Survey for Teleflora

[Clarabella]

I just filled out the survery in email I got from Teleflora...It was quite simple really, I told them:
If we only dealt with REAL FLORISTS and not order gatherers who KNOW NOTHING, then... all these questions your asking concerning substituting flowers, and vases and etc etc...would be easy...there should ALWAYS be a second choice saying as closely as possible. Most orders can be filled very closely and most florists who ARE FLORISTS know how to do that. WE WASTE farrrrrr too much time sending messages and making phone calls to find out ifffff we can use a clear vase instead of a pink vase or if we can substitute a yellow lily for an orange lily. WHEN a customer should be clearly sold the fact that not every florist in every city and state will have those exact flowers on this day and those exact containers, however ,being professionals they will give you something for that value using this picture you have chosen as a guide.
I joined multiple wire services to get my name out there..but they also allowed comments in the survey and I told them..that many of us REAL FLORISTS are preparing ourselves to be done with wire services since the internet and the AVAILABILITY TO CLICK on any dot com....gets the order delivered....thru TF FTD 1800 etc....soo we pay a very high fee to belong to them so they can in turn steal our outgoing orders from us and then send them to us at a big profit to them, for US to deliver....
In effect we pay for them to advertise above us beside us etc on the internet and in our phone books...so that people call them for them to send to us to fill....not so merry merry go round.
I am sorry I am venting but I vented to them too....and told them that I do not believe they are going to change but we are.
Anyway ranting over.....

.

 

[inferno63]

There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered. ~ Nelson Mandela

Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom. ~ Albert Einstein

 

[Tim]

I am impressed that Teleflora is asking these questions. The Questioner seemed to be looking for honest answers.

They are addressing the fact that they have a very high level of customer complaints. They have chosen to ask good questions that hopefully lead to better products, higher delivery charges, more realistic designs and flower selections.

 

[purplegirl]

I don't mind doing a survey once in a while, but lately every time I open my email there is another survey request from Teleflora. I have received 5 surveys within the last 2 weeks. I'm waiting to get the call for focus groups. LOL

 

[master J]

I don't mind doing a survey once in a while, but lately every time I open my email there is another survey request from Teleflora. I have received 5 surveys within the last 2 weeks. I'm waiting to get the call for focus groups. LOL

I am also getting these surveys by email every week, and I am not even a member anymore! LOL!

Honestly, I think it's BS, WE florists have been complaining to them for decades and they never adjusted to our complaints.

My guess is, The biggest complaint by far is the codified containers which are always priced too high, before we can even put flowers in them...well, they never listened all those years, and continued to put out crappy codified containers...and not make adjustments to what their members wanted.

With that being said, I still think TF is the best of the big 3, but thats not saying much

 

[Eric S]

I just filled out the survery in email I got from Teleflora...It was quite simple really, I told them:
If we only dealt with REAL FLORISTS and not order gatherers who KNOW NOTHING, then... all these questions your asking concerning substituting flowers, and vases and etc etc...would be easy...there should ALWAYS be a second choice saying as closely as possible. Most orders can be filled very closely and most florists who ARE FLORISTS know how to do that. WE WASTE farrrrrr too much time sending messages and making phone calls to find out ifffff we can use a clear vase instead of a pink vase or if we can substitute a yellow lily for an orange lily. WHEN a customer should be clearly sold the fact that not every florist in every city and state will have those exact flowers on this day and those exact containers, however ,being professionals they will give you something for that value using this picture you have chosen as a guide.
I joined multiple wire services to get my name out there..but they also allowed comments in the survey and I told them..that many of us REAL FLORISTS are preparing ourselves to be done with wire services since the internet and the AVAILABILITY TO CLICK on any dot com....gets the order delivered....thru TF FTD 1800 etc....soo we pay a very high fee to belong to them so they can in turn steal our outgoing orders from us and then send them to us at a big profit to them, for US to deliver....
In effect we pay for them to advertise above us beside us etc on the internet and in our phone books...so that people call them for them to send to us to fill....not so merry merry go round.
I am sorry I am venting but I vented to them too....and told them that I do not believe they are going to change but we are.
Anyway ranting over.....

.

First you have to understand that some Order Gatherers are Real Florist. So they do know what can be done.

Getting your name out there by signing up with the Wire Service is another misleading thought.

If you accept in incoming order you are doing so becuase you can create the arrangement and you have the flowers in your store. If you are missing flowers then I would I think you would reject the order. You know that customers want what they see so why even bother subsituting. Just reject the order.

If you are willing to give the wire service 30% of each order just to get your name out there then wouldn't you think it would be better to give 30% of your sales towards promoting your business through advertizing?

 

[lori042499]

I am also getting these surveys by email every week, and I am not even a member anymore! LOL!

Honestly, I think it's BS, WE florists have been complaining to them for decades and they never adjusted to our complaints.

