Goodbye, Teleflora?

Status
Not open for further replies.
hangglidegirl

hangglidegirl

New Member
Sep 10, 2006
286
110
0
62
Carlisle
www.e-flowercart.com
State / Prov
Ohio
I'm in the midst of serious thought about going wire-service free. We have been with Teleflora since the shop's inception in 1998. There are several things I need to learn before I can make an educated decision and I hope that some of my fellow FC'ers can help me unmuddy the waters. Your opinions will be appreciated.

1. Bought the Dove/Daisy system in 2001 with a major upgrade in November, 2006. Of course, the upgrade is financed (2.5 years to go) through Teleflora and is paid through my Clearinghouse statement. What will happen to this equipment if we cancel our membership? Will I have to pay it off immediately (via a bank loan, credit card, etc.) or have it "repossessed"?

2. What are the options for POS if we no longer have access to Daisy? I have seen options on FlowerChat but don't know how they can be integrated into my situation. Can the current records be converted? Will my current hardware (assuming I get to keep it) be compatible with another non-WS system?

3. We send a fair amount of out-going orders. Is there a network of florists who will accept incoming credit card orders? If not, do you use the internet and call until you find a willing "real florist"? Surely none of us are using outdated directories.

4. Our website is not WS sponsored but we do use (mostly) Teleflora graphics. I am not a proficient photographer (although I have a nice digital camera on premises) and am uneasy about where to find quality photos for the website. Obviously, we want to use our own graphics for everything but we don't have the knowledge and facilities to take great web appropriate pictures. What are the options that you utilize?

These are the major concerns that I am trying to resolve in my mind. Thanks in advance for your input!
 
Barb,

I can't answer your more technical questions on the WS POS system switch or WS hardware because I haven't had any experience with them.

As far as finding florists to call direct, you will have no issues and if you run into one that gives you flak....mark them on your DNS list and move on ;) Can't imagine someone turning down a 100% sale but...it happens. We are not a member of a "network" but I take five minutes and find one online and then call. I have had very few issues but, you are going to have some issues with any method of sending.

As far as the images...I am kind of in the same boat. I am a decent photographer but since I am the only one in the shop it is too hard for me during busy times to take great shots. Usually they end up too dark or blurry because my hand was shaking or I was in a hurry. We are currently using the Florist's Review image collection and I love it very much.

I wish you the best with your decision!
 
I don't think TF will take any of your equipment back, they wan't you to pay for it. At least that is what happened with this shop. When I purchased this shop I did not want the RTI system. Also, the previous owners still owed alot of money on it and I did'nt want to take over payments. As far as I know, the previous owners are still paying for the RTI system, as it sits in their basement in boxes unused. Kind of sad really. Congrats on becoming WS free. We too just use a Company CC for the few orders we send out each month.
 
I thought of another situation related to the dropping of Teleflora. I truly enjoy the trade magazines published by and distributed through Teleflora, particularly Floral Finance, Flowers &, and Flowers and Profits. The only other trade rags that I'm aware of are Floral Review and Floral Management. Does anyone know of additional industry related magazines/materials that I can use to keep current?
 
Those are great pictures. Which sets did you purchase? Have you been satisfied with them? If you had it do to all over, would you still purchase the same ones, or is hind-sight enlightening?
 
Magazines that are published on a periodic basis that aren't wire service related publications

Florist's Review - Florist's Review publication
Floral Management - Society of American Florists publication
Flora Magazine - Cenflo publication
Profil Floral - Klaus Wagner publication
Profil basics - Klaus Wagner publication

Florist's Review library has the widest range of books - Also, European Floral Library has quite a few.
 
While I don't have any solid numbers to prove it yet, we are doing better without TF than with. Partly because after dropping TF, we removed all of their images and put up our own on our website, then we started getting picked up on search engines and orders started coming in. We are new, only 1 year August 1st, but I know we are growing. albeit slowly.
 
hangglidegirl said:
Those are great pictures. Which sets did you purchase? Have you been satisfied with them? If you had it do to all over, would you still purchase the same ones, or is hind-sight enlightening?
Click to expand...

I bought all six discs. I really only wanted five because I had just purchased the JH wedding set but, it was more cost effective just to go ahead and buy all six. The sympathy images are amazing, and the rest are great. The wedding CD is okay but that's just because of the angles that they took the pics of some of the bouquets. If I didn't have the JH set I would think the wedding images were great too.

The designs don't come with recipes or price guides but for me that was a non-issue. I just wanted some great images to put on my site...now if I could just get around to putting up a shopping cart :)
 
hangglidegirl said:
I'm in the midst of serious thought about going wire-service free. We have been with Teleflora since the shop's inception in 1998. There are several things I need to learn before I can make an educated decision and I hope that some of my fellow FC'ers can help me unmuddy the waters. Your opinions will be appreciated.

1. Bought the Dove/Daisy system in 2001 with a major upgrade in November, 2006. Of course, the upgrade is financed (2.5 years to go) through Teleflora and is paid through my Clearinghouse statement. What will happen to this equipment if we cancel our membership? Will I have to pay it off immediately (via a bank loan, credit card, etc.) or have it "repossessed"?

Thanks in advance for your input!
Click to expand...

I have been in the process of figuring out this info also. I, like you, upgraded my daisy system Jan '06, so I have 2 years left. I am planning on approaching my rep (when we get a new one; haven't had one for a year now) and asking these types of questions.

Also, I've been looking at FAS for new type of POS.

I'm just taking one step at a time and go slow. I've started with a building a new website. Figure one thing at a time...next is letting go of TF products for holidays and then either joining IFA or using cc to call out orders.

I'll be checking to see what other recommendations FC's give!!

Good luck!
 
I'm not Flip Floping

Is this POS system that expensive?

