Funeral Work=Sprays and Time

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thebloomcloset

thebloomcloset

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Decided to start a thread based off another, hope everyone will post one of their "standard" funeral sprays (or casket sprays) with the time it took to make it, and lets add the price as well, I will post mine momentarily....Thanks looking forward to seeing everyones!
 
here you go. it's posted in the other thread too.
Not really a "standard" just one I did this week.
It's 2/3 couch and $250 (I think). And it took me less than 30 mins to put together, Absolute start to absolute finish. Like I said before, It wasn't my idea to put the lily in the center, I would have put several, but what can you do, that's what they wanted.


OK now it won't let me upload, so if you want to see it go to the "customer complaint" thread. Sorry
 
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Please ignore the fifteen million ribbons that this customer requested ;) I actually moved them twice more before placing them much lower in the spray and half on one side, half on the other.

This spray took me 15 minutes from start to finish. The saddle was already soaked and I use the oasis holders so there is no other prep involved.

Price = 200.00
 
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well, I am just about ready to get really busy with three funerals.

Easels and Casket Sprays -- 20 minutes.

Traditional fan shaped deals -- 10 minutes or less

Speed Tip: one little short cut that I employ is that I cut two flowers at the same time if I am making a symmetrical arrangement like a casket spray. ONe flower on one side the other on the other side. I also do not look where I am placing the flowers, I am generally looking for the next flowers to insert.

joe
 
inferno63 said:
I think I am a slow designer. You guys rock!
Click to expand...


Here is an example....
I see you posted 12 minutes ago, within this time span I waited on a customer, arranged 2 snaps, three iris, three carns, three roses, a stem of the good solidago (6 side branches) greened up the vase, enterd the order in the computer and processed a credit card in less than 12 minutes. and got back on line here.

Joe
 
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Joe,,I am so with you on speed, and I know that you work speaks for itself, I get so upset that my new designer takes so long to do anything it kills me, and I can wrap rings around themk, and the quality is what is important in this business, also keep in mind as most of us shop owners on here know labor is not free, and it should not take that long to do things,,,

Also this what brought to my attention a few days on this subject,,

If you say do about 20 arrangments in one day at an average of 50.00 each..and you are paying that person 20.00 and hour..and she takes 5 hours to make these..then you take in effect how much was used on the product to make these, and the basket and stuff that goes with it, and gas, and utilitys is it is staggering,Heavens I need to get a job..that pays more..
 
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Joe Mioux said:
I also do not look where I am placing the flowers, I am generally looking for the next flowers to insert.

joe
Click to expand...
Funny how that happens huh Joe...just means we've been doing this too long...

Average casket spray time for me, 30 minutes or less on a $250-400.00 spray, a little longer on larger ones, start to finish...30% labor...

My speed tip...have all flowers being used out of the cooler right next to or behind me, and utilize other staff to "go get me..."
 
BOSS said:
My speed tip...have all flowers being used out of the cooler right next to or behind me, and utilize other staff to "go get me..."
Click to expand...

Ditto that tip.

for rose Casket Sprays, I have a stock bucket of roses on the floor and count out 12 at a time, Strip the 12 with a handheld stripper, then insert those, .... repeat until done.

Joe
 
One of the things my boss had me do when I was learning was to keep a log book of everyhting I did in one day. If I was making single rose vases (I know, people hardly every buy these in large towns) I would put down a starting time, get vases, water, greens, filler, bow. Finish time minus starting time, divide total vases to get a vase time. This also helped each employee see where they spent their time and what they needed to work on.

I do that with new hires, because I want to see where they are spending the most time. Try to teach them some short cuts. It is amazing at the end of the day to see where your time went. It only takes a second to keep up with your time.
 
I am usually here by myself so that hour most likely included answering the phone and waiting on customers, etc. while I was doing the spray. But still I didn't realize how slow I was until I read these posts. Maybe that is why I work 12 hour days instead of 8!
 
First thing I do is start soaking the saddle then I get out all of my materials needed and place them in reach. I try to make sprays after hours so I don't get interrupted. I've made sprays during normal business hours and it's taken me over 40 minutes between answering the phone and helping other customers.

Whenever I process flowers for a spray I place them in the same, or as few buckets as possible. Then I just drag the buckets out and place them on one side and then I place an empty bucket on my other side for stems.

I cut all of my greens first. I usually use flat fern and aspidistra. For the flat fern I leave 1/3 of the bunch long, 1/3 of the bunch is cut to a medium length and the last 1/3 is cut short. For the aspidistra I just knife cut and then make into loops. I insert the greens first and start from top to bottom. This takes three minutes or less.

In the example of the spray above I would next insert the lilies followed by the roses, stock, and snaps and then fugi. The gerbs would be the last flower inserted.

Like Joe, I cut and insert two at a time because, for the more standard of sprays, each half is just a mirror of the other.

I top it all off with Hawaiian Floral Mist and roll it into the cooler.

More custom sprays can take me up to an hour.
 
Additionally, I usually post on FC when I am at the computer doing paperwork and my website.....so even though I hold you all high on a pedestal, I still work as I chat here. :thumbsup
 
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this took me about 35 minutes.. 300.00
all the flowers that I ordered for this went into the same bucket when I processed them. I work out of the bucket and when they're gone that's it. It keeps me from adding "just a little something more"
 
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ok, I'm gonna try again.......

This one I just did, Start time 3:22 end 3:54 4 dz roses
 

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The last time I timed myself was the last wedding I did....

On thursday, at 2pm I started and did 10 bouts, 4 corsages, 7 brides maid handtied, 1 bride, left shop at 430pm...

On friday started at 1pm did 20 centerpieces, 3 julep cups, 2 church baskets, packaged and labeled corsages and bouts from day before left shop at 5:30 pm

On sat morning 10 am wrapped handles of all bouquets, boxed bouquets, boxed centers, loaded truck and was ready to deliver wedding at 1130am...

all the while taking orders and waiting on customers....I think that is pretty good time for wedding work....

Funeral work is ten times faster.....
 
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