Example of use of Delayed Response program

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bloomz

bloomz

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Nov 12, 2002
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We had an order for a very good customer's son's birthday Monday - a $75 Fruit Basket going to Portland (OR). For some reason it autoforwarded to a different shop (hate that).

Tuesday we got the call - not delivered. Sent a second Merc message (first one is automated) Customer claiming non delivery please advise.

Later in the day a second and a third AND a fourth. Finally my wife called them as we need to let our good customer know something and the story was "we missed him at work" (we found out he was there til 5:30) but we can deliver it today.

Talked to customer asking what to do she says yes please get it done still. Called the shop back and they say they still have to make the basket (gee how was it they missed him yesterday without having the product ready?) we ask why they didn't answer our 5 messages and they said they didn't know we had sent any.

I call my other florist friend in PDX and ask about them - he says they are the worst in town, they deliver what they want when they want and delivery dates dont' matter a bit to them.

Then next call we tell them we no longer want it. They say nastily "we'll just eat the fruit then". By this point I think I would prefer they insert the fruit into their personal exhaust system.

So I push for a reject - the last message said reject this or we will call FTD about it (we already had tho, and they couldn't intervene to send the rejection - yet, but for cases like these it is "being looked into")

No I did not want to send a cancel because they needed to pay the fine. So I pushed and manipulated them into getting a double cost fine, which I doubt they realize.

They finally sent the reject message two full days after the delivery date.

An expensive lesson? You bet. Do I feel the tiniest bit bad about it? Not one bit. Will it maybe drive them out of FTD? I hope so.

Then my order will never forward to them again.

Case in point for using a Professional Florist - Beaverton Florist, which, on late notice, took care of it for us. (not to worry Keith - the sender and the recipient knew exactly who skrude the order up) I have no idea why it didn't go to them in the first place - one of my employees chose someone else because they are closer. Closer florists often do a worse job than large professional ones further away. Interesting. As well as - I have always been highly suspcious that forwards would be weighted to send to florists that owe FTD money, exactly who we try to avoid.

So end of story - we refunded her money, Beaverton delivered the fruit basket, and we managed to give good customer service in spite of a bad florist that didn't give a shid about a birthday.

Thank you Delayed Response Program :yourock:- otherwise we would have had to pay for it.

Now if they'll just figure out how to intervene for florists too stupid to know how to check for messages and send rejects - gotta make it idiot proof cuz idiots are exactly what the program targets.

My RVP told me today when I spoke to him about it that FTD had lost 'a handful" of members is all - claiming it "wasn't fair" to hold them responsible.

Yup - idiots.

Somebody here said it right - this program is going to be a nightmare in fees...

For idiots.
 
Good for you JB!

Just another example of the member's QUALITY ASSURANCE DOLLARS at work coupled with more FINES, FEES, and PENALTIES.

In the GOLDEN OLDEN DAYS, your NON DELIVERY COMPLAINT against this member would've resulted in a complete chargeback to that florist and a warning. If that member had another similar complaint, the membership committee would've given them a SUBSTANTIAL FINE in addition to the CHARGEBACK.

And if, there was a THIRD COMPLAINT against that member, Tom Murray in charge of the membership committee, would've simply THROWN THEM OUT! They could of course, appeal his decision and elect to present themselves in person at Southfield, to offer any defense to their situation in front of the entire membership committee, but more often than not, that was not a viable option for most members.

Then again, that was how it was back in the GOLDEN OLDEN DAYS and before you were a member, REMEMBER? No, you weren't there then.

Want to wager that, this shop will never be thrown out and regardless of how many complaints INC might already have against them?

In the $CHEME of THINGS, their revenue dollars are much more important to them than the QUALITY ASSURANCE is fore YOU!, I'd have to say.

Then again, THAT WAS THEN and THIS IS NOW, OH MY!
 
I would love to know who the screw-up florist was. Sounds a lot like an old boss of mine.
 
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TOTO said:
Just another example of the member's QUALITY ASSURANCE DOLLARS at work coupled with more FINES, FEES, and PENALTIES.

In the GOLDEN OLDEN DAYS, your NON DELIVERY COMPLAINT against this member would've resulted in a complete chargeback to that florist and a warning. If that member had another similar complaint, the membership committee would've given them a SUBSTANTIAL FINE in addition to the CHARGEBACK.

