NEGOTIATE with FTD....

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

here's a heads up......FTD WILL CONTINUE to make changes to it's business model PROVIDED THAT, we the REAL FLORISTS step up to the plate and deliver a winning team!
There is a rumour circulating that IF you are currently NOT an FTD member, and maybe WANT TO BE, but either cannot afford all the high costs, or have other "issue" with the organization (who doesn't), you WILL BE in a position to more or less "negotiate" terms of membership costs, and other related costs, PROVIDED you PROMISE to fulfil the florist to florist mandate, and help FTD continue to GROW it's business, and elevate the quality assurances of all orders filled, THEY (FTD) are willing to listen.
After the courageous step taken by Frank Stornelli, to remove one of the derogatory "blights" within our industry from FTD's membership, FTD is of course looking to replace the order volumes lost,BUT, here's the GREAT NEWS...we CAN put the OG's out of business, as far as FTD is concerned, as long as it's FTD that gets YOUR loyalty and business!!
ALL THINGS are negotiable...it's time to start using negotiation, instead of all out war, and perhaps, in short order, REAL FLORISTS, with help of TRUE CARING PEOPLE like Frank, CAN and WILL, re-establish a credible control of our beloved industry, BEFORE it goes COMPLETELY IN THE TOILET!!

 

[BOSS]

BEFORE it goes COMPLETELY IN THE TOILET!!

I'm willing to let them negotiate with me...however that said, they need to continue to follow the standard Frank put forward and in extremly short order.

 

[steve]

I do not think we had reach point of all out war yet I think we merely have been orgainizing and stateing the facts clearly so that anyone who had interest could read the facts and make their own decisions. Now if they continue to clean out the frauds within the industry there will be less and less negative facts to post on the other hand there will be far more acculades giving as this board has shown over the past 36 to 48 hours. In my book behavior should get rewarded appropriately. And that is the same standard our floral customers hold us to.

 

[CHR]

FTD WILL CONTINUE to make changes to it's business model PROVIDED THAT, we the REAL FLORISTS step up to the plate and deliver a winning team!

Mikey, with all due respect, FTD's florists have stepped up to the plate for 95 years. In the past ten, the plate has been hidden, moved to left field, insulted and sullied NOT by the members, but by the company, IMO.

elevate the quality assurances of all orders filled

How about the responsibility of FTD to police the quality and truthfulness of the orders sold, especially by third-party affiliates.

This is not to overlook the steps of Mr. Stornelli, but Vancouver has been a black mark on the biz for a very, very long time. They have cost ALL florists, not just FTD members for all the reasons discussed in the other thread.

looking to replace the order volumes lost, BUT, here's the GREAT NEWS...we CAN put the OG's out of business, as far as FTD is concerned, as long as it's FTD that gets YOUR loyalty and business!!

FTD has had the loyalty of many florists for years - and for that their florists have been forced to co-brand with Wal-mart and get to see their cities targeted by the likes of GrowerFlowers. Where's FTD's loyalty? If they want it, they need to do more than show that they can than kick out one dreadful member.

re-establish a credible control of our beloved industry, BEFORE it goes COMPLETELY IN THE TOILET!!

Sorry, I think the vast majority of florists have taken the high road and held up their side of the bargain.

The primary reason this biz is in the toilet is directly as a result of OGs out of control. Imagine how much more business we would all have if we weren't forced to complete with the deceptive marketing, Loblaw's fake discounts and the free delivery BS so readily found on the web.

IMO, FTD needs to take care of that before asking any more of its members.

 

[Luc]

You must have forgotten a few things

To what FTD had done in the past to you and FTD members.
They lost a lot of credibility with how they screwed members over a few times. Grocery store is a big factor for me. How about selling directly from the farm to the consumer by passing you. How about this quality assurance Fraud program. How about the 6 fleurin they take off all international retrans order. How about skimming on domestic retrans orders.
Should I say more.
Frank is a nice guy and yes has helped me before and I will not forget it neither. If he was to break down or needed help I would be there for him.
For FTD, that is another story by itself and I WILL NOT BE there for them.

Frank was in my area yesterday and he even came to Elliot Lake, but because I has a meeting I missed him. I would have loved to sit down and listen to him and Angelo but it will be another time.

I will tell you since I left FTD, I am happy with my bottom line and being in control of my store and my decisions.

I can't imagine why small town florist don't cancel their membership with the wire service and let them phone you with their credit cards then paying hi membership dues etc.etc.
Mikey today you are praising FTD, but I will bet you than somewhere down the road you will be peeved off about something in the near future.

Just because they have made progress with one Order gatherer , we have to bow down to them. Show me more for me before that happens.

Luc

 

[flowerknife+us]

CHR, Agree, agree, agree, agree! with all you said!

