Dang, if I just didn't have to spend money on a van to get my deliveries around.. I might have gone for it.
Why do florist not go direct more!
- Thread starter theflowershop
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I have to agree with you - although we are still using a WS - Teleflora - we are planning to drop them sometime in 2009 - once we get our Web Site up and running - and go direct. We have signed up for the Direct 2 Florist service - although still in its infancy - am anxious to see if it does anything in the next 12 - 24 months. We've looked at POS and I do understand them, am not afraid of technology - I personally prefer the personal touch wherever possible. I am in this business cause I love it - certainly not to ever become wealthy
So no POS for us.
I just believe you can only get to a certain point, for us around 175-200K a year and without a POS you just can't grow beyond that point.
Then you reach another one around 5-600K where you have to/get to upgrade again.
Automation saves time and makes things flow so much more smoothly.
We could never do what we do without our system, and we provide exemplary service we will match to anyone (which includes personal as well of course).
I think technology is very very important in this day and age. More important than anything else in our shop besides possibly freshness.
If you can't service customers like this, somebody else will.
I know of some shops who have spent in excess of $125,000 on them, and I'm sure there are higher ones than that.
They're worth it. The shop that did that, when we were investigating our last POS purchase, told me it was the best money he had ever spent on his business.
Then you reach another one around 5-600K where you have to/get to upgrade again.
Automation saves time and makes things flow so much more smoothly.
We could never do what we do without our system, and we provide exemplary service we will match to anyone (which includes personal as well of course).
I think technology is very very important in this day and age. More important than anything else in our shop besides possibly freshness.
If you can't service customers like this, somebody else will.
I know of some shops who have spent in excess of $125,000 on them, and I'm sure there are higher ones than that.
They're worth it. The shop that did that, when we were investigating our last POS purchase, told me it was the best money he had ever spent on his business.
Couldn't agree with you more Ryan.
Thank you to FloristWare! Without it I would have been in the dark (or red?). I invested in FloristWare in 2005 - less than a year after I bought the shop. The customer list I got in 2004 was practically non-existent, in MS Office or something and I couldn't even open it properly let alone print the darn thing! And, yes, I do have top-of-the-line computers/software. I don't know what I paid "goodwill" for back then. BTW: the previous owner spent an entire week just going through our local telephone directory and inputting mostly names, addresses and phone numbers during the last week she spend with me "showing me the ropes" which didn't help me at all! I still didn't have any details beyond what the directory provided.
I charged hardly ANYTHING for goodwill when I sold the shop but I can tell you WITHOUT FloristWare's POS, I probably would not have been able to sell my flowershop at ANYTIME, let alone in this economy, in the first place. Thanks again FLORISTWARE!!!
Sorry about the caps...needed to emphasize a couple important points....
We do this a little bit, and should really do more of it. However most of our outgoing orders are from house accounts that pay in 30 - 60 days and I really don't want to run up my credit card. I am really not interested in taking many wire out orders, they are just too much of a headache for not much money. When possible, I try to send customers directly to a shop in the area where they need to send flowers. They pay on their credit card, the shop is happy, they keep all of the $, the consumer is happy, they got full value and I am out of the picture. I don't have to listen to any complaints that the flowers arrived late, were dead, the arrangement was small and not worth it. Who needs the problems. Don't get me wrong, out of necessity we still wire out the majority of our out of town orders, even though I would rather not.
Here is something else that we do. All the fruit, candy & gourmet baskets that we do we ship out via UPS. Very rarely have a problem and our customers are assured a top quality basket. It works out great. I estimate that we ship 350 baskets a year that would otherwise be wire outs. For the last 2 years we have eve shipped poinsettias via UPS. We have a few customers that have long gift lists and want to send an inexpensive plant ($30 - $35). Chances are no shop would be interested in a $30 - $35 order with no delivery charge. As long as it's within a day or two's delivery time for UPS, it is not too cold , the plants are packed well and you do not ship over the weekend it works great. We shipped over 50 plants this year and had only one problem. I am sure I would have had then one issue if I tried to send these as wire outs.
Here is something else that we do. All the fruit, candy & gourmet baskets that we do we ship out via UPS. Very rarely have a problem and our customers are assured a top quality basket. It works out great. I estimate that we ship 350 baskets a year that would otherwise be wire outs. For the last 2 years we have eve shipped poinsettias via UPS. We have a few customers that have long gift lists and want to send an inexpensive plant ($30 - $35). Chances are no shop would be interested in a $30 - $35 order with no delivery charge. As long as it's within a day or two's delivery time for UPS, it is not too cold , the plants are packed well and you do not ship over the weekend it works great. We shipped over 50 plants this year and had only one problem. I am sure I would have had then one issue if I tried to send these as wire outs.
