Ok, the milk's not frothy yet...

[BigBloomers]

I took a break to eat... Thought about how I'm encouraging the BIG shops to switch. Come to think about it, there are more small shops than big. So big shops-I I might just take it all back. You are all right. Why bother to make the industry better if you and the OG's are profiting from it? All of us hardworking family shops that have tried to maintain a tradition of providing quality, personable service are just like having boobs on a bull. You guys should keep your ws stuff. POWERSENDING. Making the SENTIMENT of GIFT GIVING a hard-core, efficient purchase--like making sending a birthday arrangement to your 90 yr old grandmother the same type of shopping experience as importing a car. That's what our biz is all about, right? We don't make people feel good, we don't deliver cheer, we don't make the world a nicer place to live and work---we are simply logistical machines programmed to production work at the push of a "transmit order" button. The SMALL to MEDIUM shops that FILL for you should be turning away from the ws's. They fill and fill and work and work and work and think that if they just keep doing it...just one more year... they'll finally fill enough orders to make it big...or at least stay alive. And you won't have your rebate if you have no where to SEND it! So small and average shops should see big sending shops like partners with the enemy....because that's what you're doing by "staying in the game" with the OG's. There's strength in numbers...and if the big shops don't want to change, then thousands and thousands of the rest of us should. By the time the big shops turn around and realize that they're on a path to destruction ALONE...Well, I'm sure the tides will have changed by then....And perhaps YOU'LL end up the big shop on the block...


If you can let go of the power struggle, let go of the push, push, push, of the modern machine we've created, then you'll see how much EASIER our biz can be... We wouldn't have to build powerhouses if we don't have powerhouse competition like the ogs. You keep thinking that if you let go of your super-savvy ws technology strength and your "big business" ways that you're going to get sucked up by the og's and .coms...But what you fail to realize is that if you turn your backs on them---THEY WON'T BE THERE ANYMORE! You are FUELING the FIRE in your OWN house!

mmm. I love taco bell cinnamon twists....they are gooood gooood goood. but I'm going home now because I have triple chocolate brownies I made yesterday...and they are caaaaling my name. daaaana come hooome!

 

[steve]

We all face deferent hurdles depending on the size of our shops and the marketplaces that we serve. No one solution can fit all florist currently. There is no turning this ship on a dime what we need to do is to have a clear vision of were this the industry is going and to lay a clear path so that all florist can migrate to that vision over the next couple of years.

As businesses grow in size they eventually grow to a a size from small to med and in some case large. It is very difficult to go from being larger to something smaller and not go broke in the process.

There have been many good ideas layed out here over the last few weeks. We have many new shops joining daily. We still have far to many that are reading these post and not voice their thoughts to know what ideas are hot and what ideas are not.

Be patient I truely believe we are on the right track!

 

[theRKF]

That's right - anyone who has grown their family owned business into a medium sized shop or large operation must be a soulless SOB. Size is not relative to service. I have been in shops a lot smaller than mine, and I've been in larger ones. You can not convince me that any smaller shop could provide better service than we do. It's what we're here for!

You also assume falsely that big shops only send and small shops only receive. That's a bad assumption to make.

Big shops are big because they run their business well and attract customers. Small shops always have room and opportunity for growth as well, even if they are limited by location. It comes down to the business decisions you are willing and able to make.

Ryan

 

[HERO]

Usually I know why I'm the bad guy ...

That's right - anyone who has grown their family owned business into a medium sized shop or large operation must be a soulless SOB. Size is not relative to service. I have been in shops a lot smaller than mine, and I've been in larger ones. You can not convince me that any smaller shop could provide better service than we do. It's what we're here for!

You also assume falsely that big shops only send and small shops only receive. That's a bad assumption to make.

Big shops are big because they run their business well and attract customers. Small shops always have room and opportunity for growth as well, even if they are limited by location. It comes down to the business decisions you are willing and able to make.

Ryan

Now I had the same thought. @@@@ scary when we think alike.

However we ( You and I ) were given the system and have learned how to profit from it. Didn't create it, didn't even understand it at first ( Was so hungry for the incoming until I applied the math ) and even put off out of town orders during holidays and felt as those customers were 2nd tier. Now we use it to be profitable and we are the bad guys.

Bigbloomers I bet Ryan and I could tell you the OG's in your city and where they are and how long they have been playin' the game. We eat, sleep, and breathe being their biggest enemy.

Don't hate the PLAYER, hate the GAME.

HERO

p.s. Big Bloomers if I call you at midnight ( Your shop ) who anwsers the phone? I anwser mine. 24/7/365. Now that is service.

 

[bloomz]

I'm calling you at midnite tonite Hero to make sure you got my order today...

love, bloomz

 

[HERO]

Bloomzie ...

I'm calling you at midnite tonite Hero to make sure you got my order today...

love, bloomz

Make it my midnight not yours, getting up early to go to New Orleans and party on Teleflora's dime. Neener Neener.

HERO

p.s. You will probably get voicemail, I always like to call em' right back that late.

 

[flowerknife+us]

flowerknife_us

All shops were small at one time or another. Small shops grow when the owners are willing to take the steps necessary to grow. The requirement comes down to longer hours, higher standards, more knowledge and a broader spectrum of Floral capabilities.

Like any profession. It becomes a lifestyle. One must accept the circumstances and conditions that lifestyle presents. If one wishes to grow, one needs to accept the fact that the day is not yours to command. Anymore than the Holidays are yours to enjoy. One revolves themselfs arround the fickle demands of the consumer, while looking throught the fickles eye more so than your own. 99% of the time, the consumer is right. tho stating to the 1% that their wrong will kill 10% of your business. No matter how good it felt to tell them just how wrong they were.

The Service business is a life of Kissing A--es while holding a role of toilet paper

The more you kiss, the bigger ya get. The bigger ya get the more you hire, the more ya hire, the more ya fire. the more ya fire the more ya train. the more ya train, the more the strain. The more ya strain the greater the pain. the greater the pain the more ya gain.

Small shops, from my 30 years experience, usually don't wish to hear what the larger shops have to say. For some strange reason, they think their just SOBs who for some reason just opened up Big one day. Like a child born with a Silver Spoon in their mouth.

Something to chew on.

Think twice the next time one refuses an order because on its face value, delivering the order will lose you money. The cost of losing that Customer is-forever. Lose a couple of dollars today, or lose several hundred or thousands for good.

A tip from someone who used to be small, and striving to stay big.

 

[BOSS]

Very well said Knife....