Wire Services vs My Customer

[NicoleAtTF]

I'm confused. When I send an order through the Dove Network to ABC shop, it automatically sends a message to me if the order has been re-routed.
Nicole, isn't this the case for everyone?

Sorry it took so long for me to answer, Chantelle. I didn't know for sure, so I had to ask someone and then forgot to post the response yesterday. But yes, you're entirely correct. In the majority of cases, an automatic message is generated if the order was re-routed to a shop other than the one you chose.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

So I've been reading the wire service bashing threads for over a year now, and they all focus on the poor fate of the florist who has to fill the incoming order.
I have a clientel that travels extensively, so I send out alot of orders. Not many incoming orders to balance, which, I agree, is in my favor.
Trouble is, my clients are at a distinct dis-advantage, because, according to most of you, you do not fill to the value I give you.
I always quote high, so that my average out of town order is 75$ PLUS 10$ or more for delivery, but what I am hearing here is that you deduct the clearing house fees, and often other fees before you begin to examine my order to you.
I am trying to be fair by always giving more than the minimums listed, but apparently, that is not enough to guartantee my customers satisfaction. The result, because I have a 100% satisfaction guarantee, is that I have to refund them for the poor performance of you, my filling friends. On those occasions when I have called you for some sort of compensation, I am, more often than not, met with opposition, and usually anger. But wait, it's you who have done a crappy job, not me. If you don't want to fill orders, then don't be a member of a wire service. Seems pretty simple to me.
I've tried the credit card thing, and have faced the same problem, with florists deducting up to 12% of my order to cover cc fees.
Seems to me that there are a lot of very short sighted florists out there, many of them right here on FC, who feel that in order to keep in business, a buck must be made on every order, rather than thinking in order to grow a business, sometimes you have to do what is right.
Thoughts?

I don't know what the heck you've been reading, but I haven't read anything like that. I must'uve missed those posts.

My advice to you- If you want to insure YOUR CUSTOMERS (I thought they were our customer, but whatever) Satisfaction, CALL the filling florist to be sure they have what you want. GET THE NAME OF THE PERSON YOU SPOKE TO And then dove/merc the order and in the order description write something like "$75 total including deliver fee, clear glass vase, with callas and orchids. No carns or babies breath or leather and no bow..I spoke to Shannon and she assured me you could fill."

BAM!!!! problem solved.

If I pulled an order off the printer that said "I spoke to...." I guarantee you I'm asking whoever it was that they spoke to see WTH you wanted and to make darn sure you get it...

Also, this may sound crappy (and I don't care) but I always try to avoid "big name" shops with tons of employees. "Tons" meaning that the people taking the order couldn't tell the difference between an alstroemeria and an anenome, and they never really communicate with the "design room". I worked for one of those big shops and it sucked. A shop with 15 employees or less is my kind of shop.

Also, anyone deducting anything other than the delivery fee is just plain wrong....I want a list of those shops names, I will never send them an order. Please post the list in this thread.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

You may be right Mikey, there are a lot of "bains" in this industry, but I choose not to fill those orders through WS because I got too many junk orders and it was wasting my time. I am not trying to preach to anyone on what is right or wrong, I am just saying, if you choose to fill, you should fill without skimming, or in my case, at least fill the order at all when there is a funeral or something very important.

As for giving customer a number to call a florist direct instead, I do do that in a lot of cases, but most of my customers don't want to bother with that, so I provide that service for my customers who don't want to be bothered and yes I make money(commission) on that order.

The reason I use the WS for sending only is because it's easy for me to click button on my POS. I don't have time to be calling florists direct with orders, it take too much time.

I thought this thread was more about the filling florist not the usual sending florist problems....

"Taking the time to call" is what customer service is about....Honestly, in my opinion, giving a sh*tty florist the order was were the ball was first dropped in the first place.
You can tell if a florist has their head up their bum in the first few seconds of a converstion.

 

[802pianoluver]

A simple solution to making sure an order gets to the shop that you intended is to call the shop directly and place the order with them. Forget the middle man (wire services) and use a credit card that way you can ensure that you are getting what the customer ordered and if they don't have the product then they can't just substitute without an o.k from you. We have had less complaints from our customers over the past couple of years (wire service free) than when we had a wire service. We can blame all the wire service providers for their lack of care of where an order goes or how there system is set up, but we are at fault for trusting that their OG's know enough about flowers to pass an order the right way. Too many times we have spoken with OG's from wire services that cannot pronounce a flowers name correctly or don't have a clue what the flower looks like and we are putting our trust in these people to get our order right? Not us not anymore!

