudden, your ENGINE CARBURETOR CLOGS UP with the GUNCK (ogs and dot.con orders) coming through your fuel line, and your race car stops dead on your tracks.
That's my analogy of DA SKIMMERS and INTERLOPERS who sneak through their BACK DOORS when those florists leave their machines on during a major floral holiday after Friday Night Closing.
Most REAL FLORISTS take pride in their abilities to $ERVICE EVERY ORDER, Holiday or not.
The problem is not over the question of reaching ORDER CAPACITY, but rather, reaching for ORDER QUALITY.
To shut off their machines after they've reached discounted order capacity makes me wonder, if the WS TAIL is WAGGING THE DOG, and those florists have their priorities in the wrong cash register.
Florists cannot survive by filling orders at a 30% discount with too low SRPs, coupled with NOTHING for their DELIVERY $ERVICE, less the dues and fees associated with their WS affiliation, which equates to an additional per order discount when factored as a percentage and properly treated as an additional incoming WS order acquisition charge.
The PRIORITY for every REAL FLORIST is to be able to answer their telephones and fill their website orders at the full 100% CUSTOMER SALE plus that florist's own 100% $ERVICE CHARGES.
When a FLORIST reaches ORDER CAPACITY due to a machine, thus forcing them to IGNORE their own customer's holiday needs, that's a recipe for DISASTER.
They might as well tell their customers: SORRY, but I CAN'T HELP YOU! We're just too busy filling machine orders at a discount and we couldn't possibly help you with your 100% SALE and $ERVICE DOLLARS.
Better you call an 800 FLORAL ORDER GATHERER or log onto to a FLORAL DOT.CON website since, our machine is still on and we're letting their orders come in through OUR BACK DOOR, albeit AT A DISCOUNT!
I don't know about other folks, but at night, and when we close our shop, our back door is LOCKED and we check it twice! Otherwise, it's an open invitation to any thief who would love to come in and STEAL ALL OUR STUFF!
For those of you who left your machines on and filled every discounted order this Mother's Day (other real florist orders excluded for obvious reasons), to include the SKIMMER ONES, your plaques and trophies should be arriving ANY DAY NOW!
lol
Wanna argue this one...really? Or should I come over and help ya'll figure out how to staff? I tend to send folks home though...they may not like that...
No way you can make money on a couple $45.00 orders at 2 in the afternoon in June, when you have a designer, a driver and a clerk or two in da building, just waiting for orders...
SUSPEND ON! or Reject if you wish
Try as wee might, they'll be some florists who will never be able to figure it out.
What's that old adage: Parkinson's Law is the adage that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." A more succinct phrasing also commonly used is "work expands to fill the time available."
In other words, THE LESS WORK YOU HAVE the longer it's gonna take the staff TO DOO IT!
Which is why folks like yourself and Tom advise other florists to either CUT THEIR STAFF when they CUT A WS (or just cut out DA SKIMMERS) or SEND EM HOME when the day's work is done.
Keeping your WS machine on during a Holiday until you reach ORDER CAPACITY, is a lofty goal, if it weren't for the SKIMMER EFFECT.
Kind uv like being in a car race going at 100 miles per hour, but with no FUEL LINE FILTER.
All of a sudden, your ENGINE CARBURETOR CLOGS UP with the GUNCK (ogs and dot.con orders) coming through your fuel line, and your race car stops dead on your tracks.
That's my analogy of DA SKIMMERS and INTERLOPERS who sneak through their BACK DOORS when those florists leave their machines on during a major floral holiday after Friday Night Closing.
Most REAL FLORISTS take pride in their abilities to $ERVICE EVERY ORDER, Holiday or not.
The problem is not over the question of reaching ORDER CAPACITY, but rather, reaching for ORDER QUALITY.
To shut off their machines after they've reached discounted order capacity makes me wonder, if the WS TAIL is WAGGING THE DOG, and those florists have their priorities in the wrong cash register.
Florists cannot survive by filling orders at a 30% discount with too low SRPs, coupled with NOTHING for their DELIVERY $ERVICE, less the dues and fees associated with their WS affiliation, which equates to an additional per order discount when factored as a percentage and properly treated as an additional incoming WS order acquisition charge.
The PRIORITY for every REAL FLORIST is to be able to answer their telephones and fill their website orders at the full 100% CUSTOMER SALE plus that florist's own 100% $ERVICE CHARGES.
When a FLORIST reaches ORDER CAPACITY due to a machine, thus forcing them to IGNORE their own customer's holiday needs, that's a recipe for DISASTER.