Again, my argument is not against a POS system, even a top-of-the-line system.....just don't understand the need for the one from a WS when there are so many more out there that can work as well for so much less money. AND, then a shop isn't owned by the WS because they have to pay for their POS. I would rather control my own destiny and some shops agree and others don't but if I wanted a partner that had control in my business there would be a different "partnership" agreement in place than the one-sided WS contract.
Just my very humble opinion.....everyone has one.
Just my very humble opinion.....everyone has one.
CHERYL BAKIN
New Member
Inferno,
You are very correct that there are now non-wire service POS systems available, and many great options.
It was not always the case, however.
When we began looking in 1995-1996, there were wire service specific systems, and just a few others on the market. Costs were high all around. (software and hardware).
As Bloomz said in an earlier post, there reaches a point in groos sales volume that you just cannot do any more $$ without a POS. This has NOTHING to do, spefically, with wire in or wire outs. It has to do with credit card daily processing, writing cards and delivery tags, billing your house accounts, preparing data for sales tax & income tax reporting, .....and oh, yea, easing the burden of wire service reporting or checking!!
As a shop owner & manager, the POS system freed me up to market my shop, meet with more clients, tell me specifically what clients needed my direct attention, etc, etc. I could get the data & those answers before -- it just took weeks and weeks, and lots & lots of my time and one or more of my assistants time.
Sometimes, you just have to step into the current century.
Things do change & evolve. Even though we make things by hand, it does not mean that we have to do EVERYTHING by hand & without the ease of modern technology. Our customers expect us to be computer literate today -- to fax or email receipts, to give order confirmations, and so on.
Regards,
Cheryl
You are very correct that there are now non-wire service POS systems available, and many great options.
It was not always the case, however.
When we began looking in 1995-1996, there were wire service specific systems, and just a few others on the market. Costs were high all around. (software and hardware).
As Bloomz said in an earlier post, there reaches a point in groos sales volume that you just cannot do any more $$ without a POS. This has NOTHING to do, spefically, with wire in or wire outs. It has to do with credit card daily processing, writing cards and delivery tags, billing your house accounts, preparing data for sales tax & income tax reporting, .....and oh, yea, easing the burden of wire service reporting or checking!!
As a shop owner & manager, the POS system freed me up to market my shop, meet with more clients, tell me specifically what clients needed my direct attention, etc, etc. I could get the data & those answers before -- it just took weeks and weeks, and lots & lots of my time and one or more of my assistants time.
Sometimes, you just have to step into the current century.
Things do change & evolve. Even though we make things by hand, it does not mean that we have to do EVERYTHING by hand & without the ease of modern technology. Our customers expect us to be computer literate today -- to fax or email receipts, to give order confirmations, and so on.
Regards,
Cheryl
Again, my argument is just against the WS POS. Everything you stated as benefits are available in POS without WS. I agree that a good POS becomes necessary at some point. I haven't had a manual system since I opened in 2003 and wouldn't dream of it!
I haven't looked at this thread for a while, I was curious to see what all the hub bub was about when I saw that there was like 48 responses.....
I see most of them were to try to explain to Inferno about POS systems.
So Inferno, You say your argument is against WS POS, period.
Here is a simple straight forward answer to your arguement...
Some shops are WS lifers, they always will be. There is nothing you can say or nothing you can do or nothing you can argue that will make them change. Ever.
And AGAIN, some shops use WS POS because the WS makes it very very convenient with financing for their POS.
WITHOUT WS financing those shops could not see affording a POS system.
Pure and simple.
Yes, other POS systems do exist, yes they are great, but an old time mom and pop shop who has been doing things the same way since 1945 and the WS POS sales guy tells the 2nd or 3rd generation "this is how you become current, and it will only cost $200/ month and it will be included on your statement, blah blah blah"
That can be very appealing.
It's like buying a big SUV 5 years ago that seemed like such a great idea at the time...
We have Visual Ticket where I work. This is the only shop I've ever worked where we had this system.
I LOVE IT.
I love not having to process CC's. I LOVE processing the card while on the phone with the customer and them usually saying "Oh and my name appears as John H Smith on my card" and I say "OH it's already been approved". I love not having to try and call someone back when their card is declined, I don't have to call them back cause they are already on the phone with me!! I love not having to sit and hand write enclosure cards. I love not having to post info into quick books. It is so simple. It's wonderful.
