Outing TF.com

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mcf

mcf

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Aug 2, 2004
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Houston
www.memorialcityflorist.com
State / Prov
TX
Received a .com order for TF 139-2 at $64.95. Did not have EXACT dishgarden, but sent similar size/value in wicker basket. Sender complained so we explained we did not have a dishgarden in the container shown and asked if she would prefer a ceramic container or a metal container. Picked up dishgarden #1 and replaced with dishgarden #2. Sender came in today (without the dishgarden) demanding full refund. Claimed it did not look exactly like the photo. Tried to explain and offered her everything in the shop except a key to the front door. No, she just wanted a refund. Expalined she'd have to call .com, but unless she returned the dishgarden (which she is not willing to do), then no credit would be made. Then she tried to question the value of the dishgarden. "I paid $75 for that!!!" - Oh, I'm sorry that is a $55 dish garden...checked the order... Sure enough $55 + $9.50 delivery = $64.50. She paid $64.95 + $11.95. When she wanted to know what happened to the $11.95 she paid for delivery I told her. Wonder what TF's response to her call will be...

Question, would you have outed TF.com? I am a TF puree and proud member, but when she said I shorted her by $12 I had to prove I had filled her order to full value. How would you have handled it?
 
I have no compunction about telling the truth and that is what you are doing.If the ws want to continue to charge an outrageous fee to "handle" the orders in addition to charging us for the priviledge of receiving them, then let the facts be known. It is not your responsibility to cover their behinds! More and more consumers are getting "pissy" when they see what they are getting for their money...not when they order from a local florist...but online.
Sher
 
mcf said:
Question, would you have outed TF.com? I am a TF puree and proud member, but when she said I shorted her by $12 I had to prove I had filled her order to full value. How would you have handled it?
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Would have done the same, and explained how her charges were broken down. I don't really think you're outing anything that the customer shouldn't know. Most just don't understand how the system works, that the 11.95 is not delivery, but a service fee.

Did she really order from TF.com, or from another florist/sender who transmits orders through TF.com?

tracy
 
you're right

You did everything you were supposed to. You make every effort to satisfy the person who got the dishgarden and you tried to explain to the sender where her money was spent. After that you owe no one anything. I would have told the sender she could have saved the $11.95 by calling me directly. But since she chose the Teleflora.com website she was charged according to their policies. PERIOD.
 
Does it not say in the TF book that the product sent may not look exactly like the picture?

V
 
You know my answer!

However you know customers always make it sound that they paid $75 just for the arrangement.

Its going to get tough to keep sending using the WS images. The ones that understand how the whole thing works have no problems.

Its up to the person taking the order to identifiy the type of customer that would not understand this.
 
Surcharges & Handling Fees

mcf said:
Received a .com order for TF 139-2 at $64.95. Did not have EXACT dishgarden, but sent similar size/value in wicker basket. Sender complained so we explained we did not have a dishgarden in the container shown and asked if she would prefer a ceramic container or a metal container. Picked up dishgarden #1 and replaced with dishgarden #2. Sender came in today (without the dishgarden) demanding full refund. Claimed it did not look exactly like the photo. Tried to explain and offered her everything in the shop except a key to the front door. No, she just wanted a refund. Expalined she'd have to call .com, but unless she returned the dishgarden (which she is not willing to do), then no credit would be made. Then she tried to question the value of the dishgarden. "I paid $75 for that!!!" - Oh, I'm sorry that is a $55 dish garden...checked the order... Sure enough $55 + $9.50 delivery = $64.50. She paid $64.95 + $11.95. When she wanted to know what happened to the $11.95 she paid for delivery I told her. Wonder what TF's response to her call will be...

Question, would you have outed TF.com? I am a TF puree and proud member, but when she said I shorted her by $12 I had to prove I had filled her order to full value. How would you have handled it?
Click to expand...


If we do not collect and keep charges that are imposed by "services", then we cannot be held accountable by anyone in the event of a problem.
Went back to check our numbers on "PROBLEMS".
We record everything here!
2007 103 disputes involving differences in customer charges and monies received by the shop to fill an order.
2006 284 disputes
2005 34 disputes

By the end of this year I would guess that the numbers will be astronomical compared to years past.

The consumer is getting smarter and we are bound to tell the truth.


ManorMan
 
MANORVILLE said:
The consumer is getting smarter and we are bound to tell the truth.

ManorMan
Click to expand...

I very much doubt that the consumer gives a rat's arse about the "truth"...they just want what they want period.
The florist industry is probably the last to ever come to grips with "continuity" in orders placed, and the visual expectations of both sender & receiver.
I remember Bob Norton quipping that a "BEEG SCHMECK" should look virtually the same regardless of which "Big M" fast food joint you eat your junk food in, because, it's what the consumer expects, and florists can't deliver!!
In a way, the customer discussed in this thread has the right to expect what he/she saw, though, the customer DOES NOT HAVE the right to expect refund without a return of the product, in it's entirety!!
 
Read about this poor guy that ordered a Waterford Vase arrangement from FTD and got a Chinese pressed glass. Since he didn't see it within seven days of delivery, FTD told him 'too bad'. http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=19037

Heads up David - someone is looking for a florist in Cambridge.... and they all have guns. ;)
 
mcf said:
Sure enough $55 + $9.50 delivery = $64.50. She paid $64.95 + $11.95. When she wanted to know what happened to the $11.95 she paid for delivery I told her. Wonder what TF's response to her call will be...

