Gotta read the comments from their Facebook page:
'Dee's Paradise' is already available online. Ugh
'Dee's Paradise' is already available online. Ugh
Undercover Boss
- Thread starter Victoria
- Start date
Couldn't help myself...had to become a fan so I could make a comment.
Yay-Boo
Dee's Paradise arrangement link from the 1-800 FB page lands on the $125 version of the arrangement. The charity supported by the purchase of this arrangement?
Dee's Paradise arrangement link from the 1-800 FB page lands on the $125 version of the arrangement. The charity supported by the purchase of this arrangement?
IMO the design and the drab green vase don't t even look like $100. What the he** kind of message is this?
anytimeflowers
Linda
Poor Dee,
I saw the things she was making, and imo, she would not have designed that boring arrangement. You would think that if they were going to name a design after A DESIGNER, they would let her design it herself. But let's face it, they don't really trust many to design something fab.
I saw the things she was making, and imo, she would not have designed that boring arrangement. You would think that if they were going to name a design after A DESIGNER, they would let her design it herself. But let's face it, they don't really trust many to design something fab.
Knife's Wife
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- Apr 16, 2005
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A pitiful waste of 60 minutes of my life I will never get back, only to watch the longest infomercial I have ever sat through.
I tried to watch the show with an open mind
I found myself glaring at the TV most of the time.
Jim seems like a total jackass. He has a very belittleing attitude toward his brother.
However I thought it was genius marketing...pissed me off by how genius it was. It was nothing more than pure promotion of thier franchises and TOTAL trickery...In the way that people will believe that when they order from 800 the arrangements will come from 800 shops. That really angered me.
The ONE thing I liked-
At the end when he's giving his little speech he says something to the effect that the floral business is a business based on being thoughtful.
I did like that. Even though I think the company is full of poo, That statement struck a cord with me. I can apply that to my day to day goings on at the shop forever.
I found myself glaring at the TV most of the time.
Jim seems like a total jackass. He has a very belittleing attitude toward his brother.
However I thought it was genius marketing...pissed me off by how genius it was. It was nothing more than pure promotion of thier franchises and TOTAL trickery...In the way that people will believe that when they order from 800 the arrangements will come from 800 shops. That really angered me.
The ONE thing I liked-
At the end when he's giving his little speech he says something to the effect that the floral business is a business based on being thoughtful.
I did like that. Even though I think the company is full of poo, That statement struck a cord with me. I can apply that to my day to day goings on at the shop forever.
prestonway
Well-Known Member
Now that Jim has deliberately portrayed himself as a horse's behind, here's the next step in the corporate strategy.
PRESS RELEASE>>>
"1-800 Flowers is pleased to announce that Jim McCann will be retiring from our operations.
We are pleased to announce his replacement...CHRIS McCANN!!!!!!"
lololol
PRESS RELEASE>>>
"1-800 Flowers is pleased to announce that Jim McCann will be retiring from our operations.
We are pleased to announce his replacement...CHRIS McCANN!!!!!!"
lololol
lori042499
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- May 3, 2006
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Here's my thoughts...
Preston 100% correct this is the big retirement message from Jim for Chris to take over...big marketing for that...
The only reason that kid is being mentored is so that they have another press situation when he gets his franchise at the youngest age, help by the benevolence of Chris..it will help sell more franchises to hopeful florists. I would imagine that they want to go the franchise route more than the fulfillment route, so they really can own the florsits involved, as a wire service we all have the choice to leave when we tire of their arrangements and treatment, a franchise has no choices..they gave crap to the florists and once again did what they know will keep them motivated, worked on their egos, we really are a silly bunch with meager wants and needs, name and arrangement after us and let our work be seen with just a =sall note of we did it and we are over the moon, never mind compensation, why bother when you will get a gushing fool, just for letting them do more of the work or just name a silly arrangement after them..they should have sent Dee to AIFD as her compensation....and how about the lady in Waban, Oh boy, she gets to work with the marketing company to get more people into her store...isn't that suppose to happen with a store anyway???? The only one who got any more for her efforts would be the fannie may worker, if she works harder and makes over the set marks....but she probably makes the least of all the workers an hour and works the hardest...Factory work bites!!!!
As for the flip side, as a consumer...I could see many people having new trust in 800flowers, but to what end..when their order get screwed up, or not delivered, or doesn't look like the picture...or they realize that it doesn't come from a800-flowers shop...not touching on the ws end of it was misleading, but they know it and we know it is hard to talk about and confusing to the consumer, so we just sweep it under the rug...
Some of the other ceo's of companies gave so much more to these people that worked for them...education, furniture, financial help in hard times....800-flowers gave warm fuzzies and a few cents extra in a pay check for making more product for them to sell...just goes to show you that florists don't want to dish out money whether they are on a shoe string budget or the largest florist in the US....
Preston 100% correct this is the big retirement message from Jim for Chris to take over...big marketing for that...
