Direct Sending Discount Controversy
- Thread starter Mark Anderson
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Joe Mioux
Well-Known Member
TOTO
New Member
Re: Sorry to hear that Joe!
Dear Joe: Sorry to hear that Joe!
I apologize for any of my OG string rants which may have added to your stress. Far be it from me to be part of the USUAL SUSPECTS and HERD which steal fuel from our fires.
Hopefully, last week's difficult time is behind you now.
John
Dear Joe: Sorry to hear that Joe!
I apologize for any of my OG string rants which may have added to your stress. Far be it from me to be part of the USUAL SUSPECTS and HERD which steal fuel from our fires.
Hopefully, last week's difficult time is behind you now.
John
Frank
New Member
Tom,
Lay off Joe man. He had the courage to respond to these anti-wire service attacks on fellow florists. Most of us here - by a comanding majority - operate flower shops that belong to a wire service. We of course do not condone what they always do but they servce our needs for the moment. Your fellow florists are not the enemy bud.
Whoa ... what's happening
Whoa ... This one sentance sums up what is happening to our industry.
That florists, who were once a pretty tight knit bunch, are falling out big time over what a third party is doing when they should be standing together.
I am probably one of the biggest critics of WS ... not because I think it's bad (in it's true/fairest form WS/relay is a brilliant business model for making out of area orders possible) but because it is being changed faster than florists - who let's face it built it up in the first place - can or are allowed to. These days it is becoming a restriction rather than a benefit.
However I don't criticise anyone for staying with a WS .. in the absence of any credible alternative it is an essential business tool for many. What I do find hard to cope with are those florists who are seemingly blind to it's faults or haven't grasped the financial implications be it through fear or a head in the sand attitude .
Having observed the posts on this site I don't consider anyone on this site is blind to the failings of the system and, if I may be so bold, I think it's wrong to criticise them for doing what is right for their business at this moment in time.
If anything florists in WS, especially those who know it's causing them problems, deserve support and help to get through it. Because having observed some of my UK florists who are scared witless by what's happening and feeling very trapped in something they'd really rather get out of, it is not a nice situation to be in. I've seen grown men run ragged by worry over what they should do and women cry down the phone to me.
When customers show thier rawest emotions we deal with it with sympathy and dignity ... we should apply the same principles to our fellow florists because we are all in this together. If florists don't work together and support each other then you are playing right into the hands of the 'big boys'
Regards
Whoa ... This one sentance sums up what is happening to our industry.
That florists, who were once a pretty tight knit bunch, are falling out big time over what a third party is doing when they should be standing together.
I am probably one of the biggest critics of WS ... not because I think it's bad (in it's true/fairest form WS/relay is a brilliant business model for making out of area orders possible) but because it is being changed faster than florists - who let's face it built it up in the first place - can or are allowed to. These days it is becoming a restriction rather than a benefit.
However I don't criticise anyone for staying with a WS .. in the absence of any credible alternative it is an essential business tool for many. What I do find hard to cope with are those florists who are seemingly blind to it's faults or haven't grasped the financial implications be it through fear or a head in the sand attitude .
Having observed the posts on this site I don't consider anyone on this site is blind to the failings of the system and, if I may be so bold, I think it's wrong to criticise them for doing what is right for their business at this moment in time.
If anything florists in WS, especially those who know it's causing them problems, deserve support and help to get through it. Because having observed some of my UK florists who are scared witless by what's happening and feeling very trapped in something they'd really rather get out of, it is not a nice situation to be in. I've seen grown men run ragged by worry over what they should do and women cry down the phone to me.
When customers show thier rawest emotions we deal with it with sympathy and dignity ... we should apply the same principles to our fellow florists because we are all in this together. If florists don't work together and support each other then you are playing right into the hands of the 'big boys'
Regards
12BucksFor2Dozon
New Member
Please explain to me, then, how I am supposed to "work" with florists in my town who knowingly and happily fill dOG orders for the WS, thereby stealing local customer business from us and filling the order at a lower value point in order to remain profitable because they are "afraid" to leave the WS??? Over time, this is eroding the consumer confidence of ALL B&M floral customers and is pushing them towards grocers and/or DSers.
These local florist only see the short term...an order today is worth 5 that will never come tomorrow, but it doesn't matter because in their shortsightedness and greed they act in desperation. I know many FCers try to filter out dOG orders, but I will bet that if a dOG submits an order with enough $$'s, there high-minded principles will be tossed out with the used stems, and will be filed under the "we all have to do whats best for our business" category.
It can't be done, "working together", I'm sorry to say...you are either with us or against us. You can't be "a little" pregnant...
I don't particularly want to get into an argument with you and have yet to get my head round where you're coming from as you seem very angry at the moment. This is the downside of e-mail ... you can't hear the nuances in typing!
I don't deny it's hard. I don't deny that there are florists out there propping up the system for whatever reason. I don't have a magical answer ... I wish I did because it would make the future of my company a lot stronger - after all for me if there are no florists that = no suppliers = no advertisers = no revenue = no shoes allowance!
I just felt you were being a tad hard and what I was trying to say was that the feeling I get (most of the time) is that people on this website aren't necessarily bad eggs for still being with a WS or failing to see any part of your argument. If they were then they probably wouldn't be bothering to take the time out to do this or, as is the case with Joe, pass on a lot of useful information that has nothing to do with wire services.
Sometimes though I do feel we get very worked up about it (you only have to look at the number of threads/posts compared with other subjects) and I wonder if we should aim our passion and skills in other directions.