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

So many good points brought up already.
We ONLY call the filling florist, I don't use Dove, I prefer to speak directly to the filling florist.
We NEVER sell specific arrangements, only give general instructions, ie "pretty and pink", or "masculine with tropical flowers", or "her favorite flowers are freesia, so if you have some, please include them", etc. I totally understand the challenges of not being able to carry every flower in the world, and common sense must rule when requesting flowers in a different part of the country.
If a florist asks me to deliver something for them for which I do not have the product, I fess up, and say, sorry, I can't help you with that, try "So and So Florist", they often carry that type of product.We will then provide the phone number for that florist also.
Look, that's just the the polite and helpful thing to do, so we do it. It doesn't take any longer to be pleasant. Just seems like there is alot of anger out there that sometimes is directed where it doesn't belong. And in the end, the person who get's disappointed is our customer, and they begin to lose trust in us, and then they think, well maybe this time, Ill try sending one of those stupid fruit arrangements instead because the flower thing didn't work out last time, and then we've lost a customer. And that affects ALL of us.
JP

Maybe your problem is you are NOT specific. When I wire out, I get specific like this.....

"Asian inspired design, tall one sided, include orchids and antherium, river cane....."
yada yada yada. BUT I would call and make sure they get what I'm putting down.
TRY faxing or e-mailing your orders in addition to calling, that way, at least you have some sort of paper trail.

If I just use a term like "contemporary", I may end up with a cube arrangement. We all need to remember that this floral design stuff is subjective as well as objective. very tricky!

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

That can happen.... but it has to be modeled on the FTD of 1910, and be a member owned co-op.

Oh and, no OG'n allowed....

Do it Boss,,,,I'll help.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

Interesting thread....

My favorite part was Mikey saying "Daisies in a flap." WTH is a flap?

BTW- I just read and responded as I went...lots of fun.

 

[lil_goldie]

I
BTW- I just read and responded as I went...lots of fun.

That's what happens when you're gone for a week....too much catching up to do!

 

[marie g bushnell]

Many times an incoming order comes in and I have the color combination of yellows, oranges, lime green but I don't have yellow lilies as the item on the website shows yellow lilies, I have orange lilies, and I use yellow roses, instead of orange roses. I fill for full value (FSN sends me the order including delivery). I only back out the delivery cost, which is usually $8. I wouldn't substitute mums for gerbera or solidago for snaps, it's just not fair to the paying customer or the sending florist.

If I get an order for something they have selected from the web site and I only have large orange gerbs instead of orange lilies, I will call the sending customer if I have the phone number. Never have had a problem. Many times I call the florist to check on certain flowers before I send it over the computer. Yes, it does take more time, but my customer knows I have to charge $9 wire out fee in addition to the cost of the flowers.

I always look at it this way; Fill the order as if "you" were paying for this arrangement and sending it to a "friend", and you'll get it right.

 

[RWK]

As has been said many times......whether or not you are a member of a wire service or not in this particular case is immaterial. Whether it is direct Florist to Florist, Florist to Wire Service to Florist really does not matter as well. The end result is that you ( the florist ) have sent another florist YOUR CUSTOMER'S REQUEST FOR A FLORAL ARRANGEMENT/DESIGN to be delivered to a special person.

The most effective way I have found to do this........is to pick up the TELEPHONE, Dial the telephone number to the floral shop you want to fill the order, Then you TALK to the person on the other end......and get a name of you you are speaking to.

FORGET that a dove machine exists, FORGET that a mercury machine exists, FORGET the computer and sending over the internet......Forget the techonology and just pick up the telephone.

 

[marie g bushnell]

Ricky, I do call the florist first in most cases to send out an order, but that call is to check to see if they do "in deed" have the particular flowers I need to fill the order that I could possibly send to them over the computer.
If they don't have not the exact, but something comparable, I send it over the computer. I pay a membership fee for this service and also collect the 20% less the $3.99 relay fee. This order that I just sent over the computer, activites something in the software program, that gets another sent to me in the next 24 hrs or so. I was told this by FSN and I paid attention to this and it is true. So it is best to use the "service" you are paying for and send your order through your "membership" service.

 

[RWK]

Do you call WHILE your customer is in the store? - Even on a busy holiday, I always took the time to call the intended filling shop while the customer was there in the store !!! If the florist did not have what was needed, I could inform the customer then and there and make the appropriate changes.

 

[Rhonda]

Ricky, I do call the florist first in most cases to send out an order, but that call is to check to see if they do "in deed" have the particular flowers I need to fill the order that I could possibly send to them over the computer.
If they don't have not the exact, but something comparable, I send it over the computer. I pay a membership fee for this service and also collect the 20% less the $3.99 relay fee. This order that I just sent over the computer, activites something in the software program, that gets another sent to me in the next 24 hrs or so. I was told this by FSN and I paid attention to this and it is true. So it is best to use the "service" you are paying for and send your order through your "membership" service.

That only works if you have lots of incoming to your "delivery area". We have a very very rural and limited delivery area. I call out......if it's an "important order" and there is an "iffy feeling".......I'll merc it (for paper trail). Lately 95% of my outgoing has been direct by phone, imagine that !

