Just one example of what is wrong with our industry

[Flore]

A member of my BNI networking group, who is also a customer, approached me the other day to ask why a flower order gone wrong that was attempted to be sent to her daughter at her house was not done by me. I explained to her the different scenarios that might have happened, and told her I would see if I could look into to it for her.

So, here's the scenario of this order from what I could gather. Daughter's coworkers in NYC send flowers to their coworker who is recuperating at her mother's house in CT in the town where my shop is. They place the order on Tues with an OG (I won't mention names) requesting Wed delivery. Wednesday, the order is sent to me. (I do not know if it was sent to anyone prior to coming to me) It is one of those designs photographed one-sided so if you try to fill it to value you will end up with a final product that doesn't not look like the photograph unless you make it one-sided. This particular design I did not think I could make look good one-sided, and there wasn't enough money to make it a four-sided design. Therefore, rather than send out something that IMHO I thought would be sub-standard and have a product leave my shop that does not represent my shop's image/branding, I rejected it right away.

It eventually ends up in a shop in the town next to me on Thursday. They fill the order and try to make the delivery to the recipient on Thursday. When they call to schedule delivery, the daughter has already left and is back in NYC, and the mother refuses the delivery. She calls her daughter, who in turn calls her office, who in turn calls OG to cancel the order.

The end result?? The recipient is disappointed she missed the delivery of the flowers. The mother is disappointed that her daughter is disappointed. The senders are disappointed and angry the recipient did not receive the flowers. The filling shop now has to hassle to get paid for the order. OG just lost a customer, and the floral industry as a whole may have lost a customer (possibly three) as next time, maybe they won't send flowers and will pick another gift to send. No winners here.

 

[Chezbloom]

I believe you should mention the name of the OG. Why are you trying to protect a company that is destroying our industry? They may have skimmed $ from the order making it impossible for you to fill in the first place. The OG's exsist because florists enable them pure and simple.

 

[Flore]

I believe you should mention the name of the OG. Why are you trying to protect a company that is destroying our industry? They may have skimmed $ from the order making it impossible for you to fill in the first place. The OG's exsist because florists enable them pure and simple.

I wasn't trying to protect them, just trying to keep the post as neutral as possible. If it makes a difference, I can certainly say who it was.

 

[Chezbloom]

I guess I just don't understand why you would'nt say the name of the OG. It would help others who may be fooled into taking orders from them. You said yourself that the florist who filled the order from them will now have to fight to get paid. So.......?
Let me quess:From you Flowers? Just Flowers? FTD? Telefora? Should I go on? Do you want to PM me and I can post it for the world to see on my blog. I am just sickened by the daily crap these OG's do to florists who refuse to exterminate them for the parasites that they are.

 

[RWK]

After having returned back from the South Carolina Florists Association and just catching up with FlowerChat - I can understand and somewhat agree with the reluctance to mention a specific name.

Without documentation, it could well be that that particular d'OG could well sue for slanderous activity. Such is well within the scope of the d'OG to pull.

 

[Flore]

I guess I just don't understand why you would'nt say the name of the OG. It would help others who may be fooled into taking orders from them. You said yourself that the florist who filled the order from them will now have to fight to get paid. So.......?
Let me quess:From you Flowers? Just Flowers? FTD? Telefora? Should I go on? Do you want to PM me and I can post it for the world to see on my blog. I am just sickened by the daily crap these OG's do to florists who refuse to exterminate them for the parasites that they are.

Can we just say that it is a very well known d'OG, and especially because of what Ricky posted, I don't see the difference in mentioning their name.

 

[sandytf]

Seems like there was a lot of time lapsed from a Tues order to a Thursday delivery? Even with a reject in between. Maybe you weren't the first shop to reject? And maybe it was rejected by someone else in between you and the final filling florist. If this is the case, then I would say that OG should be taking a long hard look at why they can't get an order filled-and possibly not advertising same day or even next day delivery.

