Feast or Famine Craziness!

[inferno63]

I am not a cryer, for the most part, but I am reduced to tears today. I was overwhelmed with work for the last two weeks. Although it is a blessing to be busy, I am doing all of it alone with the exception of deliveries. I am trying to get bills paid up from a slow summer and not wanting to use labor right now. The labor I do have is not floral trained but help with cleaning, processing, answering phones, etc. But, that hasn't worked out well lately either. So, here I am, trying to do the business of a 5 person floral shop, by myself.

Try to make this short. A month ago, a school mom asked if I would donate some centers for senior night. I say sure (thinking it would be under 5 pcs.) She calls Monday with a count of 26! Well, I feel like an idiot for not clearing that up a month ago so agree to do them. Then this week I get hit with funeral work for 3 funerals in different legs of our county and I have a wedding Saturday that I have yet to start on. I had to do the paid flower corsages and bouts for senior night this week also. So I call the school mom and tell her that I simply cannot do that many centers because I am overwhelmed with paying customers and a wedding. She offers to come in and do them. I tell her by the time I train her and show her where everything is, it is as bad as trying to do them myself with TIME my enemy anyways. I tell her that when I get the other work done, I will do what I can for her. She says, "Fine!" and hangs up! Then the tears started. I haven't slept more than 4 hours a night in two weeks. I closed and locked the door, put a sign up that says I am opening at noon today......

Feast or Famine....

 

[Robin]

Take a deep breath, have a cup of DECAF, spend 5 minutes in your happy place, and do what you need to do first only. Offer the mom some cuts and bud vases...explain to her that you want to help her, but things got busy...if she doesn't understand, let her get her free flowers from someone else...not always going to happen.
Leave the cleaning...just clear a spot to stand.
We have all been there, and all are human. Stress will defeat you quicker than work...it will work out the way it is supposed to...I always believe in that!

 

[emilymoonflower]

Oh, God can I relate!
I'm running solo after a 50% drop in sales for last quarter.I'm in here 7 days a week by myself with only a delivery service to help (and we all know what can happen there ;()
I would hand her some cuts, lend her some cheap vases and call it a day! I'm sure she can manage to pull the bouquets together...and if she can't, so what!
Have a good cry and a stiff drink and get back in the saddle - you will be able to pull this off! this business is tough enough without having to put up with crap - don't the freebies always seem to turn out to be the most trouble?
I'm rootin for ya!
Emily

 

[Chezbloom]

Make her 5 centerpieces and tell her to get stuffed. She is an ungrateful ass. 26 free centerpieces. Whatever!!!!

 

[KABERS]

show her how to blow up latex balloons for centerpieces! then she can feel our aggravation! great centerpieces

 

[Johan]

How on earth can someone expect you to give them 26 table centres for FREE. I think she is taking the p**s. Shes not paying for them so she should not be specifing how many she whats. Hasn't she heard that there is a recession. If you can't do it don't. Your sanity and health is more important.

 

[Knife's Wife]

I have to disagree on this one... While I understand the pained situation you are in, your stores reputation is more important. The bad mouthing that you are going to take for not coming through for that dinner will be remembered by many for a long time to come.

Do something simple like a hydrandrea cut and dropped into an ivy bowl, with a little seeded eucalyptus.

Joan

 

[inferno63]

I have to disagree on this one... While I understand the pained situation you are in, your stores reputation is more important. The bad mouthing that you are going to take for not coming through for that dinner will be remembered by many for a long time to come.

Do something simple like a hydrandrea cut and dropped into an ivy bowl, with a little seeded eucalyptus.

Joan

The problem is that they want blue and gold flower arrangements (the school colors) I did take Emily's advice and she was happy to take the flowers and do bud vases. I agreed to centers thinking it would be a few. Had I known that she wanted 26, I would have never agreed to that in the first place. This was my mistake for not clarifying. So I did do "something" rather than nothing to fix the situation. But the truth be told, I would not have had time to even do the hydrangeas you suggested. That is how busy I am today. This wedding will keep me here until the wee hours of the a.m. as it is. I learned my lesson. From now on, I will clarify what I will provide from the start. I only am taking a five minute break to eat so I don't pass out as I write this....

 

[LOTAKIDS]

Did you make it through everything??? I hope you wedding was a smashing sucess!!!

I have layed off my designer to day and will be by myself for quite some time... so here is to working long hour on busy days.. if they come.

 

[marie g bushnell]

Completely understand where you are. Get some decent sleep so you can go for at least 14 hrs the next day. Not sure what you were planning for ctr pcs. but if you make up One sample, couldn't she follow the sample, if you greened them up?

Being the one man band isn't fun, but in this business, it is feast or famine. I work up lots of marketing this and that in the summer because I know I won't have time in the fall. the one shop in my area, she is a new owner, is trying to go it herself and have a family member do deliveries. I am by myself, except in Nov & Dec and weddings.
Get some sleep, you will feel better.

 

[marie g bushnell]

Great idea, Joan!