The only reason that kid is being mentored is so that they have another press situation when he gets his franchise at the youngest age, help by the benevolence of Chris..it will help sell more franchises to hopeful florists. I would imagine that they want to go the franchise route more than the fulfillment route, so they really can own the florsits involved, as a wire service we all have the choice to leave when we tire of their arrangements and treatment, a franchise has no choices..they gave crap to the florists and once again did what they know will keep them motivated, worked on their egos, we really are a silly bunch with meager wants and needs, name and arrangement after us and let our work be seen with just a =sall note of we did it and we are over the moon, never mind compensation, why bother when you will get a gushing fool, just for letting them do more of the work or just name a silly arrangement after them..they should have sent Dee to AIFD as her compensation....and how about the lady in Waban, Oh boy, she gets to work with the marketing company to get more people into her store...isn't that suppose to happen with a store anyway???? The only one who got any more for her efforts would be the fannie may worker, if she works harder and makes over the set marks....but she probably makes the least of all the workers an hour and works the hardest...Factory work bites!!!!
As for the flip side, as a consumer...I could see many people having new trust in 800flowers, but to what end..when their order get screwed up, or not delivered, or doesn't look like the picture...or they realize that it doesn't come from a800-flowers shop...not touching on the ws end of it was misleading, but they know it and we know it is hard to talk about and confusing to the consumer, so we just sweep it under the rug...
Some of the other ceo's of companies gave so much more to these people that worked for them...education, furniture, financial help in hard times....800-flowers gave warm fuzzies and a few cents extra in a pay check for making more product for them to sell...just goes to show you that florists don't want to dish out money whether they are on a shoe string budget or the largest florist in the US....
watched the show after hubby remember it was airing. We were amused, just a big puffy infomercial for 800flz. where were the fulfillment and the call centers. I would have loved to see Chris take over the phone to handle a complaint.
Jim came across as arrogant and belittling.
the whole program came across as a staged infomercial, which was surprising because I have caught a couple of the other shows and they didn't come across that way.
Jim came across as arrogant and belittling.
the whole program came across as a staged infomercial, which was surprising because I have caught a couple of the other shows and they didn't come across that way.
Dee was a class act, if it had been me, with the best results store, I think I would have said, "that's it, you are going to name an arrangement after me???" What a crock, an hour of free adverstising. Sadly, it will be viewed as a feel good story to anyone not in the industry. It's the first time I have watched that show though, that there was very little finanical reward, employee benefits mentioned etc. These employees did not gain much at all for their 15 minutes of fame, no lives altered thats for sure.
Per conversions going on over on 1-800's Facebook page, 'Dee's Paradise' is actually a design that's been sold the last couple years under the name 'Gardens of Grandeur'. So the ad copy for the arrangement saying "Inspired by Dee..." is pure BS.
It's another exhibit of how the company 'gets' marketing (putting her name on a design to capitalize on consumer good will) while cutting corners on the execution.
It's another exhibit of how the company 'gets' marketing (putting her name on a design to capitalize on consumer good will) while cutting corners on the execution.
Rhonda
Well-Known Member
I watched the beginning, caught a part of the middle - and didn't watch the end.
IMO - Jim was an a$$ yep!
The poor girl trying to "train" Chris in the flower shop? hmmmmmm they did a bunch of arrangements (I'll use the term loosely) but didn't seem to have orders? fulfillment center?
Did you see that woman's face when they told her they were going to name an arrangement after her? Really look? To me she almost grimaced with disgust at the lack of real appreciation (and then a second take where she covers her eyes to feign appreciation)
The kid? Why not just give him a franchise like the 7/11 boss did (after business school and mentoring)? 7/11 boss gave a franchise to an immigrant driver who had raised children and supported his family by working nights driving product to the stores?
I've watched a couple of these shows (before celeb apprentice came on) and thought that most of the companies were interested in the "lowest of the low" jobs involved in their company and those were the people they rewarded. Hooters - became very concerned regarding male managers who demeaned some of the waitresses. They also instituted a day care provision for their waitresses with children - 7/11 - clerk who "made their coffee sales through the roof" at this one store, who was awaiting a kidney transplant and would not accept from her children - did a company wide search for a donor and offered charitable $$ to the kidney foundation. One episode offered a full scholarship to one of the employees (a young man) to go to school full time during the day (instead of nights) to finish his business schooling and paid him his full time salary whilst going to school with the promise of a managership upon completion (he'd worked there since a teenager).
Those were the rewarding shows.
When I say him offer a design "named for you"..... I laughed -
I agree, a one hour infomercial that I don't think did any good for the company. Not much of a "feel good" ending
IMO - Jim was an a$$ yep!
The poor girl trying to "train" Chris in the flower shop? hmmmmmm they did a bunch of arrangements (I'll use the term loosely) but didn't seem to have orders? fulfillment center?
Did you see that woman's face when they told her they were going to name an arrangement after her? Really look? To me she almost grimaced with disgust at the lack of real appreciation (and then a second take where she covers her eyes to feign appreciation)
The kid? Why not just give him a franchise like the 7/11 boss did (after business school and mentoring)? 7/11 boss gave a franchise to an immigrant driver who had raised children and supported his family by working nights driving product to the stores?