They might as well tell their customers: SORRY, but I CAN'T HELP YOU! We're just too busy filling machine orders at a discount and we couldn't possibly help you with your 100% SALE and $ERVICE DOLLARS.
Better you call an 800 FLORAL ORDER GATHERER or log onto to a FLORAL DOT.CON website since, our machine is still on and we're letting their orders come in through OUR BACK DOOR, albeit AT A DISCOUNT!
I don't know about other folks, but at night, and when we close our shop, our back door is LOCKED and we check it twice! Otherwise, it's an open invitation to any thief who would love to come in and STEAL ALL OUR STUFF!
For those of you who left your machines on and filled every discounted order this Mother's Day (other real florist orders excluded for obvious reasons), to include the SKIMMER ONES, your plaques and trophies should be arriving ANY DAY NOW!
lol
TOTO
New Member
Ah YES, the BOTTOM LINE analogy AGAIN!
As always, you CUT TO THE CRUX again SFOX!
Once DA SKIMMERS know a REAL FLORIST will not FILL THEIR JUNK, they move onto the next willing victim and try to put them out of business, albeit a VERY SLOW DEATH!
As you stated, those SKIMMER FILLERS, and after they REEVALUATED those order DISCOUNTS, chop off the 30% and their cost of delivery at another 15% on average, and VIOLA, the recipient winds up with a gift at a net value of 55% from what that customer spent, not to mention the SKIMMED OG ORDER $ERVICE CHARGES.
And folks wonder why, DA FLORAL CONSUMERS are turning to alternative gifts, or seeking out and finding REAL FLORISTS via the Internet, who will doo their doo at a full 100% of their investment coupled with that florist's SC charges, thus allowing those recipients to receive 100% VALUE of what that customer paid to the REAL FLORIST to fulfill their needs.
Let MEE SEE HEAR ANDY?
Go through an OG 800 FLORAL or WS DOT.CON WRINGER and get fifty-five cents on my dollar after the WS WAMPUM SMOKE SCREEN CLEARS, or go through a REAL FLORIST, and GET WHAT I PAID FOR?
That's the CRUX of the real issue facing all REAL FLORISTS!
Continue on with their SCAM, or take a STAND, and just say: NO MORE, I'M DONE WITH THE PHISH!
As always, you CUT TO THE CRUX again SFOX!
Once DA SKIMMERS know a REAL FLORIST will not FILL THEIR JUNK, they move onto the next willing victim and try to put them out of business, albeit a VERY SLOW DEATH!
As you stated, those SKIMMER FILLERS, and after they REEVALUATED those order DISCOUNTS, chop off the 30% and their cost of delivery at another 15% on average, and VIOLA, the recipient winds up with a gift at a net value of 55% from what that customer spent, not to mention the SKIMMED OG ORDER $ERVICE CHARGES.
And folks wonder why, DA FLORAL CONSUMERS are turning to alternative gifts, or seeking out and finding REAL FLORISTS via the Internet, who will doo their doo at a full 100% of their investment coupled with that florist's SC charges, thus allowing those recipients to receive 100% VALUE of what that customer paid to the REAL FLORIST to fulfill their needs.
Let MEE SEE HEAR ANDY?
Go through an OG 800 FLORAL or WS DOT.CON WRINGER and get fifty-five cents on my dollar after the WS WAMPUM SMOKE SCREEN CLEARS, or go through a REAL FLORIST, and GET WHAT I PAID FOR?
That's the CRUX of the real issue facing all REAL FLORISTS!
Continue on with their SCAM, or take a STAND, and just say: NO MORE, I'M DONE WITH THE PHISH!
We suspended the Dove Friday before closing. The only reason we did was because we kept getting orders below our minimum. If we do that then we get the florist calling in and we can take the order unless it's FU Flowers or Just Flowers (or a clone). We kept our FTD on until we closed.
Sharon
Sharon
TOTO
New Member
You GET IT!
Closed your back door to the SKIMMERS then, did ya Sharon?
Good fore YOU! Not gonna let those MIDDLEMAN thieves in, through your shop's back door via a WSs machine, thus allowing them to try and steal your stuff, EY?
I can just bet, you then had the audacity and chutzpah to answer all of your telephone calls and fill every one of your shop's website orders from your own customers, and for their orders at a full 100% sale in real dollars along with your 100% shop's $ervice charges.
OMG! Sharon, what is this REAL FLORIST WORLD coming too?
Closed your back door to the SKIMMERS then, did ya Sharon?
Good fore YOU! Not gonna let those MIDDLEMAN thieves in, through your shop's back door via a WSs machine, thus allowing them to try and steal your stuff, EY?