 

[Chezbloom]

So now we worry about getting sued for being robbed blind by OG's?Thats great. Well, I give up, I don't care anymore. I don't even know why I get mad as I'm WS free. WEll, yes I do, I'm convinced that they will ruin the flower gift giving industry and they are well on thier way to doing so. And we are supposed to shut up and take it or we "May get sued". Whatever, keep filling orders from corrupt OG's, protect them, let them destroy the industry. God forbid anyone try to fight for what is right lest they be taken to court. I guess I'll go build a bunch of doorway pages, join a WS and get all the real florists to line my pockets.Screw ethics, screw morals, I'm gonna be an OG and sue the pants off anyone who exposes my slimmy business methods. Then everyone will give me marketing awards because from what I see God=money and whoever has the most money wins.

 

[Knife's Wife]

Had a customer call and place an order with me 2 days ago. He explained that the last twelve times that he has placed orders that everyone of them has gone wrong.

The most remarkable thing is this.... He is the owner of the company that supplies Walmart and Sam's Club with flowers out of Miami. He said for years he had used a local florist, and then moved to using FTD online because he thought that florist were not doing it anymore. After several screw up from ordering online, he tried Just Flower, From you Flowers, TF online. He claims that not one order has gone right. He decided to Google Syracuse flowers, he told me he chose me for 3 reasons: 1st-You came up first, Second-I am impressed that you have survived this business 4 generations. 3rd- Your site is beautiful and did not carry any logos that associate you with any company that has screwed me.

I have often thought about the use of the TF logo, should I shouldn't I? After hearing what he had to say I know that it is best to disassociate , I know my own reputation I use to know theirs was good it is no longer the case. The wire services are eating themselves alive and destroying their reputation one customer at a time. I will not go down with them.

Joan

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

Had a customer call and place an order with me 2 days ago. He explained that the last twelve times that he has placed orders that everyone of them has gone wrong.

The most remarkable thing is this.... He is the owner of the company that supplies Walmart and Sam's Club with flowers out of Miami. He said for years he had used a local florist, and then moved to using FTD online because he thought that florist were not doing it anymore. After several screw up from ordering online, he tried Just Flower, From you Flowers, TF online. He claims that not one order has gone right. He decided to Google Syracuse flowers, he told me he chose me for 3 reasons: 1st-You came up first, Second-I am impressed that you have survived this business 4 generations. 3rd- Your site is beautiful and did not carry any logos that associate you with any company that has screwed me.

I have often thought about the use of the TF logo, should I shouldn't I? After hearing what he had to say I know that it is best to disassociate , I know my own reputation I use to know theirs was good it is no longer the case. The wire services are eating themselves alive and destroying their reputation one customer at a time. I will not go down with them.

Joan

why advertise for them ANYWAYS...advertising costs MONEY, and it seems that these perverse OG's certainly DON'T pay US, to advertise for THEM!!

 

[RWK]

.....advertising for 'them' is precisely why I stated in another posting.......Because of the business methods employed by FTD that I disagree with and do not personally feel and believe their ways of business are ethical and above board - I have the FTD Master designer certification and the pin that accompanies it......and I choose to not advertise that certification or wear the pin at official floral industry events.

In reality, the fact that I choose to not acknowledge the certification or wear the pin proclaiming it makes no real difference except in my personal codes of ethics.

 

[bloomz]

Seems like there was a lot of time lapsed from a Tues order to a Thursday delivery? Even with a reject in between. Maybe you weren't the first shop to reject? And maybe it was rejected by someone else in between you and the final filling florist. If this is the case, then I would say that OG should be taking a long hard look at why they can't get an order filled-and possibly not advertising same day or even next day delivery.

Sounds like a great possibility of a filler skrewup. ("My printer was out of ink and I had to wait for FTD to send it to me" happened to me week before last) and guess what? 2 days later they got their ink and orders came spitting out of their printer - too late for my customer.

OG's aren't known for sitting on orders for 2 days before transmitting them.

 

[sandytf]

Sounds like a great possibility of a filler skrewup. ("My printer was out of ink and I had to wait for FTD to send it to me" happened to me week before last) and guess what? 2 days later they got their ink and orders came spitting out of their printer - too late for my customer.

OG's aren't known for sitting on orders for 2 days before transmitting them.

