Getting out of the "Big 2" altogether.

Status
Not open for further replies.
Lady Biker Florist

Lady Biker Florist

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2003
2,088
151
63
68
Hazel Park
www.daisypetal.com
State / Prov
Michigan
It would never have occurred to me that we (our shop) could exist without belonging to one of the big two prior to coming to flowerchat & floristboard and finally seeing the truth.

Now that I have seen many do fine and move ahead without the big 2 I have a very hopeful view of getting out myself. Being a smaller shop (under 250k yr.) we really do not NEED the big 2. However...

I think taking the big plunge is postponed by many of us because we have come to depend on two things. 1) Merc/Dove transmission and 2) very professional looking selection guides.

I know IFA is talked about quite highly on the boards and it would most likely be my choice when getting out. What stops me? Well it's not the Merc (we're FTD) as I have phoned out every order for three months with the exception of two and those were no big deal. I prefer calling the order, that's just me.

SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? The stupid selection guide. IFA's selection guide is very limited and with so many shops within ten miles that have the nice big 2 selection guides people are spoiled and want THOSE to look through.

Yes, it's our fault for taking part in training customers to depend and become addicted to the selection guides, but the harm is done. How do we wean folks off of them? I just can't see them accepting the IFA selection guide, or am I wrong (anyone with IFA selection guide experience)?

One a side note - concerning our website I have no problem getting rid of the FTD pics and making our own. I'm all for branding our own stuff. I love my digital camera and the challenge of creating professional looking pics. I have a couple "non floral gift" pics on our website I took and they are not what I call professional looking, but are acceptable. I want to do better and I (or Neal) will take the challenge and learn so I don't see that as a problem. As far as wire outs, I get about 1 wire out out of every 25 Internet orders that we get, so I could work around this I think.

As far as calling direct with a credit card - I am not ready for the idiots that refuse F2F cc orders or the ones that want to tax you again. I can say idiots because I have done both of the aforementioned. I shake my head and roll my eyes in realization of my own past ignorance. Thank the Lord for flowerchat and floristboard to enlighten us florists who had our heads buried in the sand or was it dirt.
 
Is it illegal for you to keep your old FTD selection guide, have customers select from it and then give the order directly to an FTD florist that also has the guide?
Just wondering.
 
George Simon said:
Is it illegal for you to keep your old FTD selection guide, have customers select from it and then give the order directly to an FTD florist that also has the guide?
Just wondering.
Click to expand...
Exactly right, George.

TF / FTD sell us the guide. It's ours. Remember, most IFA shops at least in the short term, will be ex-FTD or ex-TF and still have the book on site. You can also type a description of the arrangement ("Bright, traditional, in vase") when you send it.

Ryan
 
Well I'll be! So simple it completely escaped me. Of course the selection guides are ours. In fact I have the most recent TF and the last TFand also the most recent FTD and last FTD selection guides we use every day. I also have a John Henry selection guide I took apart and put in sleeve protectors and a notebook. So with the five selection guides I use interchangeably now - what would really have to change? Of course this would be calling direct which I was trying to avoid. BLUE??? How's calling direct going for you?

Still wondering if IFA is the way to go, still want to hear form other IFA (only) members and actually all who are "big two-less".

Seems like I just need a push. Our FTD membership fee will jump from $59.99 a month to whatever the high amount is now - I think around $129.99 Nov. 1st this year, so am just looking ahead.
 
Infinite said:
You can also type a description of the arrangement ("Bright, traditional, in vase") when you send it.

Ryan
Click to expand...

I know in my case, that 90%+ of all out going are "generic" orders, meaning they do not carry a BR549 product number... and I would venture to guess most shops are like that too...to some degree (not counting web orders from sites using ws images)...

Patty, it is easy to make you own, we did/ARE even seperate ones for corsages and another for weddings...takes some practice to get good at the photos...

And George, yes, you can continue to use the older guides, heck I have almost every one we ever had going back 30 years or more...(still like the old AFS one best)....problem is many others do not, but generic descriptions usually work well...
 
Infinite said:
Exactly right, George.

TF / FTD sell us the guide. It's ours. Remember, most IFA shops at least in the short term, will be ex-FTD or ex-TF and still have the book on site. You can also type a description of the arrangement ("Bright, traditional, in vase") when you send it.

Ryan
Click to expand...
So I don't see a problem then, Patty. You just have to call direct.
Maybe at some point the guide will become obsolete, but that should not be until a few years from now.
 
Calling Direct

I have several customers that, although capable of sending the orders electronically through the Dove or Mercury Direct, still prefer to call the orders out most of the time. The exception being during the holidays.
They say that they like to establish a relationship with the filling florist.
Let's face it, most of the time you are going to have the time needed to call the orders out and if you use the 800 numbers, the dime is on the filling shop.
By the way Patty, flowerSoft can make florists with 800 numbers, preferred florists in your database.
 
George Simon said:
if you use the 800 numbers, the dime is on the filling shop.
Click to expand...

Don;t know about most folks here, but when I call another shop, I never like to use their 800 number...I'm calling... then it's my dime!
 
Lady Biker Florist said:
Of course this would be calling direct which I was trying to avoid. BLUE??? How's calling direct going for you?

Still wondering if IFA is the way to go, still want to hear form other IFA (only) members and actually all who are "big two-less".
Click to expand...