I can just bet, you then had the audacity and chutzpah to answer all of your telephone calls and fill every one of your shop's website orders from your own customers, and for their orders at a full 100% sale in real dollars along with your 100% shop's $ervice charges.
OMG! Sharon, what is this REAL FLORIST WORLD coming too?
We also haven't had to suspend ever or turn away reasonable orders- we're open and delivering 7 days a week/ 364 days/year. We are a Top 100 FTD shop - so we have the volume - but luckily our staff is experienced, organized & ready.
We have a great crew!
And don't you wonder why the high schools hold their proms on Mother's Day weekend? Ah, well! We just keep smiling & welcome the business!
Hope everyone's holiday was profitable!
We have a great crew!
And don't you wonder why the high schools hold their proms on Mother's Day weekend? Ah, well! We just keep smiling & welcome the business!
Hope everyone's holiday was profitable!
That seems to be the theme of this whole deal, don't it?
"Someting velly wong" here - there is an way easier way to deal with it than cutting off all your florist 2 florist orders here, but it isn't as much fun as griping about FU flowers. Not to offend and sorry if I do, also being sure someone will take exception to this, but doing that isn't what I call astute.
I think it was only one order I had to reject repeatedly, and that was the only one that was any kind of problem for me, and it was more amusing than anything. Getting it and forwarding it 5 times (once to a town 50 miles away) likely took me about 5 minutes total time.
Seeing it come back again Monday with request for apology bouquet made it totally worthwhile.
MANORVILLE
New Member
- Oct 2, 2006
- 1,607
- 337
- 0
- State / Prov
- NEW YORK
Lots of people seem to think that Dove/Teleflora, are playing fair.
OK, then why are the discounted orders so prominent ?
Many here have been associated far longer than I, BUT, trust me, they playing field is not right !
ASK RUSS TAYLOR, Rep for TF.
Then, when he plays the truth, put him in font of me, with an audience.
With an audience, it will all change !
HOW MANY OF YOU MAKE DEALS WITHOUT THAT AUDIENCE ?
OK, then why are the discounted orders so prominent ?
Many here have been associated far longer than I, BUT, trust me, they playing field is not right !
ASK RUSS TAYLOR, Rep for TF.
Then, when he plays the truth, put him in font of me, with an audience.
With an audience, it will all change !
HOW MANY OF YOU MAKE DEALS WITHOUT THAT AUDIENCE ?
MANORVILLE
New Member
- Oct 2, 2006
- 1,607
- 337
- 0
- State / Prov
- NEW YORK
PhillyPhlorist
Pro Member
- Feb 7, 2004
- 1,766
- 609
- 113
- 55
- State / Prov
- Pennsylvania
Wanna argue this one...really? Or should I come over and help ya'll figure out how to staff? I tend to send folks home though...they may not like that...
No way you can make money on a couple $45.00 orders at 2 in the afternoon in June, when you have a designer, a driver and a clerk or two in da building, just waiting for orders...
SUSPEND ON! or Reject if you wish
That's what I tried to tell him!!! Talked to him the other day, he still won't give me his BMT statement so I can show how much money he didn't make last month...
Will keep trying...
I learned this lesson so long ago, I can't believe it took me 5 years to figure it out... MD sales up a strong 5%, wires were the ONLY area down. And we all know why...
- H.
TOTO
New Member
They PLAY to WIN Kevin!
I don't think the word FAIR is in the fore profit business world's vocabulary Kevin.
They PLAY to WIN, period-case closed.
And, they judge their winning scores by THEIR quarterly profits, NOT OURS!
Which is why, every REAL FLORIST should emulate all of the WS's primary objective.
For the top 100's, they all get to play the game on a more level playing field than the rest of US WEE BEES.
It's all in the ART OF THE DEAL! Some get FREE TECHNOLOGY, others get FREE MEMBERSHIP, and others get whatever else, THEY CAN GET FORE FREE too!
They are at the TOP OF WS FOOD CHAIN, even though, they all feed off the SHRIMP AT THE BOTTOM.
There's nothing really wrong with that (it's just business), except in the fact that, the SMALL MOM and POPS can no longer afford to prop up their PONZI SCHEME.
Florists, for the most part, always asked a WS: How many incoming orders can you guarantee me?
Back in the day, and even with the discounts, they could still glean a profit at the filling side, albeit a small one.
That's no longer the case in 2008, and the higher costs of EVERYTHING has put their incoming into THE RED.
For some, they have figured it out and simply divested themselves of the WS liability since it no longer contributes anything to their bottom line. In fact, it erodes the profits they did make from their own 100% customers sales and $ervice charges.
