After reading the many posts on this topic it comes down to people on this board blaming the florist in question or FTD.
The problem shows the differences between
How florists on this board view themselves vs other florists and the perceptions of FTD and the realties of FTD.
First, as to florists. I want to think that everyone on this board is an upstanding florist who understands how to treat a customer that buys flowers. Unfortunately, not every florist in business today fits that description. Too many times people open flower shops because it's relatively easy and relatively cheap to do. Most wholesalers will sell to anyone that calls themselves a florist. Very few states require any kind of licensing. And too many times florists view a wire in order as theirs and only theirs once it comes to them via Mercury. They feel that they have to make a profit on every order and therefore filling to what they call their stores value is OK. Forget about the specifics that were sent in the order. I think most of the posters who posted negatively about the florist who filled the order in question viewed from their own idea of how a customers order should be handled. Unfortunately, not every florist has the same set of rules it seems most on this board do.
And as to FTD. Too many florists confuse their perception of FTD with the reality of today's FTD. Too many long time florists still think of FTD as it was when it was a member owned company. Today the reality of the modern FTD is no where near the FTD of old. Today, there is no requirements to show proficiencies in flower arranging in order to join. There are no requirements to have a certain amount of fresh flowers on hand. Quality is a word used to extract extra money every month from florists and flows directly to FTD's bottom line as profit because they have no quality control program. Hell, the only requirement today is that the florist must be able to pay the deposit and sign the agreement that allows FTD to charge them for everything down to and including the stamps it uses to mail out the bill.
While I feel sorry for the person who paid FTD to deliver a specific kind of arrangement, and recieved something totally opposite of that, there is nothing we as florists can do as long as florists are willing to pay the dues and 100's of assorted fees that FTD places on florists. These monies fund FTD and allow them take money from the consumer, make promises that are not able to be kept and MOST IMPORTANTLY, give the flower industry a black eye in the minds of the consumers.
The membership of florists to FTD funds these types of things and the fault lays with florists who are willing to let a company such as FTD kill their very livelyhood.
The problem shows the differences between
How florists on this board view themselves vs other florists and the perceptions of FTD and the realties of FTD.
First, as to florists. I want to think that everyone on this board is an upstanding florist who understands how to treat a customer that buys flowers. Unfortunately, not every florist in business today fits that description. Too many times people open flower shops because it's relatively easy and relatively cheap to do. Most wholesalers will sell to anyone that calls themselves a florist. Very few states require any kind of licensing. And too many times florists view a wire in order as theirs and only theirs once it comes to them via Mercury. They feel that they have to make a profit on every order and therefore filling to what they call their stores value is OK. Forget about the specifics that were sent in the order. I think most of the posters who posted negatively about the florist who filled the order in question viewed from their own idea of how a customers order should be handled. Unfortunately, not every florist has the same set of rules it seems most on this board do.
And as to FTD. Too many florists confuse their perception of FTD with the reality of today's FTD. Too many long time florists still think of FTD as it was when it was a member owned company. Today the reality of the modern FTD is no where near the FTD of old. Today, there is no requirements to show proficiencies in flower arranging in order to join. There are no requirements to have a certain amount of fresh flowers on hand. Quality is a word used to extract extra money every month from florists and flows directly to FTD's bottom line as profit because they have no quality control program. Hell, the only requirement today is that the florist must be able to pay the deposit and sign the agreement that allows FTD to charge them for everything down to and including the stamps it uses to mail out the bill.
While I feel sorry for the person who paid FTD to deliver a specific kind of arrangement, and recieved something totally opposite of that, there is nothing we as florists can do as long as florists are willing to pay the dues and 100's of assorted fees that FTD places on florists. These monies fund FTD and allow them take money from the consumer, make promises that are not able to be kept and MOST IMPORTANTLY, give the flower industry a black eye in the minds of the consumers.
The membership of florists to FTD funds these types of things and the fault lays with florists who are willing to let a company such as FTD kill their very livelyhood.