Question, would you have outed TF.com?
Click to expand...


IN A HEARTBEAT!!!
 
Mikey the Flower Guy said:
I very much doubt that the consumer gives a rat's arse about the "truth"...they just want what they want period.
The florist industry is probably the last to ever come to grips with "continuity" in orders placed, and the visual expectations of both sender & receiver.
I remember Bob Norton quipping that a "BEEG SCHMECK" should look virtually the same regardless of which "Big M" fast food joint you eat your junk food in, because, it's what the consumer expects, and florists can't deliver!!
In a way, the customer discussed in this thread has the right to expect what he/she saw, though, the customer DOES NOT HAVE the right to expect refund without a return of the product, in it's entirety!!
Click to expand...

That's the very root of the problem!!!!! add to that the fact that most wire services and OG's put every image in the selection guide on the web for eveyday sales stating they can be delivered anywhere in North America if ordered by 2pm in the recipients delivery area.........:tread:

We rejected 3 orders like that just today.....1st one we sent ask for $12.50 more, they resonded with a message to fill for $5.00 more so we promptly sent a reject message (if we filled it for less money they would have gotten less flowers.....and then who would get the complaint??) second one was from a shop that is codified for gourmet baskets starting at $80.00 plus delivery and they tried to get us to make one for $57.50 including delivery. Third one was from the famous Loblaws web site that boldly states save up to 25% off the regular FTD.com prices....and they never ever include a delivery charge......forwarded that one to Domestic Retrans without even looking at what the product was only to get it back from Domestic Retans 20 minutes later....rejected that one too.

If you fill these types of orders........ones from dot.com's and order gatherers especially, you are looking for a complaint.....the customer want's what they saw on the web-site. When orders come from real brick and mortor shops minor substitutions are usually not a problem as the florist most often would not send an order that they could not fill themselves an likely told their customer that it would be made as similar as possible for the money given..........in other words the order was sold properly by the real florist.:soapbox:



As for Big BOB he was right about that.......but he wanted his 6000??? filling shops to stock every flower in the universe 365 days a year. :hammer:
 
Will you will get paid if TF decides to refund the customers money? Kinda' scary if they are the origination point and they are in control of the money.

Maybe it's a one-in-a-million deal and it won't matter to them.
 
My quess is you lost money on that sale-you replaced it once and delivered it twice now. Not only would I have outed TF, I would have given the customer the number to call TF or perhaps called them when she was there. However, refusing to bring back the dishgarden for a refund makes me think she was'nt so understanding. IMO there is no way to make any profit from filling orders like these and its too difficult to constantly watch and train your employees to watch for the various scum OG's out there.
Its too much police work to fill a simple order for flowers.
 
MANORVILLE said:
If we do not collect and keep charges that are imposed by "services", then we cannot be held accountable by anyone in the event of a problem.
Went back to check our numbers on "PROBLEMS".
We record everything here!
2007 103 disputes involving differences in customer charges and monies received by the shop to fill an order.
2006 284 disputes
2005 34 disputes

By the end of this year I would guess that the numbers will be astronomical compared to years past.

The consumer is getting smarter and we are bound to tell the truth.


ManorMan
Click to expand...



Am I reading this correctly, disputes means to me that you had to deal with this many customers that felt they were wronged. Is that what was meant in your post?


WOW!
 
My reply would have been....Here the key to the store..see you in a few days and we will see how unreasonable you are.
How can they think they can keep the product and get a full refund.
I would have told tem to deal with tf.com. the place where she purchase the order.
You did everything in your power. some time you have have to let them go.
Luc
 
"Am I reading this correctly, disputes means to me that you had to deal with this many customers that felt they were wronged. Is that what was meant in your post" ?
Jerry





If we were doing something wrong I would agree that the numbers were high, ( heck I sure wouldn't have posted them ), but when you take these out of the annuals, our problems are well under .20%.
( 1/5 of a percent annually..... before someone reads it wrong ).

For each of the three years the numbers posted reflect the actual number
of disputes directly related to shaving, skimming, surcharges etc...
The basis for the complaints were for the most part results of excessive shaving, meaning orders were cut by 20.00 to 35.00 before they were sent to us.
We fill to value or overfill every order and are very confident so when a complaint comes in we're relatively certain that it's just another "shaver".
Occasionally we can make a mistake or have a problem with a delivery but for the most part our complaints are minimal, except on "shavers".

Over 75% of all disputes started out at the "service" level and filtered down to us where it was determined that the customer had been grossly overcharged. In fact many of the calls were directed to us from the people that had done wrong. Every issue reflecting the stats we posted were proven " No Liability" , to the customers satisfaction and referred back to the originators of the orders.
Of the remaining 25%, 22% were resolved the same way, and the other 3% are current and pending resolution. 1 from Valentine's Day and the rest, orders that were not flagged from dOG's that came in for Easter.

We're used to the problems and are very fortunate that they are not quality issues for us. We retain a substantial number of all customers that have had problems such as these.
With new training procedures that I implemented I expect the numbers to eventually start decreasing but in all honesty the more shaved orders that we get, the more customers we wind up with. Sounds terrible but it's been a good thing for us.

Hope this provides a better explanation.


ManorMan
 
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