Others? Well, let's just say that, they have yet to figure out, as to what body part they're bleeding from while still insisting on HOLDING ONTO THE DREAM of ANY DAY NOW; Santa Claus will be coming to my town soon!
lol
I don't think the word FAIR is in the fore profit business world's vocabulary Kevin.
They PLAY to WIN, period-case closed.
And, they judge their winning scores by THEIR quarterly profits, NOT OURS!
Which is why, every REAL FLORIST should emulate all of the WS's primary objective.
For the top 100's, they all get to play the game on a more level playing field than the rest of US WEE BEES.
It's all in the ART OF THE DEAL! Some get FREE TECHNOLOGY, others get FREE MEMBERSHIP, and others get whatever else, THEY CAN GET FORE FREE too!
They are at the TOP OF WS FOOD CHAIN, even though, they all feed off the SHRIMP AT THE BOTTOM.
There's nothing really wrong with that (it's just business), except in the fact that, the SMALL MOM and POPS can no longer afford to prop up their PONZI SCHEME.
Florists, for the most part, always asked a WS: How many incoming orders can you guarantee me?
Back in the day, and even with the discounts, they could still glean a profit at the filling side, albeit a small one.
That's no longer the case in 2008, and the higher costs of EVERYTHING has put their incoming into THE RED.
For some, they have figured it out and simply divested themselves of the WS liability since it no longer contributes anything to their bottom line. In fact, it erodes the profits they did make from their own 100% customers sales and $ervice charges.
Others? Well, let's just say that, they have yet to figure out, as to what body part they're bleeding from while still insisting on HOLDING ONTO THE DREAM of ANY DAY NOW; Santa Claus will be coming to my town soon!
lol
Given those two statements - it could be said that those "shrimp" (your word, not mine) are feeding off the Top, or being fed by the top.
The ones that go after the customers.
There's those that go after the customers, take chances, spend money, devote time and attention into marketing, and those that sit and wait for the Mercury or Dove to go off.
The inequity of the system.
Now whose fault is that?
I'll tell you whose...
George Bush.
lollollollollol
TOTO
New Member
Hey JB, the nurse will be making her rounds soon!
Looks as if those pain killers are giving you some hallucinagenic visions of George Bush forcing DA FILLERS to FILL.
And, I suppose that, it was George Bush who pushed your bike into that battle with a car.
Not to worry since, your four hours are just about up, and the nurse will be coming around soon to give you some more Vicodin, And, as you stated, it don't really help to alleviate the pain, it just makes you NOT CARE about it anymore! I have the same opinion about FTDI and without Vicodin.
Same could be said about all the WSs and with their incoming orders.
It's like CRACK! You know you need it! You know you want it! You know it's gonna hurt you! But, in the end, you'll still steal the money out of your Mother's Pocket Book or sell your own kid's video games, just to get the money to pay the dealer, in order to get your next fix!
Reminds me of CURTAILING? Does it ring a BELL fore u too? Kind uv like like cutting heroin with baking soda or cocaine with starch. Any white powder additive to increase the profits for the dealers while decreasing the high for the addicts, which forces them to buy even more bags.
On another serious note! I hope that, since those pins are out and the plates are gone, you are have finally passed the worst.
Now, do us all a favor and sell that HOG on EBAY and before TWILA has to put some of your vital organs up for bid with Meg Whitman.
Remember Her? " When I came to FTD, I thought that, it was just like any other business I've ever operated, and just like Disney, and I could make it work. Now that I'm leaving FTD, I've come to realize that, FTD (and their florists) are unlike any other business which I've ever come in contact with! And so, So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, good night, I hate to go and leave this pretty sight. So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, adieu, Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu.
After which, we had small bob, who left too, to sell mo hogs to mo pigs!
And now, Mike Soenen, (little dick's eye in the sky) is off as well with another CEO in charge.
So much for BUILDING DA BRAND and CONTINUITY, ey?
The only CONTINUITY this company gets a dishonorable mention for, is in the fact that, IT HAS BEEN FLIPPED three times over the last 14 years.
I guess we were snookered when little dick told us that, his investment banker company was in it for the LONG TERM.
Then again, and perhaps in his world, 9 years was LONG TERM!
Green held it for a full five years, and flipped it again.
In retrospect, Meg appears to be right!
Folks buy it, only to discover that, they don't know what to doo with it, other than to raise all the dues and fees, after which, they jump ship by flipping it again.
All that seems to be left, is DA POOR FLORISTS, who invest their blood, sweat, and tears, only to be left with a few scraps after the owners have sucked out all of the profits, and leave the scene of their crimes, once again.