Patty calling out the orders is really not so bad with maybe about 4 shops a month that overcharge with tax...we just call them up when the CC statement comes in and we let them know that the order was only authorized for the Total we gave them and the filling shops Do give us back a credit.

Now a day's were sending about 99% of our outbound via IFA and each day it gets better and better. HTH
 
Question for those going direct on CC...

How much time is involved in reconciling your statement, I mean if you send 100 direct orders a month, how do you and how much time is involved with sorting it out?

Blue from your comment on the Sales Tax I would guess you look at each order... do you have a list of the orders to compare to?
 
Boss, reconcilling our statement is really no different than the Big 2 statements. Our CC statement is gone over with each order we have sent out F2F. We have a copy of the original order in our file called 'wire outs', each order is crossed checked with the CC statement charge.
It's something every business person needs to do with any statement..ie phone, electric, gas, insurance and the list goes on.

We really like our freedom and enjoy reading on these boards the same old problems over and over with the Big 4?
 
selection guide, etc

Patty,

I am so happy to see you considering this right now! :)

Just a thought.... I *think* FTD was trying to change that whole "the selection guide is mine, I bought it thing". They would not let me buy the guide outright... It wasn't even an option. I had to "rent" it for $15 a month. I think they've changed the you-own-it concept. I don't know about TF.

Technology for a small shop... I know that FSI has been under fire lately, so no one chop my head off, but FSI does offer Order Source... Their version of Dove/Merc. I personally don't use it, because I had the Merc. But I also prefer to call out orders...because of the extra control over the result. Sometimes a little passion in your voice about your order will compell the filler to do things right.... IMHO.

I agree that technology is the #1 problem with all of us giving the boot to ws's and og's. I've said this over and over again. I am almost tempted to start programming classes so I can stop complaining and start DOING. But that really should be left to the techies right here on this board...hint, hint, again. :)
 
Getting out of the Big 2 altogether

We also send 95% of outgoing orders in generic terms ..... vase arrangement mixed flowers such as ...... in the following colours ...... to the value of ....

I don't like selling the exact picture because the other shop may not have the exact flowers but should be able to do similar style with similar colours. Just like I try and take at least 2 to 3 choices of colours for roses, in case the selected first choice doesn't come in for some reason. I make my customers realize that sometimes not every flower in every colour is available.

As for reconciling the cc statements ..... same here. We just keep a copy of all the outgoing orders by cc and check them off the statement. We also request as well as send out a written confirmation of the order with the florist.
 
BOSS said:
Question for those going direct on CC...

How much time is involved in reconciling your statement, I mean if you send 100 direct orders a month, how do you and how much time is involved with sorting it out?

Blue from your comment on the Sales Tax I would guess you look at each order... do you have a list of the orders to compare to?
Click to expand...
I don't know if Blue uses this feature, but flowerSoft allows you to reconcile the outgoing orders through the computer if you used F2F as the wire service.
flowerSoft also allows him to print a report of outgoing orders placed through any wire service, including F2F, which shows him every order he gave out during a certain period of time, how much the order was for and what the invoice number for that order is. He can then take this report and compare it to his credit card statement. Should not be much of a problem.
 
Allow me to clear up the assumption that we sell exact pictures just because people like to use the book. Clare, Neal, & Myself are very well trained at selling a look and a color scheme and NOT A PICTURE. That, however, does not eliminate the fact that 4 out of 5 people ask for the book. I am going to work at steering people away form the guides and have some generic pictures available. It might just be a matter of habit. Thanks for all your input people, I appreciate it!
 
I'd like to know the answer also cuz I HATE book work of ANY kind! But since I've already decided NOT to use a WS, I really NEED to start getting a handle on this ASAP. Grand Opening is March 19th and after that, things should REALLY start poppin'.

And Boss, I wouldn't have a problem if and in-coming used my dime...I'm getting most of the order anyway. But, I DO think it's commedable of you Sir ! :yourock: Cis
 
We like John Henry's selection guides. They have some really outstanding arrangements for sympathy and weddings. We use their photos on our website as well. These belong to us.
People are always going to ask to see photos. I do not think that you will be able to change that. We have old TF and FTD guides but I think that JH is far superior. We also have taken photos on almost every large piece we have done and put those in an album. People like to see what we can do.
Our out-going orders are very small and a call to the florist is not a problem as we, too like the person-to-person interaction. We belong to IFA as well but perfer to use the CC approach. We send 100% via IFA anyway.
More and more customers ASK for numbers of florists in other cities/states. They are very thankful for the info. I do not think that losing a relay fee is a problem. Actully I think that it saves me a headache---like the "lost" orders, etc.

Judy
 
John Henry Selection Guide

evergreen12377 said:
We like John Henry's selection guides. They have some really outstanding arrangements for sympathy and weddings. We use their photos on our website as well. These belong to us.
Click to expand...
Yes, the new John Henry Sympathy and Wedding selection guides have some really nice designs and pictures, but as I have told them, there old Everyday selection guide bites. The funky background colors and even just some of the 70's designs made it something that I would not want to put on my website. The new one was scheduled to be released on March 1st, I am hoping that it is the same design calliber as the other new selection guides.
 
I agree with you about the Everyday Guide. I hope the new one is as good as the wedding and sympathy ones.

Judy
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back