After the crap I went through today with Flowers of Cambridge MA, I called Michael's office today...He was not in..of coarse!..So I e-mailed him and quickly explained that I was unhappy with FTD and the OG's and I was the only shop here and was thinking about giving Teleflora try and I wanted his responce to Why OG's are allowed to join FTD---again I wanted his responce not an assistants responce. Got a call from the VP of member services (I think that was his title) Explained that Michael and himself were in Florida for some convention and that Michael would be calling me next week to discuss my e-mail. Any suggestions as to what I should tell him? You think if all REAL FLORIST out there would call and demand that OG's not be allowed to be part of FTD or we drop them that anything would be done? I will post what we discuss next week.
Pres. of FTD Calling next week
- Thread starter tylertownflorist
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I forgot...
Called the OG and there phone system said and I quote...Thanks for calling your local florist: So I did not tell the person who answered the phone who I was....Just asked where the shop was located so that I could go in and pick out my flowers I needed to send....Can we say at a loss for words!!! That is the point in which i lost it. I told her that she could not give me an address b/c they were not a REAL FLORIST. On the other hand I am a Real Florist and I would be contacting my Att. General to report them for false advertising. Well I want say everything I told her...you all can use your imagination. Sorry about leaving this out in the 1st post.
Called the OG and there phone system said and I quote...Thanks for calling your local florist: So I did not tell the person who answered the phone who I was....Just asked where the shop was located so that I could go in and pick out my flowers I needed to send....Can we say at a loss for words!!! That is the point in which i lost it. I told her that she could not give me an address b/c they were not a REAL FLORIST. On the other hand I am a Real Florist and I would be contacting my Att. General to report them for false advertising. Well I want say everything I told her...you all can use your imagination. Sorry about leaving this out in the 1st post.
If you received that message, you hit employees at FTDs call center where they answer phones after hours for FTD members.
Flowers of Cambridge promises consumers you (the local florist) deliver for free in their ads. Do you?
FTD pays them a fairly large rebate for each consumer they fool.
Of course it's a lie. FTD knows it. Mike Soenen knows it. The only people that don't know it are consumers who then blame you for skimping on their order when you subtract your delivery charge or making a substitution because they sold something you don't have in stock that day.
The Florida meeting is the Society of American Florists' (SAF) annual convention.
As far as what to tell Soenen.... if you are the only florist serving your area, the ball is in your court.
Flowers of Cambridge promises consumers you (the local florist) deliver for free in their ads. Do you?
FTD pays them a fairly large rebate for each consumer they fool.
Of course it's a lie. FTD knows it. Mike Soenen knows it. The only people that don't know it are consumers who then blame you for skimping on their order when you subtract your delivery charge or making a substitution because they sold something you don't have in stock that day.
The Florida meeting is the Society of American Florists' (SAF) annual convention.
As far as what to tell Soenen.... if you are the only florist serving your area, the ball is in your court.
Connie
New Member
Joe Mioux
Well-Known Member
maybe bloomzie can talk some sense into Soenen at SAF.....
Oh geez! What was I thinking!? I am the only one serving FTD in Carlyle and believe me FTD still thinks the ball is in their court. I know that doesn't come as any surprise to you, Cathy.
TTF, you are wasting your time if you think FTD cares about your issues with any of them. whether its Flowers, Flowers Sent Today, Just Flowers, From you flowers, etc..... it doesn't matter to FTD.
Whatever happens please post your discussion with Soenen.
Joe
Rhonda
Well-Known Member
Although I didn't speak with Mr. Soenen when I dropped FTD after 32 + years and was the only FTD shop in a tri-town area, their lack of response to any concern regarding Order Gatherers, false advertising, enormous fees for small shops, was blatantly "We don't care!"
So now they have no outlet here, have called in the past with a credit card...don't know who is filling for them now, but I do know there are no trained designers at any of the other flower shops (and I say that very sarcastically) in this town.
Adding: Teleflora has just as many ordergatherers and false advertising shops/non-shops. It's called filling their bottom line.