And if, there was a THIRD COMPLAINT against that member, Tom Murray in charge of the membership committee, would've simply THROWN THEM OUT! They could of course, appeal his decision and elect to present themselves in person at Southfield, to offer any defense to their situation in front of the entire membership committee, but more often than not, that was not a viable option for most members.

Then again, that was how it was back in the GOLDEN OLDEN DAYS and before you were a member, REMEMBER? No, you weren't there then.

Want to wager that, this shop will never be thrown out and regardless of how many complaints INC might already have against them?

In the $CHEME of THINGS, their revenue dollars are much more important to them than the QUALITY ASSURANCE is fore YOU!, I'd have to say.

Then again, THAT WAS THEN and THIS IS NOW, OH MY!
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This is how it should be done. But, I guess holding people accountable for their actions isn't how the world works anymore.
 
This is why we need a new WS code....ND

The old system from the 50's is broken, we need a new code for NonDelivery (ND) so we do not have to beg a FFWAC to "reject" a screw up. Every shop who reads this needs to tell their WS to add this code to their system. Shops that screw up should pay. Right now it's only FTD but if there is $$ TF will be right behind. Instead of me having to call my RVP to get this handled it should be automatic. I also have advocated for the idea that if you do not answer an "ASK" in 2 hours .....$10. I told FTD to put their money where their program was, the real florists will answer an ASK right away, so far FTD.com has not. Of course we hear it will be "different" but the proof is in the reality.

So far on the positive side of the new program...but I would love for FTD to honest and say how much .com made in June.

Keith

PS. Thanks JB, but we still may have to ding you for an order you canceled too late not to cost us a delivery fee from the local delivery service.
 
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keith said:
Keith

PS. Thanks JB, but we still may have to ding you for an order you canceled too late not to cost us a delivery fee from the local delivery service.
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Oops sorry about that - I owe you.

FAH took an order for July 4 delivery, the dumbasses, then the customer couldn't reach them all last evening (said she held for 1 1/2 hours - prolly exhagerated but...so she could cancel it in time)

I'll likely try to raise hell with them Monday.

Isn't it a pretty safe ASSumption that everybody is closed July 4???:wallhead:


Hey instead of using ND (no delivery) maybe they could use FTD (Failure To Deliver?)
 
keith said:
also have advocated for the idea that if you do not answer an "ASK" in 2 hours .....$10. I told FTD to put their money where their program was, the real florists will answer an ASK right away, so far FTD.com has not. Of course we hear it will be "different" but the proof is in the reality.
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I have told FTD the same. I have been waiting a week for FTD.com to answer a ask message. Some florist don't answer either.
 
Bloomz, I can see your frustration in this situation.

However, I beg to differ to the remark you made about "Sometimes a closer florist does a worse job than a LARGE PROFESSIONAL florist further away."

The word "professional" means they get paid, period.

Secondly, Not all LARGE flower shops are so wonderful. Not all small mom and pop shops are crap. Or as you put it "do a worse job" as to imply you are going to get a crappy job either way.

I'm not taking your statement personally, just thought I'd point out to you how that came across as I read it.
 
Shannon -I beg to differ with you begging to differ

I said "sometimes"

I think I actually should have said "often".

I think you must have read it wrong - I am speaking from experience.

We once chose florists based on nearness, zip codes, etc., used to live religiously by those zip code maps.

Since we've developed a Golden Preferred list over the years our experience has shown my above statements to be very true.


This example in this post is a great case in point - our Preferred Florist for Portland happens to be in Beaverton, about 15+ miles away. You just can't usually, often, beat a larger florist with better stock and rotation of flowers, and more capable geared up delivery systems over smaller Mom and Pops.



And by the way, Keith - I sent you a price change on that previous order to cover your cost on that one that cancelled late on us.
 
I know of a Town not too far from here......

There is a BIG shop and a few mom and pops.

that BIG shop just plain sucks, no getting around it. Their claim to fame is they never ever tell a customer no ever. Even if they don't have the flowers, they don't tell a customer no EVER. Instead, they sub whatever they want and take the complaint. They don't care. And they are "the cheap shop" They get between 20 and 30 complaints A DAY! Yes I said A DAY! It's a long story how I know that, but I do know. Oh and BTW, they sell cars in their parking lot to supplement the flower shop.