I don't deny it's hard. I don't deny that there are florists out there propping up the system for whatever reason. I don't have a magical answer ... I wish I did because it would make the future of my company a lot stronger - after all for me if there are no florists that = no suppliers = no advertisers = no revenue = no shoes allowance!
I just felt you were being a tad hard and what I was trying to say was that the feeling I get (most of the time) is that people on this website aren't necessarily bad eggs for still being with a WS or failing to see any part of your argument. If they were then they probably wouldn't be bothering to take the time out to do this or, as is the case with Joe, pass on a lot of useful information that has nothing to do with wire services.
Sometimes though I do feel we get very worked up about it (you only have to look at the number of threads/posts compared with other subjects) and I wonder if we should aim our passion and skills in other directions.
prestonway
Well-Known Member
This is where your Sermon fails Tom...& has for months/years now.
The answer is...hallelujah YES!
The WS are not "doing" anything to its members, other than attempting to operate profitable businesses. (Do I hear an AMEN?)
The WS is responsible to its ownership only, whether private or public company.
They are not responsible to their members/customers...only to their owners.
Further, florists are members by choice, not Commandment.
The WS Churches of the Order Transfer have obviously decided to shrink their Congregation on one side (florists), only to increase it on the other (grocery stores). As long as the amount going into the Collection Plate increases, it makes little difference to them, even if we are Founding Members.
And if they use my tithes to make their Church larger, so be it, as long as they continue to enrich our souls!
Remember, nobody is forcing you to be a member of the wire service Congregation!
You make a business decision every month when you pay your dues (tithes)...& ask yourself is my membership contributing to the profitability of my business (soul)? If yes you pay, if not you're out.
In other words, some of us choose to be devil-worshippers, while others choose to be saved by the Lord and become Born Again.
The WS make business decisions, and each of us must do the same. We've all seen the Light...only some of us choose to move away from it instead of towards it!
But at least give us the credit for making our own intelligent business decisions without being preached to in an attempt at some type of religious conversion!!!
12BucksFor2Dozon
New Member
Caroline I am sorry that you interpret my reply to be full of anger...I really no longer care about the issue, because their is no point. I probably should have never responded.
Florists are going to do what they do for as long as they do it. They have been dealing with this issue since at least 1992 and have shown exactly 0.00% unity in working together for the good of all.
Good luck fighting your fight, I am on your side...from now on I will cheer from the sidelines.
Florists are going to do what they do for as long as they do it. They have been dealing with this issue since at least 1992 and have shown exactly 0.00% unity in working together for the good of all.
Good luck fighting your fight, I am on your side...from now on I will cheer from the sidelines.
Thank you for your quick response ... I shall go home (it's 10 at night over here) a little more relaxed as I wondered if I should have replied too! Oh Lor look what it does to us all!
However don't stay on the sidelines for too long!
Night night
However don't stay on the sidelines for too long!
Night night
steve
Well-Known Member
I do not have time to go back and read all the pages that have been written here but clearly we all agree the system is broke . The vast majority of us still belong to wire services primarily because we need a vehicle to send orders out. And don't give me this call it out on a credit card logic that works for very small shops only with low outgoing business. It would bring my business to its knees with wasted labor and tied up phone lines as it would many other shops here.
The alternative is some sort of true value hardware/ ace hardware co-op. But unless we can get a large number of florist to rally around such a group then all these same arguments will still be posted here in 2 to 3 years down the road. In fact if the powers to be here could pull up arkives from 3 years ago I think you would find that nothings has change to any great deal in last 3 years other then the real florist have lost more ground to the OGs and direct shippers.
The alternative is some sort of true value hardware/ ace hardware co-op. But unless we can get a large number of florist to rally around such a group then all these same arguments will still be posted here in 2 to 3 years down the road. In fact if the powers to be here could pull up arkives from 3 years ago I think you would find that nothings has change to any great deal in last 3 years other then the real florist have lost more ground to the OGs and direct shippers.
Have you ever tried to offer up phone numbers and websites to your customers to allow them to send their orders out directly to the receiving florist?
Keep in mind that this is just a question.
That would tie up your phonelines and employees too in a non-profitable endeavor. (worse than that, a money losing endeavor since you could have made a profit on those calls)
You could also answer your phone and direct them to Costco I guess to get a better deal on flowers?
*wink*
You could also answer your phone and direct them to Costco I guess to get a better deal on flowers?
*wink*
Joe Mioux
Well-Known Member
to respond.
First, for those of you who have pm'd me and Beth, thank you.
Second, to use a baseball metaphor, I have thrown some pretty good hard balls at both Toto and Tom Carlson in past threads. Turn around is fair. No harm.
Third, Frank, thank you for your kind support.
Fourth, Preston, your response to Tom's questions are copacetic. I will add some later, but you are on the mark.
Fifth, 12 and bloomz, I love reading your posts. Diametrically opposed most times and somehow both views provide great value!
Sixth: Carrington, please do a FC search on "Web site instead of wire services" . This was before your time here at FC but was a great thread. Maybe an article in there for you.
Sincerely:
Joe
First, for those of you who have pm'd me and Beth, thank you.
Second, to use a baseball metaphor, I have thrown some pretty good hard balls at both Toto and Tom Carlson in past threads. Turn around is fair. No harm.
Third, Frank, thank you for your kind support.
Fourth, Preston, your response to Tom's questions are copacetic. I will add some later, but you are on the mark.
Fifth, 12 and bloomz, I love reading your posts. Diametrically opposed most times and somehow both views provide great value!
Sixth: Carrington, please do a FC search on "Web site instead of wire services" . This was before your time here at FC but was a great thread. Maybe an article in there for you.
Sincerely:
Joe
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