So now they have no outlet here, have called in the past with a credit card...don't know who is filling for them now, but I do know there are no trained designers at any of the other flower shops (and I say that very sarcastically) in this town.
Adding: Teleflora has just as many ordergatherers and false advertising shops/non-shops. It's called filling their bottom line.
TTF,
The very best advise that I could offer you when Mike calls is not to let him waste your time; make it a memorable call for him. There's nothing like the President calling you and you firing him!
Fire FDS and get on with your life, you'll make more money, have less aggrevation and be happier too!
Rock.......on................................
PS You could always tell Mike that HE (FDS) can join YOUR service for only 99.95 a month and he'll receive the clearing house fee ONLY on every order BUT if he sends you more than double the usual weekly orders on any holiday week the 99.95 becomes a weekly "membership fee" :>
Have a bit of fun with it, life's too short
I'm really steamed by all this and Im not even a wire service member...I will go out of business before I ride the coat tails of those robbers. Seriously, I think I am going to take out some PAID ads in local papers and write a column explaining how the consumer and REAL florists are getting ripped off. This boat needs to be sunk, it is piracy plain and simple.
I am ALWAYS on the soap box about the OG's...most of them are BLOCKED from sending me orders on TF, (especially From you flowers...the proflowers people!) but FTD has no system like that.
We ALWAYS ask for enough money to do the order to our standards...some of them give it regularly. As the only shop in our town, I have a small amount of pull...but there are two pools in our area, and if we refuse an order, we usually end up delivering it on pool for someone else. Often, it is nothing I would be proud of, so that is fine.
I use the wire services to my advantage, but will not accept substandard orders.
Maybe if EVERYONE did that, we would enhance the reputation of our industry with the public...not have to defend ourselves (the GOOD ones!) with every order we get!
We ALWAYS ask for enough money to do the order to our standards...some of them give it regularly. As the only shop in our town, I have a small amount of pull...but there are two pools in our area, and if we refuse an order, we usually end up delivering it on pool for someone else. Often, it is nothing I would be proud of, so that is fine.
I use the wire services to my advantage, but will not accept substandard orders.
Maybe if EVERYONE did that, we would enhance the reputation of our industry with the public...not have to defend ourselves (the GOOD ones!) with every order we get!
Raising consumer awareness is a good thing, but make sure you highlight the positives about your business - and how buying local gives consumers a price & service advantage.
I disagree with most of the opinions expressed so far. I am a firm believer that anyone can be persuaded, perhaps not entirely to your side, but a step or two closer to your side.
Dialog breaks down when either side declares the other side "doesn't care", "is evil", etc.
First of all, we need to identify some common ground that both local florists and FTD can agree on. Start from there.
For example, can we agree that it's unwise to upset customers? I hope we do. Note that I didn't say "wrong." The reason is that, when you are dealing with someone who has a different philosophical point (like Mike S), "right-wrong" arguements usually won't go anywhere.
Once Mike S agrees on that (I hope he does), you then argue that deceptive order gathering activities are upsetting many customers and driving them away from flowers. You can refer to some statistics, web sites, etc, to prove your point.
Good luck!
Dialog breaks down when either side declares the other side "doesn't care", "is evil", etc.
First of all, we need to identify some common ground that both local florists and FTD can agree on. Start from there.
For example, can we agree that it's unwise to upset customers? I hope we do. Note that I didn't say "wrong." The reason is that, when you are dealing with someone who has a different philosophical point (like Mike S), "right-wrong" arguements usually won't go anywhere.
Once Mike S agrees on that (I hope he does), you then argue that deceptive order gathering activities are upsetting many customers and driving them away from flowers. You can refer to some statistics, web sites, etc, to prove your point.
Good luck!
Blocked from system
"...most of them are BLOCKED from sending me orders on TF, (especially From you flowers...the proflowers people!) but FTD has no system like that."
Robin, how are you able to block them from your system? FYF has been "blocked" from our system since Feb. 2002 and we receive several orders from them daily which we then must refuse.
