FTD and SCI Corp-

[LOTAKIDS]

I got a call today from my favorite funeral home asking me if I was an FTD florist..... I told her no... she told me she had some bad news... Corporate has partnered with FTD and only FTD florist can fill their orders.

We are both sad as I have provided exceptional flowers and service for them for the last year and a half. Some times with a call at 5 and delivery by 10 am the next am.

I have lost this business to my competitor in town who boast that they are the Top Teleflora/FTD florist in town. UGH!

I hate corporate greed... I guess CSI have a link to FTD from their website... OH YEAH!

I will go collect my books and see if they will still refer me when people choose not to purchase their flower packages.. I am hoping!

 

[BOSS]

What does CSI stand for? I tried to gather some info, but got a bunch of gibberish about some TV show....

This move does not surprise me though, I'm assuming that they get a cut of some sort. Might want to ask them about that, and if they don't the mother-ship probably does. FTD is trying to lock up as many areas as possible. Just think, they have gathered this business away from you and handed it to one of their affiliate member florists and will send them the work MINUS the 38%++...

There are ways around this, maybe you can get the FD to direct folks to you and avoid the sale on his end. If he gets say 10% kickback, it might be worth it for you to match it...

 

[LOTAKIDS]

Thanks Mark... Yes the mother ship is Service Corporation International...
http://www.sci-corp.com/SCICORP/home.aspx

I am sure they will get the FTD kick back as they are about making money anyway they can. Yes, they will probably be using FTD generated sympathy books and the affiliate florist will have to fill as discounted rates.

I was thinking about the kick back thing for referrals from Debbie and Doyle. Thank you for your thoughts... I appreciate it. Had my pity party last night.. now time to get to work and same some threads of this.

 

[Tuberose]

We have funeral homes here that have "deals" with certain florists, pretty frustrating.

 

[BBJ (Big Bad John)]

We have funeral homes here that have "deals" with certain florists, pretty frustrating.

Um...............isn't business all about making DEALS?

 

[anytimeflowers]

Ugh.....the never-ending merry-go-round.

FTD trying to get more business any way they can including thug tactics, funeral homes losing earnings due to cremation. And the florist still stuck in the middle.

I am going to go out on a limb and say that the funeral directors will start complaining, and quite possibly the mourners as well. It will take some time, but as the numbers start making a huge dent in that florist's bottom line, they will start minimizing their expense and that will lead to un-happy customers. It's one thing to give away $10 at a shot, it's completely another when each of those shots is $100.

 

[theRKF]

Flip side of the conversation is that FTD is providing new value to their members. As an FTD member, you're now more likely to get funeral business.

As much as I find the overall aspect of this distasteful, I have to applaud FTD for doing something that provides a tangible benefit and distinction for their members.

 

[anytimeflowers]

I sincerely hope you mean the 100% type of funeral work.....

 

[concord]

These international funeral companies have bought up a lot of independently owned funeral homes and so there is no local funeral director. Even though they often keep the original director on, they are no longer the ones making the decisions. We are lucky here that both funeral homes in town are locally owned...so far. But as long as CSI or any of the other conglomerates are involved don't expect them to care about a local florist.

 

[Eric S]

FTD is providing new value to their members

Oh yea that stunning box will look great next to the casket.

Let the funeral home know that they can take a class at your shop on how to put flowers together.

ITS BLACK ITS GOLD AND ITS CHEAP!!!

 

[CHR]

Do you think the FTD florists who already have a FH deal will like this? Now they'll share the orders with other shops - PLUS pay higher commissions and fees than even the usual FH kickbacks - plus waiting up to 55 days to get paid.

 

[BOSS]

This kind of goes with our other thread on "How do you sell sympathy work"...

Imagine, FTD sending you an order today after you close, for a casket spray by 1 tomorrow, for Hydrangia, Delphinium, Purple Drobs or Anthirium... and you can't get your hands on it, but they told the customer everything in the images is available 24/7/365...

Sad all the way around....

I agree to a point with Ryan's thoughts... **if** you're an affiliate you stand a better chance to get the work... all be it at a discount that removes the total labor cost from the work.