The only thing that could make it better is if it had the capability to send orders to other shops with pos systems that are not visual ticket and avoid the ws altogether.
Maybe it does, and I just don't know about it..
I see most of them were to try to explain to Inferno about POS systems.
So Inferno, You say your argument is against WS POS, period.
Here is a simple straight forward answer to your arguement...
Some shops are WS lifers, they always will be. There is nothing you can say or nothing you can do or nothing you can argue that will make them change. Ever.
And AGAIN, some shops use WS POS because the WS makes it very very convenient with financing for their POS.
WITHOUT WS financing those shops could not see affording a POS system.
Pure and simple.
Yes, other POS systems do exist, yes they are great, but an old time mom and pop shop who has been doing things the same way since 1945 and the WS POS sales guy tells the 2nd or 3rd generation "this is how you become current, and it will only cost $200/ month and it will be included on your statement, blah blah blah"
That can be very appealing.
It's like buying a big SUV 5 years ago that seemed like such a great idea at the time...
We have Visual Ticket where I work. This is the only shop I've ever worked where we had this system.
I LOVE IT.
I love not having to process CC's. I LOVE processing the card while on the phone with the customer and them usually saying "Oh and my name appears as John H Smith on my card" and I say "OH it's already been approved". I love not having to try and call someone back when their card is declined, I don't have to call them back cause they are already on the phone with me!! I love not having to sit and hand write enclosure cards. I love not having to post info into quick books. It is so simple. It's wonderful.
The only thing that could make it better is if it had the capability to send orders to other shops with pos systems that are not visual ticket and avoid the ws altogether.
Maybe it does, and I just don't know about it..
What brought about the Clearing House
I don't know the history of what brought about the Clearing House, but my guess is that florists were not paying their bills. Establishing a Clearing House put power behind collections and probably pretty much eliminated "bad debts" when filling orders.
I was sending direct for several years, now back to using TF. It really is a lot smoother and much less accounting. But I certainly am not adverse to filling direct orders and giving the sending florist their 20% commission.
I don't know the history of what brought about the Clearing House, but my guess is that florists were not paying their bills. Establishing a Clearing House put power behind collections and probably pretty much eliminated "bad debts" when filling orders.
I was sending direct for several years, now back to using TF. It really is a lot smoother and much less accounting. But I certainly am not adverse to filling direct orders and giving the sending florist their 20% commission.
Rhonda
Well-Known Member
For some reason, I've had complaints on orders I've sent through TF these past couple of months and none on the orders I called direct using a credit card. I still believe it is the saturation of TF giving membership to shops not qualified for such.
I started using Floristware Feb of 2008. We love it. Only $100 a month. It has tech support. I formerly used the old paper method of writing everything down,trying to figure out how many sold each holiday, it took forever. Now I just push a few report buttons & I got it. Taxes are now a wiz also. Takes all of 10 minutes to get the figures. I was also thinking of closing at 4pm during the summer, I went to the area that reports the % sold each hour of the day- never did I dream we sold 19% of our daily sales after 4pm. Needless to say we are open after 4pm. My customers are impressed that any area shop has a program like this.
CHERYL BAKIN
New Member
FREE tech support, I might add.
Aside: I went online the other day to find the manual for my CrockPot 'cause I hadn't used it in ages. They're charging now just to look at a friggin' manual?!
Shannon, you could send orders via VT only if Dove or Merc is integrated into it, and it's a service that you have to pay VT. I don't have that many wire outs, so I don't have that integrated into my system.
marigold
Well-Known Member
On the orders that I send out of town, I use one credit card to pay.
Keeps the bookkeeping simple.
I don't send ALL that many out, so it is not that hard to keep straight.
What I seem to fine when I locate a florist and call them to place and
order is how they treat me...they are leery that I do not want to
use a wire service, which is the first question they ask when I identify
myself as a florist wanting to place an order.
I have to immediately tell them " I am giving you 100% of the order,
I don't expect a discount and I will pay with a credit card."
They still treat me like I am trying to scam them.
I am placing an order just like their own local client would be.
I think many florists are old school and think you are below them if
you do not belong to a WS.
It does get old having to defend myself each time I try to place an
order.
I try to use FC members when possible.
Keeps the bookkeeping simple.
I don't send ALL that many out, so it is not that hard to keep straight.