I called TF headquarters about it twice. They said that you cannot block them from sending you orders. The block only stops orders that are sent directly through the TF system from TF HQ. What good is that?
On a sort of related note . . . yesterday our driver was sick and I had to take a delivery to a funeral home. There was the UGLIEST vase of beat-up roses I have ever seen sitting there in the flower room. I initially thought maybe someone from the funeral home had pulled some bad roses from an arrangement and stuck them into a vase. But no . . .when I looked closer, it had a card! Guess who? Pro Flowers.
"...most of them are BLOCKED from sending me orders on TF, (especially From you flowers...the proflowers people!) but FTD has no system like that."
Robin, how are you able to block them from your system? FYF has been "blocked" from our system since Feb. 2002 and we receive several orders from them daily which we then must refuse.
I called TF headquarters about it twice. They said that you cannot block them from sending you orders. The block only stops orders that are sent directly through the TF system from TF HQ. What good is that?
On a sort of related note . . . yesterday our driver was sick and I had to take a delivery to a funeral home. There was the UGLIEST vase of beat-up roses I have ever seen sitting there in the flower room. I initially thought maybe someone from the funeral home had pulled some bad roses from an arrangement and stuck them into a vase. But no . . .when I looked closer, it had a card! Guess who? Pro Flowers.
If only the rules were changed
This is the dilema. The fuel that drives the order gatherers are the commission and the rebate.
Change the antiquated formula from 80/20 to 100/0
Outlaw the rebates
And the Order Gatherers will disapear.
HERE'S THE KICKER. IFA offered florists the option to send orders at 100/0 or 80/20. Many florists using IFA thought it was a good idea. ONLY ONE FLORIST OPTED FOR THE 100/00 FORMULA. and in case you're wondering, it was not me and I was wire service free at the time. But I was promoting the outgoing wire side of my business and I felt I deserved the 20% commission for creating sales for other florists.
Until the wire services get to the point where throwing in the towel is considered, I doubt it will get to the 100/0 formula with no rebates until the rule is considered.
The option to get flowers delivered almost instantly in a remote area was intended to be a benefit to the consumer and a boon to the flower industry BECAUSE IT INCREASED THE USE OF FLOWERS.
Thank goodness for websites running on the Internet. And fortuantely, the consumer is getting wiser every day.
They will soon learn how to get around the middlemen and go direct. Unfortunately for the consumer and the florist, "flowers by wire" is now being raped by the wire services who provide a platform for order gatherers.
And it won't be long until consumers sending flowers to your city will get wise to "Flowers of Cambridge MA". But in the meantime, Flowers of Cambridge MA will make money and there is a lot of money to be made with their business model. It's called greed.
Tom Carlson
PS One of the replys indicated he is going to start a campaign and place ads to educate the consumer. I doubt that will be dollars well spent.
TTF,
The very best advise that I could offer you when Mike calls is not to let him waste your time; make it a memorable call for him. There's nothing like the President calling you and you firing him!
Fire FDS and get on with your life, you'll make more money, have less aggrevation and be happier too!
Rock.......on................................
PS You could always tell Mike that HE (FDS) can join YOUR service for only 99.95 a month and he'll receive the clearing house fee ONLY on every order BUT if he sends you more than double the usual weekly orders on any holiday week the 99.95 becomes a weekly "membership fee" :>
Have a bit of fun with it, life's too short
This is the dilema. The fuel that drives the order gatherers are the commission and the rebate.
Change the antiquated formula from 80/20 to 100/0
Outlaw the rebates
And the Order Gatherers will disapear.
HERE'S THE KICKER. IFA offered florists the option to send orders at 100/0 or 80/20. Many florists using IFA thought it was a good idea. ONLY ONE FLORIST OPTED FOR THE 100/00 FORMULA. and in case you're wondering, it was not me and I was wire service free at the time. But I was promoting the outgoing wire side of my business and I felt I deserved the 20% commission for creating sales for other florists.