And, I like the fact that, they're their gonna FINE their filling florists $10 and up when they don't act on the machine orders by (REJ) or (FOR) them in a timely fashion, especially when they originate from their own DOT.CON or cloaked from their SKIMMERS.
This is a WONDERFUL THING JB! It's just another nail in their coffin for many other florists who may have been sitting on the fence post, hoping for some positive change (for a change) in their own cash registers. Just another SHORT TERM SOLUTION to their LONG TERM DISASTER!
Looks as if those pain killers are giving you some hallucinagenic visions of George Bush forcing DA FILLERS to FILL.
And, I suppose that, it was George Bush who pushed your bike into that battle with a car.
Not to worry since, your four hours are just about up, and the nurse will be coming around soon to give you some more Vicodin, And, as you stated, it don't really help to alleviate the pain, it just makes you NOT CARE about it anymore! I have the same opinion about FTDI and without Vicodin.
Same could be said about all the WSs and with their incoming orders.
It's like CRACK! You know you need it! You know you want it! You know it's gonna hurt you! But, in the end, you'll still steal the money out of your Mother's Pocket Book or sell your own kid's video games, just to get the money to pay the dealer, in order to get your next fix!
Reminds me of CURTAILING? Does it ring a BELL fore u too? Kind uv like like cutting heroin with baking soda or cocaine with starch. Any white powder additive to increase the profits for the dealers while decreasing the high for the addicts, which forces them to buy even more bags.
On another serious note! I hope that, since those pins are out and the plates are gone, you are have finally passed the worst.
Now, do us all a favor and sell that HOG on EBAY and before TWILA has to put some of your vital organs up for bid with Meg Whitman.
Remember Her? " When I came to FTD, I thought that, it was just like any other business I've ever operated, and just like Disney, and I could make it work. Now that I'm leaving FTD, I've come to realize that, FTD (and their florists) are unlike any other business which I've ever come in contact with! And so, So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, good night, I hate to go and leave this pretty sight. So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, adieu, Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu.
After which, we had small bob, who left too, to sell mo hogs to mo pigs!
And now, Mike Soenen, (little dick's eye in the sky) is off as well with another CEO in charge.
So much for BUILDING DA BRAND and CONTINUITY, ey?
The only CONTINUITY this company gets a dishonorable mention for, is in the fact that, IT HAS BEEN FLIPPED three times over the last 14 years.
I guess we were snookered when little dick told us that, his investment banker company was in it for the LONG TERM.
Then again, and perhaps in his world, 9 years was LONG TERM!
Green held it for a full five years, and flipped it again.
In retrospect, Meg appears to be right!
Folks buy it, only to discover that, they don't know what to doo with it, other than to raise all the dues and fees, after which, they jump ship by flipping it again.
All that seems to be left, is DA POOR FLORISTS, who invest their blood, sweat, and tears, only to be left with a few scraps after the owners have sucked out all of the profits, and leave the scene of their crimes, once again.
And, I like the fact that, they're their gonna FINE their filling florists $10 and up when they don't act on the machine orders by (REJ) or (FOR) them in a timely fashion, especially when they originate from their own DOT.CON or cloaked from their SKIMMERS.
This is a WONDERFUL THING JB! It's just another nail in their coffin for many other florists who may have been sitting on the fence post, hoping for some positive change (for a change) in their own cash registers. Just another SHORT TERM SOLUTION to their LONG TERM DISASTER!
MYLORDS
New Member
watchword
We set a shop minimum to fill a wire order. It has to be $55 plus. This enables the staff to evaluate and reject a quickly. This also ups the odds of being able to leave the Merc on. Remember the 'old days' when shops could not fill any more orders and just took their phones off the hook? By Friday you couldn't get anyone on the phone!
What was really weird this year was Telefora calling direct to get ANYONE to fill certain orders for them. If all their members had turned them down they were calling non-members ( I used to be Tele) Even when we said we could not fill as requested they let us substitute which is what they should have let their members do.
Maybe the Dove's were all off?!? I did admire them for trying to please their customer.
We set a shop minimum to fill a wire order. It has to be $55 plus. This enables the staff to evaluate and reject a quickly. This also ups the odds of being able to leave the Merc on. Remember the 'old days' when shops could not fill any more orders and just took their phones off the hook? By Friday you couldn't get anyone on the phone!
What was really weird this year was Telefora calling direct to get ANYONE to fill certain orders for them. If all their members had turned them down they were calling non-members ( I used to be Tele) Even when we said we could not fill as requested they let us substitute which is what they should have let their members do.
Maybe the Dove's were all off?!? I did admire them for trying to please their customer.
- Status