What I seem to fine when I locate a florist and call them to place and
order is how they treat me...they are leery that I do not want to
use a wire service, which is the first question they ask when I identify
myself as a florist wanting to place an order.
I have to immediately tell them " I am giving you 100% of the order,
I don't expect a discount and I will pay with a credit card."
They still treat me like I am trying to scam them.
I am placing an order just like their own local client would be.
I think many florists are old school and think you are below them if
you do not belong to a WS.
It does get old having to defend myself each time I try to place an
order.
I try to use FC members when possible.
Yes, I'm fully aware of this feature. We already do this. It's amazingly convenient. I guess you misunderstood what I said.
What I think would be great is if the VT could link up with other shops who had VT or another POS system and bypass WS POS altogether.
What I think would be great is if the VT could link up with other shops who had VT or another POS system and bypass WS POS altogether.
duanermb
New Member
We try to use the FSN directory where possible, and we phone it in (to make sure they have what we need.
We charge a small fee of $8 for our time and effort, and make sure that we get the customer's information (our local customer) for ourselves. That is worth more to us than the relay fee.
We are building our own list of non WS florists (for our own use) so that we can support those who don't have them.
Eric S
Demoted Webmaster
I only have a few shops that I send directly too because again most shops just don't get it.
That’s fine because what I have been noticing more and more that customers do want this service. Yes I'll say it again. They want this service. As our business has evolved I am noticing more customers wanting this service even though they know they can get more value by calling directly.
All of these years I have listened and asked so many of you and even accused so many here of holding these orders instead of giving your customers a way to call direct by providing direct numbers.
We still offer two ways for our customers. Giving them the choice to call direct versus us sending the order for them. And to be honest we have seen a huge increase of these sending orders. I have spent a good amount of time looking at this and have realized that this service is still needed at least for now. As I continue to train our employees to pay attention to the minimums as well as looking at the delivery charges needed by the filling florist. I notice that response from these florist is very encouraging. Most of the time I get a call from the owner to thank us for sending not only more then enough to create these wire service products but even the additional delivery charges that sometimes include more then enough delivery charges. I have continued to wave the service charges on most of these orders and this usually sits very well with the customer encouraging them to not even think about the additional delivery charge.
Florist should work on sending more quality orders through the system. I am sure most of you can agree that if you received less total $35 orders compared to a more $50 + delivery fees that it can make it worth more wild.
Direct orders are still awesome and orders sent through the system can be just as good as long as we can concentrate on more quality then quantity.
One last thing that I would like to add is before most of us relied on these Wire Service products to send didn't you use to send things that your customers ordered from you? Another words you have your own products and a customer wants to see if a florist can create it in another state. What is so wrong with doing that? I have noticed that if I reference a product on our website on the order it can be filled. I think it gives the filling florist the confidence that they are getting a product that is not gone through the DOG system or skimmed in anyway and lets them see that they are getting a full valued order with their required delivery fee.
That’s fine because what I have been noticing more and more that customers do want this service. Yes I'll say it again. They want this service. As our business has evolved I am noticing more customers wanting this service even though they know they can get more value by calling directly.
All of these years I have listened and asked so many of you and even accused so many here of holding these orders instead of giving your customers a way to call direct by providing direct numbers.
We still offer two ways for our customers. Giving them the choice to call direct versus us sending the order for them. And to be honest we have seen a huge increase of these sending orders. I have spent a good amount of time looking at this and have realized that this service is still needed at least for now. As I continue to train our employees to pay attention to the minimums as well as looking at the delivery charges needed by the filling florist. I notice that response from these florist is very encouraging. Most of the time I get a call from the owner to thank us for sending not only more then enough to create these wire service products but even the additional delivery charges that sometimes include more then enough delivery charges. I have continued to wave the service charges on most of these orders and this usually sits very well with the customer encouraging them to not even think about the additional delivery charge.
Florist should work on sending more quality orders through the system. I am sure most of you can agree that if you received less total $35 orders compared to a more $50 + delivery fees that it can make it worth more wild.
Direct orders are still awesome and orders sent through the system can be just as good as long as we can concentrate on more quality then quantity.
One last thing that I would like to add is before most of us relied on these Wire Service products to send didn't you use to send things that your customers ordered from you? Another words you have your own products and a customer wants to see if a florist can create it in another state. What is so wrong with doing that? I have noticed that if I reference a product on our website on the order it can be filled. I think it gives the filling florist the confidence that they are getting a product that is not gone through the DOG system or skimmed in anyway and lets them see that they are getting a full valued order with their required delivery fee.
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