Until the wire services get to the point where throwing in the towel is considered, I doubt it will get to the 100/0 formula with no rebates until the rule is considered.
The option to get flowers delivered almost instantly in a remote area was intended to be a benefit to the consumer and a boon to the flower industry BECAUSE IT INCREASED THE USE OF FLOWERS.
Thank goodness for websites running on the Internet. And fortuantely, the consumer is getting wiser every day.
They will soon learn how to get around the middlemen and go direct. Unfortunately for the consumer and the florist, "flowers by wire" is now being raped by the wire services who provide a platform for order gatherers.
And it won't be long until consumers sending flowers to your city will get wise to "Flowers of Cambridge MA". But in the meantime, Flowers of Cambridge MA will make money and there is a lot of money to be made with their business model. It's called greed.
Tom Carlson
PS One of the replys indicated he is going to start a campaign and place ads to educate the consumer. I doubt that will be dollars well spent.
I blocked it through my TF rep...it is a voluntary issue for them, but CAN be blocked through the reps, and if the block "falls off" they need to remind them periodically. I also count the refused orders and submit a claim for computer receiving charges...they nickel and dime us to death to refuse their orders!
It has been over a year, and it has worked for us...
It has been over a year, and it has worked for us...
Rhonda, I received a different reaction from FTD when we dropped them (which won't be effective until Jan '09). They offered to cut our credit card rates, and reduce our membership fee. Nothing earth shattering but an attempt on their part. I had made my mind up though, was curious to see how far they would go - which wasn't far. We fill alot of Portland orders for them - it's obvious no one there wants the orders either.
Regarding the other designers in your area, I do believe one of them is currently taking mmfd. jenny
Regarding the other designers in your area, I do believe one of them is currently taking mmfd. jenny
from what I understand, you can block whom ever you want from sending you an order. However, if their order is forwarded to you from another florist who is also refusing to fill that order, that order will get thru to you.
What you need to do is get all the florists in your area to institute a block on Og's. That would create some fun!
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
Just so there's no confusion....
Soenen most likely will call, but he will have little to no concern for your case against the OG issue, as they make money off of every order generated.
Flowers Cambridge has been an ongoing issue for more than 5 years, brought to their attention many times and nothing has ever been done. David can fill in the whole story...
The OG's will never be dealt with, until the day comes when the orders go unfilled, including FTD.coN
Soenen most likely will call, but he will have little to no concern for your case against the OG issue, as they make money off of every order generated.
Flowers Cambridge has been an ongoing issue for more than 5 years, brought to their attention many times and nothing has ever been done. David can fill in the whole story...
The OG's will never be dealt with, until the day comes when the orders go unfilled, including FTD.coN
TOTO
New Member
Just email the image to your PC!
Thank God for our Kids Patty. Anytime we have a problem with a PC, one of our sons does the FIX in minutes.
With a cell phone camera, just bring up the PIX, (my phone uses 2. get PIX & FLIX and then 3. My PIX) Select the PIX you want to email to yourself, select OPTIONS, type in your email address, scroll down to SUBJECT, enter a name, and select OK to send it to yourself.
At your PC after logging into your email account, open up that email, and download the PIX into the file folder of your choice. I named mine IMAGES. You can rename the PIX after you download it. (DEAD ROSES)
Now, the cell phone camera PIX is saved on your PC for future use.
Thank God for our Kids Patty. Anytime we have a problem with a PC, one of our sons does the FIX in minutes.
With a cell phone camera, just bring up the PIX, (my phone uses 2. get PIX & FLIX and then 3. My PIX) Select the PIX you want to email to yourself, select OPTIONS, type in your email address, scroll down to SUBJECT, enter a name, and select OK to send it to yourself.
At your PC after logging into your email account, open up that email, and download the PIX into the file folder of your choice. I named mine IMAGES. You can rename the PIX after you download it. (DEAD ROSES)
Now, the cell phone camera PIX is saved on your PC for future use.
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