I've watched a couple of these shows (before celeb apprentice came on) and thought that most of the companies were interested in the "lowest of the low" jobs involved in their company and those were the people they rewarded. Hooters - became very concerned regarding male managers who demeaned some of the waitresses. They also instituted a day care provision for their waitresses with children - 7/11 - clerk who "made their coffee sales through the roof" at this one store, who was awaiting a kidney transplant and would not accept from her children - did a company wide search for a donor and offered charitable $$ to the kidney foundation. One episode offered a full scholarship to one of the employees (a young man) to go to school full time during the day (instead of nights) to finish his business schooling and paid him his full time salary whilst going to school with the promise of a managership upon completion (he'd worked there since a teenager).
Those were the rewarding shows.
When I say him offer a design "named for you"..... I laughed -
I agree, a one hour infomercial that I don't think did any good for the company. Not much of a "feel good" ending
Chris McCann's shares his thoughts on the experience on the BIG retail blog:
http://blog.nrf.com/2010/04/12/undercover-boss-chris-mccann-shares-insights-lessons-learned/
He makes some great points -- problem is -- I don't think his company is practicing those points. Like the show, this blog interview is more "fluff" that anything.
My favorite part of the whole show is that they didn't show the call center where 1800 operators call a shop wanting to place a TF order. The shop tells them, sorry we aren't TF members anymore and decline the order. Then a few days later that same shop gets an irritated phone call from 1800 flowers saying that the customer never received the order! And when the shop tells them - duh we declined the order,1800 flowers just go ballistic and say that the computer shows the order as being accepted. HA! And the real kicker?? A check comes in the mail from Teleflora made out to a NON TF member for that order which was declined.
Yup - that has happened to us TWICE!
http://blog.nrf.com/2010/04/12/undercover-boss-chris-mccann-shares-insights-lessons-learned/
He makes some great points -- problem is -- I don't think his company is practicing those points. Like the show, this blog interview is more "fluff" that anything.
My favorite part of the whole show is that they didn't show the call center where 1800 operators call a shop wanting to place a TF order. The shop tells them, sorry we aren't TF members anymore and decline the order. Then a few days later that same shop gets an irritated phone call from 1800 flowers saying that the customer never received the order! And when the shop tells them - duh we declined the order,1800 flowers just go ballistic and say that the computer shows the order as being accepted. HA! And the real kicker?? A check comes in the mail from Teleflora made out to a NON TF member for that order which was declined.
Yup - that has happened to us TWICE!
dhamil6490
Active Member
Ya know, I can't say anything more than what's been said. I, too, almost choked at the "benevolence" offered by McCann. The problem is that the public probably doesn't get it. How do we let them know what a crock McCann has foisted on them?
I think it'd be great if someone created a facebook page "The real truth about 1800flowers" we all could post our bad experiences.
prestonway
Well-Known Member
...and now from left field and trying to look at the big picture...
ANYTIME there is a mention of flowers in a POSITIVE sense is good for our industry.
It makes people think about flowers.
It reminded people of how good flowers make people feel.
It reminded people that even 1-800 flower shop owners are people connecting with people.
Not just in a 30 second glorified soundbite commercial, but in this case for a full hour informercial.
And to me, that's a good thing.
Much better for our industry than an episode on Vermont Teddy Bears or the Franklin Mint for our gift-giving experiences.
ANYTIME there is a mention of flowers in a POSITIVE sense is good for our industry.
It makes people think about flowers.
It reminded people of how good flowers make people feel.
It reminded people that even 1-800 flower shop owners are people connecting with people.
Not just in a 30 second glorified soundbite commercial, but in this case for a full hour informercial.
And to me, that's a good thing.
Much better for our industry than an episode on Vermont Teddy Bears or the Franklin Mint for our gift-giving experiences.
I didn't see the show last night, there too many other good things to DVR, but after reading everyone's comments here I have to ask - So what are we going to do about it?
What are good independent florists doing to counter the marketing machine that is 1800TFTDPROMARTHA? Why aren't we represented with a regular spot on say, Rachel Ray? Why do Jim McCann and Martha get to decide what our industry does?
Maybe because we let them?
What are good independent florists doing to counter the marketing machine that is 1800TFTDPROMARTHA? Why aren't we represented with a regular spot on say, Rachel Ray? Why do Jim McCann and Martha get to decide what our industry does?
Maybe because we let them?
twiggy
Well-Known Member
I just watched it on Hulu-
Preston is right- positive buzz about flowers is always good!
I would have loved to see the low-ball order/ call center/customer service rat's nest exposed -but knew better not to expect any of that. They really could have spun the show anyway they wanted.
I don't know if they actually would have done this- but they could have shown a kindly grandma type trying to send flowers with a small budget- and to her dismay florist after florist refusing to fill it on the other end.
so the public opinion would be -
"those other awful florists out there- why don't they co-operate??"
Preston is right- positive buzz about flowers is always good!
I would have loved to see the low-ball order/ call center/customer service rat's nest exposed -but knew better not to expect any of that. They really could have spun the show anyway they wanted.
I don't know if they actually would have done this- but they could have shown a kindly grandma type trying to send flowers with a small budget- and to her dismay florist after florist refusing to fill it on the other end.
so the public opinion would be -
"those other awful florists out there- why don't they co-operate??"