My guess is, The biggest complaint by far is the codified containers which are always priced too high, before we can even put flowers in them...well, they never listened all those years, and continued to put out crappy codified containers...and not make adjustments to what their members wanted.

With that being said, I still think TF is the best of the big 3, but thats not saying much

I believe that TF is seeing the writing on the wall that the WS that starts listening will be the WS of choice for real florists....I think that they see the strain being put on the florist and the profits that they will lose if they lose the florist to do the work...I also believe that that see that the WS industry needs to change and may be trying to get in a position of win-win...maybe we are seeing the winds of change...just maybe????


I know I am a hopeless romantic and as naive as the come, but a girl can hope can't she!!!!

 

[Rhonda]

Considering this Quality Assurance survey yesterday, any shop should say "contact sending florist or headquarters" for most of the answers...but you can probably guess most will give "correct" answers instead of what they actually do. And probably those that wouldn't know an answer that would be perceived as correct won't get the survey anyway cause they don't have internet at work or an email address either....
Maybe if they get enough answers from people who actually do not buy containers...or consider the prices overblown....and the "look of the online picture vs actual design results" - they may possibly NAH - I don't think this survey proves they even want to listen to what their filling florists have to say!

 

[flower lady]

I have to say that I respond on most of them Other: send ask to florists and send a refusal to HDQ because they always cancel.

Then it just so happened I got an HDQ for the yellow vase thing and decided to send an ask on a vase sub just to see what they would say... Yup they canceled... so back to my refusals for HDQ orders.

 

[Clarabella]

I have worked in the industry for 20 years and have done my fair share of advertising and found that my advertising dollars are like flushing money down the toilet. However, when I can get my product into a home with a card with my name and web address and info on it, and can track business back to my door then yes, the wire services gave me that avenue while I waited for the locals to find me and try me.
I also know realistically some....and I say that loosely, OG's might be or have been florists but most...have no idea what they are talking about when I call. I also know that if I do not have every single flower but I have something similar that fills the space and the price, it should be no problem to substitute. I have worked for large and small shops and the rule at most of them was always.....get a second choice for our orders as well as for the ones we send out. I almost never never send a specific order on a wire out...I almost always send a designers choice. I explain to the customer that most shops do not carry every thing the way it is seen in a book or on the web and if we leave it open, they can make the best use of the flowers available and do the best job. It makes sense to my customer and it definately is the best way to get an incoming order for me. I also agree whenever you have to ask..if its price increase or change of vase you get a cancel. However....almost every time I get a phone call later to do the same order....reminding them it was cancelled and why then all of a sudden a compromise is reached but at what cost of time.
I do have a plan to give up wire services...but being new I needed to see what worked for me. The time is coming to make that decision and I will make it, in the mean time for me what I did made sense and it worked and I have gained customers I never would have thru advertising. I guess no matter how old we get we still learn and I am still learning and willing to learn....jmho

 

[makescents]

First you have to understand that some Order Gatherers are Real Florist. So they do know what can be done.

What? Your either one or the other.. not both -

I am a "real florist" that sends out wire orders - I have a web-site - and I have out of town and out of state customers that order only from me - even if they are sending in their own area... I am in no way an OG!!

Order Gatherers are those that set in cubicles and dont know a peony from a pansy! They have not one clue what gypsophalia is, nor do they care...

It is not about the flowers to an OG only about the money... For most "real florists" it's about the flowers... and we hope to make a profit..

Sorry on the disagree.. but???

 

[Tracy D'Amico]

Tammie
There are many Real Florists who are also OG's, who agressively seek outgoing wire orders. Some even on this very board, some very well respected florists.

 

[makescents]

Tammie
There are many Real Florists who are also OG's, who agressively seek outgoing wire orders. Some even on this very board, some very well respected florists.

Florists... as you said.. not Order Gatherers.

Yes.. I too agressively seek outgoing wire orders... but I am a real florist... I myself am a well respected florist... But here is my point.. I am a REAL florist NOT an OG..... How many of the 1800, blooms today, kays belaire and flowers sent today.. do you know that have ever set foot in the design room of a REAL FLORIST?

I will not ever put myself in the catagory of OG - I am a real, tried and true florist - I may seek out wire orders - but I am an actual florist in an actual storefront doing so... It is not the same as an OG... At least not in my opinion.

 

[Clarabella]

thats exactly what I am saying you just said it better....we all want orders incoming outgoing but there are those of us who pay the storefront price and understand our trade and I am pretty sure some of the people I talk to have not clue one what they are asking for....like do you have blackeyed susans??? I would love to be enlightened as to some of your opinions...we all needed to be a store front have a sign and a cooler etc etc to be picked up by a wire service...how do some of them pass this requirement....one actual storefront or no storefront at all....anyway I actually did two weddings this weekend and got done in time to come chat....amazing......and enjoying it....

 

[bloomz]

What? Your either one or the other.. not both -

What does that make me - chopped liver?