I guess my problem with your questions is will you really save money by not being a TF member?

Why consider doing this if you don't have things in place? All of the things that you will need to replace take a considerable amount of time.

If your problem is to many discounted orders being sent that can be easly resolved by raising your minimums. This really sounds like your problem and hey I was there. And to answer one of your questions yes its more profitable. But it takes time.

Replacing images with your own images again start taking your own pictures now and lets say you deliver 10 20 or 30 arrangements a day. All it would take is 5 pictures a day and you would have more than enough in a month to start your own website.

I know what you are going to say "What to do about those sympathy arrangements" Again start taking picture now and you'll be surprise how many you will have before you even give your notice.

As far as your POS goes. I think I may be missing something but does it run by itself or is it hooked up to TF servers? I mean I have Eagle so whether I am with TF or not it works. Our POS does more then send and receive it is the heart of our whole operation. Keeping track of all of our customers for the past 4 1/2 years. Easily manages our account receivables and organizes all of our customers information.

This cost will always be with your business. It sounds like you need to wean yourself off the WS. If profitability is your problem its the receiving and "THE SENDING" that is doing it. Stop filling and start educating your customers. You will always have customers that need to send through you but the ones that you educate will be worth even more once they realize that you have their best interest in mind.

Again I'm not Flip Flopping here it just seems like there is more involved here then what you initially explained.
 
Is this POS system that expensive?
Click to expand...
The November '06 upgrade was $7K. It included an upgraded server, a new dummy terminal/keyboard, two PC workstations, integrating an existing PC workstation into Daisy, a triple tray HP printer, and the Daisy upgrade.

I guess my problem with your questions is will you really save money by not being a TF member?
Click to expand...
After receiving our rebate check, we are currently breaking even. Actually, over the last 24 months, we have made $281. Some months we make a little, some months we lose a little. I'm not in business to break even.

Why consider doing this if you don't have things in place?
Click to expand...
That's what I'm trying to do :)

If your problem is to many discounted orders being sent that can be easly resolved by raising your minimums. This really sounds like your problem and hey I was there.
Click to expand...
I really don't feel it is discounted orders. I don't hesitate to ask for more money if it is needed and to refuse the order if it won't be profitable. We do send more that we receive and that is fine with me. YTD: Incoming, 236, $9,505; Outgoing, 384, $22,645.

Again start taking picture now and you'll be surprise how many you will have before you even give your notice.
Click to expand...
I'm more concerned about the quality of the pictures I would be taking. I can take the pics but if they are not quality they have no value. How do I get a non wrinkled white background, get rid of the shadows, show depth in the photos, etc.? My pictures always look so amatuer and the professional photo shoot that I did (once) for our Mother's Day specials didn't look any better than mine did. Maybe I need to invest in a photography class to boost my confidence.

As far as your POS goes. I think I may be missing something but does it run by itself or is it hooked up to TF servers? I mean I have Eagle so whether I am with TF or not it works. Our POS does more then send and receive it is the heart of our whole operation. Keeping track of all of our customers for the past 4 1/2 years. Easily manages our account receivables and organizes all of our customers information.
Click to expand...
This is by far my biggest concern. I simply don't know if the system will work if disconnected from TF. Be great if it did, but I need confirmation of that. We truly utilize the marketing features of Daisy and I would hate to lose the reports and such. My thoughts are that even if the system works independent of TF I will no longer be able to obtain upgrades, etc. At some point in the future, if necessary, will I be able to utilize other non-WS software with the equipment that I have? If, and when, that time comes, I know that there are many FC threads on non-WS POS systems available for me to research.

Stop filling and start educating your customers. You will always have customers that need to send through you but the ones that you educate will be worth even more once they realize that you have their best interest in mind.
Click to expand...
We already are not filling orders that are not profitable. Please explain what you mean by "educate your customers". What, specifically, does that involve?

Thank you so much for your input. I really appreciate your time.

Can someone please explain how to insert prior post quotes? I'm sure it would be easier than what I did here :hammer:.
 
To Quote Another Post...

Just look at the very bottom of the post you would like to quote and then click on the "quote" button. You can also quote more than one post by clicking the "+ button on each thread that you would like to quote. That option is next to the plain "quote" button. Hope that helps!!
 
If the quote buttone dosen't work you can edit your post and put in between brackets [ ] the word quote and at the end of the quote use the same brackets except use /quote.

I really don't feel it is discounted orders. I don't hesitate to ask for more money if it is needed and to refuse the order if it won't be profitable
Click to expand...
No way!
Your incoming average is $40. After percentage its only $29 average and you need to take out for delivery right?

Your outgoing is 58.97. Plus I hope your charging a service at least $5 bucks right!

Raise your min incoming so that it matches your outgoing average require a delivery fee ontop of your incoming. If you send a $50 order plus delivery fee you make $10 bucks + some of the delivery fee + your service fee. Recieve a $50 order you make 36.50 + your delivery fee.

Backdrops for pictures.
Click to expand...
Two words "Projection Screen" a white retracktable one.

Educate your customers.
Click to expand...

First all of your outgoing should include a delivery fee. So you have a $50 minimum on outgoing you need to charge $50.00 plus delivery and plus service fee.

Your customers don't want to pay that. Then you recomend calling the florist directly thus saving them money and refering a creditable florist to use.

Your POS system cost
Click to expand...

$7000.00 is a large lump sum. You can't look at the single occerance.

That 7000 is for your system to operate over a period of time. Our eagle was 12,000 plus all of the other stations we have added over the past 5 years. That cost has been spread over that period and will continue to be spread out the older the system becomes and the more the business uses it.

The information that you provided again shows that you are getting too many incoming orders that are under priced. I will bet your store average is much higher then what you get for those crappy incoming orders.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back