 

[Sher]

IMO, FTD needs to take care of that before asking any more of its members.
With all due respect.........FTD isn't the only one that needs to take care of business. Seems like TF is right there in the mix....and several of the florists that we all know, who even post here, are big time OG's.....brick and morter or not....they are OG's.....plain and simople so while we all point fingers, we need to take a close look at our own folks. IMHO

 

[CHR]

FTD isn't the only one that needs to take care of business.

Agreed. This thread's topic is about negotiating with FTD, however.

Perhaps I misunderstood Mikey's original comments. I interpreted them to mean that in order for more cleanup to take place, florists would need to step up and make up the $ difference lost from the 'bad boys.' Why should real florists need to 'replace' these ill-gotten dollars in the first place?

Both major WS need to clean up the mess, as well as the the smaller ones like FSI that also cloak deceptively-sold OG orders. They are not doing us favors when they do so; they are averting serious consequences for the misdeeds of their out-of-control affiliates.

The guilty now seem to be 'getting religion' to deal with these issues. Bottom line, no affiliate should be allowed to use any marketing practice that wouldn't pass the corporate attorney' smell tests.

I, frankly, have been tired of seeing those of us that complain about these issues being labeled 'whining' florists. I feel my company can compete for consumers' orders - vigorously - on a level playing field and I'm sure you do too.

But I have found it very difficult to compete with the flat-out lies.

 

[Luc]

I also have to agree that not only FTD is doing deceptive ways, Teleflora is following in it's heal. Sher, the thread was about FTD and that is how I responded my comments.
As I see it, NO WIRE SERVICES ARE ANGELS. by a long shot.
Luc

 

[BOSS]

Both major WS need to clean up the mess, as well as the the smaller ones like FSI that also cloak deceptively-sold OG orders. They are not doing us favors when they do so; they are averting serious consequences for the misdeeds of their out-of-control affiliates.

Through communications from both sides, I have been lead to believe that they know they are in trouble, and are both comitted to "cleaning up their act". Thing is, I feel they need to clean it up as the florists see it, not as they see it...time will tell...

 

[theRKF]

Why should real florists need to 'replace' these ill-gotten dollars in the first place?

Someone has to - not for FTD or TF, but for the many floral customers looking for service. If florists do well enough capturing the customers, the OGs have no market. End of story. If we did a better job marketing ourselves we wouldn't be spoonfed orders from a company in India.

Ryan

 

[flowerknife+us]

Raining on the parade

FTD must figure it can use it's brand to pick up Vancovers business on the cheap.

Being cynical, The statement about trust reads to me like they want your prommis to continue filling the .CON orders FTD will reep.

Negotatation with them is more like lets make a deal. Because any money recieved is better than no money at all.

The bottom line in all this is, FTD is only looking for more members to fill their orders. They must be feeling the squeeze and reacting to it.

Throw the Florists a bone from the RIB EYE their eating. Table scraps for the hungy who will swallow anything and be thankful for it.

Corporate speak. The art of saying one thing while meaning exactly the opposite.

 

[BOSS]

Being cynical, The statement about trust reads to me like they want your prommis to continue filling the .CON orders FTD will reep.

All done doing that here... no thanks...walmart was the last straw... maybe at 90/10 plus the customer info

 

[hcflorist]

Just to clear it up . . . FTD "negotiating" is nothing new. They know they are in danger of seeing a mass filling florist exodus. And they're cutting deals right and left with anybody who threatens to leave, as well as anybody they can get to sign up. Deals I've heard about and observed in our area range from completely free on up.

I don't think they're focused on cleaning up anything except competitors. I'd say "dollars" are the only reason they took any step with Vancouver. Whether it was a credit delinquency problem or Vancouver outselling .com, I don't know. But I'd bet that getting them out of the picture because of the effect they were having on fTD's pocket had more to do with FTD's little "step" than anything else.

 

[BOSS]

But I'd bet that getting them out of the picture because of the effect they were having on fTD's pocket had more to do with FTD's little "step" than anything else.

I don't think so, I think it had more to do with www.floristdetective.com and FTD's affilliate program being dealt with. Urban just happened to be one of the biggest offenders.

And Canada just happens to have Frank, a guy with balls!

 

[Rhonda]

about filling for .com

I had .com call me to ask to fill an order (by phone and they never do that). I had just rejected an order from Flowers Sent Today (Karins) on the merc so I asked the poor operator WHO was sending the order, what shop..when he told me I kindly said "No I do not fill for Flowers Sent Today" period.
If they want to "fine me, penalize me, suspend me" for refusing to take that order I'll tell them
"Your rules state brick & mortar floral shop with refrigeration and storefront, design experience, and delivery capability. Flowers Sent Today does not have a storefront" Now when FTD starts altering the rules IN WRITING sent to all members...we will be able to see in black and white what they actually stand for.

 

[BOSS]

Karins is a B&M (leave it alone JB) store...

Their National YP and internet presence though is something that needs to be dealt with...