Tammie
There are many Real Florists who are also OG's, who agressively seek outgoing wire orders. Some even on this very board, some very well respected florists.

We're as real of florist as they come, last time I checked - yet proud to also be an Order Gatherer also. I provide an excellent service to my customers, and it is totally about the flowers.

Florists... as you said.. not Order Gatherers.

Yes.. I too agressively seek outgoing wire orders... but I am a real florist... I myself am a well respected florist... But here is my point.. I am a REAL florist NOT an OG..... How many of the 1800, blooms today, kays belaire and flowers sent today.. do you know that have ever set foot in the design room of a REAL FLORIST?

I will not ever put myself in the catagory of OG - I am a real, tried and true florist - I may seek out wire orders - but I am an actual florist in an actual storefront doing so... It is not the same as an OG... At least not in my opinion.

Vernacular.

If you have a telephone, web site, and especially agressively seek outgoing orders - you are an Order Gatherer.

I think it just makes you feel better to say you aren't - but you still are.

You may want to delineate that a bit more - perhaps you mean non-florist order gatherers?

It's a pretty gray line these days.

don't forget...

opinions vary

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

thats exactly what I am saying you just said it better....we all want orders incoming outgoing but there are those of us who pay the storefront price and understand our trade and I am pretty sure some of the people I talk to have not clue one what they are asking for....like do you have blackeyed susans??? I would love to be enlightened as to some of your opinions...we all needed to be a store front have a sign and a cooler etc etc to be picked up by a wire service...how do some of them pass this requirement....one actual storefront or no storefront at all....anyway I actually did two weddings this weekend and got done in time to come chat....amazing......and enjoying it....

Clarabella...you're CUTE beyond words!!

 

[makescents]

Bloomzie - Okay So here is my opinion...

Order Gatherer = no design room

Real Florist = design room

Order Gatherer = Clean Carpet, empty trash can, million dollar CEO's

Real Florist = Concrete floor with piles of stems (not piles of money)

Order Gatherer = Looong hold times during holidays

Real Florist = "Good Morning - MakeScents Florist"

Do I need to go on... Because I can... Anyway - I'll just look at you as my nice real florist freind... and not a big mean OG! :O)

 

[lori042499]

I have worked in the industry for 20 years and have done my fair share of advertising and found that my advertising dollars are like flushing money down the toilet. However, when I can get my product into a home with a card with my name and web address and info on it, and can track business back to my door then yes, the wire services gave me that avenue while I waited for the locals to find me and try me.
I also know realistically some....and I say that loosely, OG's might be or have been florists but most...have no idea what they are talking about when I call. I also know that if I do not have every single flower but I have something similar that fills the space and the price, it should be no problem to substitute. I have worked for large and small shops and the rule at most of them was always.....get a second choice for our orders as well as for the ones we send out. I almost never never send a specific order on a wire out...I almost always send a designers choice. I explain to the customer that most shops do not carry every thing the way it is seen in a book or on the web and if we leave it open, they can make the best use of the flowers available and do the best job. It makes sense to my customer and it definately is the best way to get an incoming order for me. I also agree whenever you have to ask..if its price increase or change of vase you get a cancel. However....almost every time I get a phone call later to do the same order....reminding them it was cancelled and why then all of a sudden a compromise is reached but at what cost of time.
I do have a plan to give up wire services...but being new I needed to see what worked for me. The time is coming to make that decision and I will make it, in the mean time for me what I did made sense and it worked and I have gained customers I never would have thru advertising. I guess no matter how old we get we still learn and I am still learning and willing to learn....jmho

Clara, You are not crazy to think this way...I have used the WS for this very thing, I have gotten through 3 years this very way, it is working harder and not smarter, but it works none the less until you are established, I think it may be my time to try and break free in the next year....if it works for you and you are aware of what you are making or losing every single month you can work it that way...Just don't do it with blinders on..

 

[lori042499]

800-flowers would then not be an order gatherer, even though they are one of the biggest...They also have very many real flower shops that they own and that are francised by real people and real florists....

Bloomz is right there is a very fine line between real florist and og...I really think that they should be called non-florist flower broklers, because that is what they are...The rest of us just have varying amounts of wire out biz...and most of us wouldn't shy away from having more, even if it meant adding 7 phone lines and non-florist sales peole manning those phone lines getting the job done....I know I would do it, if I had the capital to get the marketing done...floral empire here I come, you better all watch out if I win the lottery, me and my website will be know worldwide....yeah baby...yeah

 

[Dazeal]

In effect we pay for them to advertise above us beside us etc on the internet and in our phone books...so that people call them for them to send to us to fill....not so merry merry go round.

And don't forget, wire services take a part of what you pay them and then support or compete against you. They also know WS won't be around forever and are positioning themselves too. Their greatest strengths over florists is not their WS, but their crappy POS software.