Merc Network.....
- Thread starter Mikey the Flower Guy
- Start date
- Status
Oh my goodness!!
What a piece........ y'all will love this one!
Was told today by marketplace that no it wasn't a technology problem and the little problem was an overload of mercury transmitting orders, which caused the problem and did not last but a day!!!!! I told her WHAT???????? NO NO NO, you have no idea what happened; there are so many of us florists out here right now that is extremely upset with FTD because of the 3 day massacre! Insisted by what she was told was correct, I asked her did you get that info from your co-cubicle partner or the horses mouth? She explained no that is what was reported, I told her why don't you hear it from the real horses mouth (FLORIST) then you will have a better insight on the real INFORMATION!!
I can not believe they are lying to the worker-bees as well to cover their A@@'S
Cyndi
What a piece........ y'all will love this one!
Was told today by marketplace that no it wasn't a technology problem and the little problem was an overload of mercury transmitting orders, which caused the problem and did not last but a day!!!!! I told her WHAT???????? NO NO NO, you have no idea what happened; there are so many of us florists out here right now that is extremely upset with FTD because of the 3 day massacre! Insisted by what she was told was correct, I asked her did you get that info from your co-cubicle partner or the horses mouth? She explained no that is what was reported, I told her why don't you hear it from the real horses mouth (FLORIST) then you will have a better insight on the real INFORMATION!!
I can not believe they are lying to the worker-bees as well to cover their A@@'S
Cyndi
Tracy D'Amico
Well-Known Member
I think the idea of the article is great.Period.
I don't know about a press conference,but I admire the spirit behind it!
My only "concern" is if you want this to be read by average consumer, they may stop reading once the initials start pouring out. Other than that, I think it's great and say rock on with it!
I know you're putting it on your blog, but what if it was "signed" by affected Merc users - just shop names & towns or something like that. Adds a little more legitimacy. Just an idea.
tracy
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
I say RUN it!!! Blog it up!
The thing that gets me, is that FTD KNEW they had a problem as early as Monday, perhaps even Saturday or Sunday when they could not reach shops. They should have sent out an SOS message to those shops they could reach, and then someone would have pread the word here and on other message boards.
By saying and doing nothing they allowed the back log to continue to grow to an insurmountable number of orders, both theirs and florists. They *could* have reduced some of the impact had they been just a little bit by being proactive, but that would have meant being pro-florist and that's not something they either know how to do nor understand.
The thing that gets me, is that FTD KNEW they had a problem as early as Monday, perhaps even Saturday or Sunday when they could not reach shops. They should have sent out an SOS message to those shops they could reach, and then someone would have pread the word here and on other message boards.
By saying and doing nothing they allowed the back log to continue to grow to an insurmountable number of orders, both theirs and florists. They *could* have reduced some of the impact had they been just a little bit by being proactive, but that would have meant being pro-florist and that's not something they either know how to do nor understand.
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
MANORVILLE
New Member
- Oct 2, 2006
- 1,607
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POSTED THIS ON ANOTHER THREAD AS WELL AS HERE.
HOPE THAT IS OK.
To Boss
Everything looks fine to us !!!!
Great Job !
Got a little fired up before this was written.
THE TRUTH BEHIND THE V. DAY 2007 FIASCO
by MANORVILLE FLORIST Posted Mon February 19, 2007 @ 3:30 PM
Local florists that pay enormous monies to wire services like FTD,
1800 and Teleflora did not drop the ball, and to attempt to blame them
is a travesty.
Local florists do not control the mega corporations,
they control us, undermine us, use us and more.
Local florists are not order gatherers supported by the major
corporations that shave off the top of every order.
I'm sorry.....did you actually think that the local florist gets the
money that you pay out?
Not a chance !
If that's what you really think I've got a couple of bridges for you
to buy !
Example: customer uses a third party to order,
( no names ), and them sends out the order to a local florist that
gets a greatly reduced ammount to fill the order. Order gatherers
shave from the top and then, on top of it have to kick back monies to
their enablers and backers. We've gotten orders sent or called in to
us that were shaved by as much as 50%.
Yup, 50% of your money, and either we tell them to get lost and find
another sucker or we as professionals bite the bullett and provide the
best possible product money can buy, at our own expense.