Any way there is another shop more of what I'd call a Mom and Pop with a few employees, as most shops are. They do the best work in this town. They are honest with their customers and don't promise what they can't deliver. YAY Mom and Pop!!

The point is, just 'cause a shop is BIG doesn't mean it's good, and just cause it's small doesn't mean it's crap.
 
I don't think the comment was "Big" shops. It was "Golden Preferred List". Certain shops have met our criteria to be put on that list.

Note to Shannon: Remember the other night...I mentioned how great the PM function is. Obviously you are the only one that has questions about how we do things. So you can just ask Bloomz privately without bothering everyone else here.
 
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Sorry, didn't know I was bothering everyone else...

I just don't want the little shops that are here in FC to feel inferior to big shops.

I doubt I'm the only one who has questions about how any shop does anything, I just speak up. I'm not picking on anybody, just defending the little guys who do good work.
 
Shannon - we have some big shops on our do not use list also.

and we have some small shops on our Preferred Lists too.

Remember I said "sometimes" and "often".

Often it is the case for the reasons I stated above where I used Beaverton as the example. To reiterate - they stock more and very likely rotate flowers better, they have a delivery system down that allows for efficiencies, they don't deliver when they feel like it or lie about whether it is on the truck or not like that one that started this thread, and they don't skru up orders. Period. Same for us in several, no most large metropolitan areas - the bigger shops usually and often simply do a better job, all things considered.

I can tell the difference.

And, like I said, sometimes big shops do a better job than smaller Mom and Pop ones.

Then I changed it to often.

There was no absolute statement in any of what I said.

Now are we gonna dispute semantics more or am I to be allowed my educated opinion? This is my personal field of expertise.

Ya know something - we are a smaller shop who wants to be a bigger shop - isn't that kinda what we are all after?

Maybe?
 
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We got charged $10.00 Good example of how this works. We got an order for laura ashley, didn't have the vase, FTD says we will get them right out to you. We sat on the order a couple of hours until someone called us and said we won't be getting the vases anytime soon. We rejected - $10 fine.

Nice way to treat your "Business Parters"
 
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Bigted said:
We rejected - $10 fine.

Nice way to treat your "Business Parters"
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Does not happen if you do accept their orders in the first place...

Oh and Ted... it's not a fine...it's a TAX ;)
 
I got another one today - shop *thought* it had been rejected $75 order - Product Not Available (sunflowers) for July 1. She asked what I would like her to do (hey at least she called me thanks to the decon request)

I asked her to reject, then felt guilty and very nearly called her back to say it was gonna cost her $150 to reject that I would just send a cancel. I said very nearly, but decided to call the customer first, who had not called us about the non delivery.

I then called sender and told him hadn't been delivered, he said he knew, and asked what he wanted us to do - he said credit his credit card and he won't be using us again.

So I lost an order and I lost a customer.

I sent 2 messages asking for reject and got it about 30 minutes later.

So, in a case like this where you don't get to refund and resend, I guess you get the money as payment for a lost customer. Even tho I think when something like a birthday is missed you're probably going to lsoe the customer anyway, even with a refund and late delivery.

Better than nothing I guess.

Now they need to work on obstinate or stupid shops who either won't send a reject cuz they know it will cost them or are too dumb to know how to do it.

This is a bug in that system that I hope they figure out how to deal with. I'm told it's being worked on. Right now all you can do is try to browbeat them into sending a reject.
 
So check out this nice email I just got from that particular customer.

Thanks for nothing. Now I know you can't be trusted so you'll never hear from me again. Just credit my amx.

Dan Murphy
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Yup I'm glad I'll be getting $150 from them.

What a consolation.
 
This is where you have a point with this new penalty system. It's a shame you lost a customer over this.


I wonder how long it will take for all florists to realize what is going on, and what they are getting charged for. Obviously, not the florist you were dealing with. I can only imagine what FTD.com took in from this new stream of revenue. It kind of makes you ill. Don't you think that people will stop agreeing to reject, and just sit on the order? Just wondering.
 
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