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

That only works if you have lots of incoming to your "delivery area". We have a very very rural and limited delivery area. I call out......if it's an "important order" and there is an "iffy feeling".......I'll merc it (for paper trail). Lately 95% of my outgoing has been direct by phone, imagine that !

the importance of handling orders that are transferred is staggering, yet, few florists truly understand the implications of "blowing it", WHOMEVER is responsible!!....except for the odd case, where the order "looks" foolproof, and "appears" to be nothing out of the norm, STILL is not enough....once an order is sent, asks and answers are free, but, a followup phone call is "priceless".....

 

[lori042499]

I think that a whole lot of problems could be solved on the filling end if florists sent more description of their customer....if I have a customer in the store not only do I call the shop first and talk to a human, I also send the order over the dove and add into special instructions a descript of the customers likes and dislikes while in my store, kind of giving a synopsis of the sale so the designer can get a feel for how I feel about the sale...i add the emotional aspect into the order so it connecets, unless of course the customer was a wishy washy person that just wanted flowers sent and didn't care...

I just got an order yesterday that I wish the sedning florist went a bit more into detail, but didn't. they liked their customer enought to stress the type of arrangement, but stopped short at saying it had to be very nice...I really hate that word, it means way to many things to to many people...Nice can mean fill it to the hilt with everything under the sun, or it could mean I want one pristine cymbidium stem under glass with a few rocks and greens....depending on the senders idea of nice....florists at times are the very worst communicators and I think that if the impportance of the order to the sender or the importance of the sender to the florist was relayed to the filler, more senders would be happy. After all it really does boil down to how well the emotions are recieved once the flowers are dead and gone, and if the flowers are dead and gone in a couple of days and the flowers didn't make their emotional mark, this is when we have major problems...

 

[BOSS]

The most effective way I have found to do this........is to pick up the TELEPHONE,

FORGET that a dove machine exists, FORGET that a mercury machine exists, FORGET the computer and sending over the internet......Forget the techonology and just pick up the telephone.

Do you call WHILE your customer is in the store? - Even on a busy holiday, I always took the time to call the intended filling shop

Not real efficient for many shops... I'd like to see you try doing this when you have 50, 75, 100 outgoing orders a day at a major holiday.

Works OK, on a normal day when you have 5-10, but not much past that.... and no paper trail of who said what is not good.

 

[RWK]

Mark, You're right......It's NOT efficient......it IS time consuming......it is a lot of work.....like you say 75/100 order going out. But how expensive is all that if it helps you to make that buying customer/ that paying customer/ that repeat customer/or that first time customer HAPPY, SATISIFIED, PLEASED, and maybe want to come back?

Somehow, for me at least, seeing that smile on the customer's face, hearing that ka-ching of the cash register, and the effusive comments on how nice I am, and how nice a shop we have, and "I'll be back" seem to justify taking the time with the customer.

 

[holland1]

Nicole,

Rating systems like TF's Petal of Honour and FTD's Quality Star ratings make sense in theory. But the algorithms being used are not very transparent. You say volume and acceptance or rejection of HQ orders are not factored in. But what goes into giving a shop the quality rating?

We no longer have field reps making quality assessments during site visits and there is no system in place for rating quality of output or qualification of staff at member shops. Complaint ratios are an obvious factor to consider, but what sort of complaints are we talking about. For example, if a customer complains because an order when filled does not look like the picture on the sender's website, is this because the image on the site is totally unrealistic? Is it because the amount charged or provided by the sender was not sufficient (in which case the filler should probably have rejected the order, but many don't)? Is it because the sender agreed to substitution without getting prior approval from the customer? Or is it because of some shortcoming on the part of the filling shop? Without better QA systems in place, the people making the ratings have no way of knowing the full story behind complaints.

Also, what mechanism does TF (or FTD) have for rating things like depth of inventory and flower selection at member shops? Smaller shops and shops in remote centers far removed from wholesale suppliers are in a much more constrained position than large shops when it comes to the range of flowers they can have on hand at any given time, but they may still do wonderful things with the flowers they carry. Any light you can shed on how the quality ratings are awarded would be helpful. Without this information, you might forgive people who look at these rating systems as simply a device by which wire services award shops that do their bidding.

John Frecker
Holland Nurseries
St. John's, NL, Canada

 

[BOSS]

Mark, You're right......It's NOT efficient......
Somehow, for me at least, seeing that smile on the customer's face, hearing that ka-ching of the cash register, and the effusive comments on how nice I am, and how nice a shop we have, and "I'll be back" seem to justify taking the time with the customer.

Back when I was still sending orders rather than giving out other florists numbers, 85% of my outbound orders originated on the phone, another 1-2% online, thus very few came in the store...

High volume means you need high efficiency. No way around it. Now days, we take the time to educate the consumer, so we're spending more time, but we are reaping more rewards too... just like you

 

[BOSS]

Also, what mechanism does TF (or FTD) have for rating things like depth of inventory and flower selection at member shops?

Um... none.

They do not do it, nor do they really care.