When we have no time and no other choice, we take care of the consumer
!
In good concience I cannot save that every florist is good. That would
be unrealistic, however I can say with complete certainty that dealing
with a REAL FLORIST is the only, cost effective, intelligent and sane
option that the consumers have and can rely on.
Our shop, in the middle of horrendous weather and an ice storm, on a
holiday that required us to back up our normal locally supplied floral
inventory with overnighted top of the line roses and flowers, since
the local product was a complete ripoff and half dead when it was
received, managed to, at tremendous personal expense and loss, have
less than a 1% error or non delivery rate, and honored every single
inquiry, question and complaint in record time.
( Weather was the primary reason that we had any complaints at all !
)
To conclude, anyone that wants to blame or hold responsible the local
flower shops or REAL FLORISTS should scrutinize their billing
statements to see where their money went for Bloody Valentine's Day
2007.
You may be a bit surprised. Actually you may be infuriated !
If you want to continue being ripped off then continue doing business
the way you are.
If however you want the finest product, award winning customer service
and professional care that you receive from a select group of REAL
FLORISTS throughout this country and the world, you don't have to look
very far.
Our shop , on any given day, can and do, get your orders handled by
REAL FLORISTS. Affiliation with the wire services does not have
anything to do with what occurred this Valentine's Day. Many of us got
totally screwed as well.
BUT NO-ONE WANTS THE CONSUMERS TO KNOW THE TRUTH !
IT"S SO MUCH EASIER TO BLAME THE LOCAL FLORISTS !
HOPE THAT IS OK.
To Boss
Everything looks fine to us !!!!
Great Job !
Got a little fired up before this was written.
THE TRUTH BEHIND THE V. DAY 2007 FIASCO
by MANORVILLE FLORIST Posted Mon February 19, 2007 @ 3:30 PM
Local florists that pay enormous monies to wire services like FTD,
1800 and Teleflora did not drop the ball, and to attempt to blame them
is a travesty.
Local florists do not control the mega corporations,
they control us, undermine us, use us and more.
Local florists are not order gatherers supported by the major
corporations that shave off the top of every order.
I'm sorry.....did you actually think that the local florist gets the
money that you pay out?
Not a chance !
If that's what you really think I've got a couple of bridges for you
to buy !
Example: customer uses a third party to order,
( no names ), and them sends out the order to a local florist that
gets a greatly reduced ammount to fill the order. Order gatherers
shave from the top and then, on top of it have to kick back monies to
their enablers and backers. We've gotten orders sent or called in to
us that were shaved by as much as 50%.
Yup, 50% of your money, and either we tell them to get lost and find
another sucker or we as professionals bite the bullett and provide the
best possible product money can buy, at our own expense.
When we have no time and no other choice, we take care of the consumer
!
In good concience I cannot save that every florist is good. That would
be unrealistic, however I can say with complete certainty that dealing
with a REAL FLORIST is the only, cost effective, intelligent and sane
option that the consumers have and can rely on.
Our shop, in the middle of horrendous weather and an ice storm, on a
holiday that required us to back up our normal locally supplied floral
inventory with overnighted top of the line roses and flowers, since
the local product was a complete ripoff and half dead when it was
received, managed to, at tremendous personal expense and loss, have
less than a 1% error or non delivery rate, and honored every single
inquiry, question and complaint in record time.
( Weather was the primary reason that we had any complaints at all !
)
To conclude, anyone that wants to blame or hold responsible the local
flower shops or REAL FLORISTS should scrutinize their billing
statements to see where their money went for Bloody Valentine's Day
2007.
You may be a bit surprised. Actually you may be infuriated !
If you want to continue being ripped off then continue doing business
the way you are.
If however you want the finest product, award winning customer service
and professional care that you receive from a select group of REAL
FLORISTS throughout this country and the world, you don't have to look
very far.
Our shop , on any given day, can and do, get your orders handled by
REAL FLORISTS. Affiliation with the wire services does not have
anything to do with what occurred this Valentine's Day. Many of us got
totally screwed as well.
BUT NO-ONE WANTS THE CONSUMERS TO KNOW THE TRUTH !
IT"S SO MUCH EASIER TO BLAME THE LOCAL FLORISTS !