Just making a possible guess based on Flore's comments. Order was placed on a Tues, Flore didn't receive it until Wed. That means either the order didn't go out on Tues (not likely) or it was sent to another florist and rejected before it made it's way to Flore (most likely case). It sounds as if Flore rejected the order quickly. So that means either it sat around again until going out to another florist on Thurs (again, not likely) or it was sent to yet another florist who rejected it before going to the final filling florist. Yes, one of the filling florists may not have rejected immediately, but even so-having to go to 4 florists before someone is willing to fill it? What does that tell you?

And in the end, the customer doesn't really care why. All they know is that they were disappointed in the experience and probably won't order flowers again. I don't know the answer to this dilemma-but it does seem to me that the onus falls on the OG who took the order: they over promised and underdelivered.

 

[BOSS]

The end result?? The recipient is disappointed she missed the delivery of the flowers. The mother is disappointed that her daughter is disappointed. The senders are disappointed and angry the recipient did not receive the flowers. The filling shop now has to hassle to get paid for the order. OG just lost a customer, and the floral industry as a whole may have lost a customer (possibly three) as next time, maybe they won't send flowers and will pick another gift to send. No winners here.

None of this would have happened, had there not been a middleman in the mix...

And Jon, no they don't usually "sit on orders" but they are notoriously bad at followup messages, which a reject would be....

 

[Luc]

Doesnt matter who it is CHez Bloom, some florist will stil fill for those OG"S.

Luc

 

[Tracy D'Amico]

. He decided to Google Syracuse flowers, he told me he chose me for 3 reasons: 1st-You came up first, Second-I am impressed that you have survived this business 4 generations. 3rd- Your site is beautiful and did not carry any logos that associate you with any company that has screwed me.

Powerful words, those. Thanks for sharing this tidbit.

 

[Kristine]

A member of my BNI networking group, who is also a customer, approached me the other day to ask why a flower order gone wrong that was attempted to be sent to her daughter at her house was not done by me. I explained to her the different scenarios that might have happened, and told her I would see if I could look into to it for her..

sounds like your next 10 minute at BNI should be on why you should contact a local florist instead of an online oG to send your flowers.

 

[Doug Munro]

Sounds like a great possibility of a filler skrewup. ("My printer was out of ink and I had to wait for FTD to send it to me" happened to me week before last) and guess what? 2 days later they got their ink and orders came spitting out of their printer - too late for my customer.

OG's aren't known for sitting on orders for 2 days before transmitting them.

The fact is that without a complete investigation no one on this board can say for certain what caused the time delay.

Bloomz is correct in saying that OG's are not known for sitting on orders, In fact I suspect that most get them out faster than the average florist, simply due to the fact that they have to deal with a much higher volume and that is all they do.

Why is it generally assumed that when an order that originates with an OG goes astray it is automatically the OG's fault and no doubt due to their "dishonest" business practices.

I would like to introduce a new term to this board "Floral Profiling". Floral Profiling assumes that all OG's are guilty of some sort of dishonest business practices regardless of how they operate or their standards. Proof of deception, skimming, dishonesty, or anything not above board is never required, after all they must be guilty of something as they are OG's. As well it will be assumed that OG's underlying goal is to undermine the "real" florist.

If this sounds anything like the disgusting practice of "racial profiling" that immigration and law enforcement officials are sometimes accused of it is simply coincidental. After all we are all open minded, unbiased individuals on this board, aren't we?

 

[BOSS]

Your site is beautiful and did not carry any logos that associate you with any company that has screwed me.

Joan

Important statement there... being one that pulled all logos off our store and vans 4 years ago... I do believe that a continued publicized relationship with "them" is not in oour best interest...

 

[BOSS]

I would like to introduce a new term to this board "Floral Profiling". Floral Profiling assumes that all OG's are guilty of some sort of dishonest business practices regardless of how they operate or their standards. Proof of deception, skimming, dishonesty, or anything not above board is never required, after all they must be guilty of something as they are OG's. As well it will be assumed that OG's underlying goal is to undermine the "real" florist.

That's because they are guilty Doug... the advertise outside their delivery area, they claim "fresh from the field", they claim they deliver, they...