 

[theRKF]

I got a call today from my favorite funeral home asking me if I was an FTD florist..... I told her no... she told me she had some bad news... Corporate has partnered with FTD and only FTD florists can fill their orders.

Oh yea that stunning box will look great next to the casket.

Do you think the FTD florists who already have a FH deal will like this? Now they'll share the orders with other shops - PLUS pay higher commissions and fees than even the usual FH kickbacks - plus waiting up to 55 days to get paid.

Imagine, FTD sending you an order today after you close, for a casket spray by 1 tomorrow, for Hydrangia, Delphinium, Purple Drobs or Anthirium... and you can't get your hands on it, but they told the customer everything in the images is available 24/7/365...

Can we have some clarification?

Is this new arrangement specifying that the orders have to go through FTD HQ, or that the funeral homes may only deal with FTD shops?

If FTD is diverting the orders to HQ, it's no better than any other deal. If FTD is giving their members an opportunity at exclusivity, it's a value add that comes with membership.

 

[LOTAKIDS]

Can we have some clarification?

Is this new arrangement specifying that the orders have to go through FTD HQ, or that the funeral homes may only deal with FTD shops?

If FTD is diverting the orders to HQ, it's no better than any other deal. If FTD is giving their members an opportunity at exclusivity, it's a value add that comes with membership.

The Secretary at the Funeral home is my friend... she will let me know how this will unfold.. she doesn't have all the details as of yet and as it does, I will inturn post here.

The florist a town over is going to join FTD to keep the order.. so she will be all three wire service. Crazy. Both her and my competitor in town have the mentality that the more orders I get from wire services... the more money I make. I am just teleflora and trying to be as independent minded as possible (of which I appreciate each and everyone of you on here!).

 

[LOTAKIDS]

View attachment 13579

Oh yea that stunning box will look great next to the casket.

Let the funeral home know that they can take a class at your shop on how to put flowers together.

ITS BLACK ITS GOLD AND ITS CHEAP!!!

Thanks Eric!!! I love it.

Yes, I will be holding flower arranging 101 right after you are done embalming Mr or Mrs SoandSo.!!

I really needed a laugh today!! Thank you!

 

[anytimeflowers]

Can we have some clarification?

Is this new arrangement specifying that the orders have to go through FTD HQ, or that the funeral homes may only deal with FTD shops?

If FTD is diverting the orders to HQ, it's no better than any other deal. If FTD is giving their members an opportunity at exclusivity, it's a value add that comes with membership.

That was my question.

Neither of these two entities is going to go into a partnership unless there is more money in it for them. I'm sure the funeral homes simply are directed to place the order on a special site just for them, then the order will be sent on to the preferred FTD florist.

I can pretty much guarantee that FTD did not do this out of the goodness of their hearts, they just need to find another source of easy money, much like they had with classmates.com etc. This in no way will benefit the recieving florist, although my other guarantee is that they will welcome it with open arms, they've been taught to do so.

Someone is going to pay for that extra commission the funeral home will get, and that's one more guarantee....it will be the member florists and the consumer.

FTD just managed to create another order-gatherer.

 

[BOSS]

Maybe they'll just install Mercury systems in the SCI homes.... yea, that will collect the biz for sure....

 

[George]

One of our customers uses SAP enterprise software. The customer is asking if we can have an on-line website that integrates directly with their SAP system. Maybe SCI has enterprise software that FTD interfaces to.

 

[bootcampguy]

Maybe they'll just install Mercury systems in the SCI homes.... yea, that will collect the biz for sure....

There will be no stone left "unturned" in this "dog eat dog world.................I'm amazed it took this long. We will se things and partnerships that will even amaze us.........................well, maybe not........

 

[BOSS]

Word on the street.....

I got a call a little bit ago (very reliable source) and the word is that SCI has in the past demanded and gotten 40% as a kickback from the florists they deal with. Some that have books at the funeral homes, mark-up the pricing to include the 40% discount, thus the CONsumer pays the 40% and not the florist.

Now that said, even if that same florist is a member of FTD, now there will be no guarantee that that same florist will get the work, based on FTD's weighted distribution system, especially in cities with many affiliates.