12BucksFor2Dozon
New Member
Well, it looks like the FTD spin-doctors have conjured up The Story for the reps to sell to the hoards of its clueless (not FC members, of course) drones. This line will, for the most part, placate most of their members, along with some sort of carrot to give away to help ease of the pain of the total disaster that was VD 2007.
Can't say I blame them...no corporation ever admits culpability unless directed so by lawyers.
The article's up - feel free to leave comments for the puiblic on the blog. Just remember to be professional and put the customer's needs first!
Cyndi - thanks for the 'heads up'. 12Bucks is soooooo right. They're gonna minimize (no biggie, it only last an hour or two) and blame (you darn florists overloaded the system!) because telling the truth would be too costly.
Cyndi - thanks for the 'heads up'. 12Bucks is soooooo right. They're gonna minimize (no biggie, it only last an hour or two) and blame (you darn florists overloaded the system!) because telling the truth would be too costly.
If I were a consumer reading this
The first thing I would think is if you are so down on what happened this V-Day, then WHY do you still belong to an association that would do this to the customer and to you???? Tele-FTD-1800????
I've been reading this thread to death, and the same thing keeps coming into my head. WHY?
Grassroots, fight back with better advertising, take it to the political arena, fight back with words on blogs, educate the consumer. And all the while just about everyone talking a good fight is still part of the WS 20%-rebate game. I've been around for many years now, and I feel bad, feeling the way I do today. I know everyone is dead serious about their business, as I.
But this is how I feel today---------If your going to talk the talk, than walk the walk.
POSTED THIS ON ANOTHER THREAD AS WELL AS HERE.
HOPE THAT IS OK.
To Boss
Everything looks fine to us !!!!
Great Job !
Got a little fired up before this was written.
THE TRUTH BEHIND THE V. DAY 2007 FIASCO
by MANORVILLE FLORIST Posted Mon February 19, 2007 @ 3:30 PM
Local florists that pay enormous monies to wire services like FTD,
1800 and Teleflora did not drop the ball, and to attempt to blame them
is a travesty.
Local florists do not control the mega corporations,
they control us, undermine us, use us and more.
Local florists are not order gatherers supported by the major
corporations that shave off the top of every order.
I'm sorry.....did you actually think that the local florist gets the
money that you pay out?
Not a chance !
If that's what you really think I've got a couple of bridges for you
to buy !
Example: customer uses a third party to order,
( no names ), and them sends out the order to a local florist that
gets a greatly reduced ammount to fill the order. Order gatherers
shave from the top and then, on top of it have to kick back monies to
their enablers and backers. We've gotten orders sent or called in to
us that were shaved by as much as 50%.
Yup, 50% of your money, and either we tell them to get lost and find
another sucker or we as professionals bite the bullett and provide the
best possible product money can buy, at our own expense.
When we have no time and no other choice, we take care of the consumer
!
In good concience I cannot save that every florist is good. That would
be unrealistic, however I can say with complete certainty that dealing
with a REAL FLORIST is the only, cost effective, intelligent and sane
option that the consumers have and can rely on.
Our shop, in the middle of horrendous weather and an ice storm, on a
holiday that required us to back up our normal locally supplied floral
inventory with overnighted top of the line roses and flowers, since
the local product was a complete ripoff and half dead when it was
received, managed to, at tremendous personal expense and loss, have
less than a 1% error or non delivery rate, and honored every single
inquiry, question and complaint in record time.
( Weather was the primary reason that we had any complaints at all !
)
To conclude, anyone that wants to blame or hold responsible the local
flower shops or REAL FLORISTS should scrutinize their billing
statements to see where their money went for Bloody Valentine's Day
2007.
You may be a bit surprised. Actually you may be infuriated !
If you want to continue being ripped off then continue doing business
the way you are.
If however you want the finest product, award winning customer service
and professional care that you receive from a select group of REAL
FLORISTS throughout this country and the world, you don't have to look
very far.
Our shop , on any given day, can and do, get your orders handled by
REAL FLORISTS. Affiliation with the wire services does not have
anything to do with what occurred this Valentine's Day. Many of us got
totally screwed as well.
BUT NO-ONE WANTS THE CONSUMERS TO KNOW THE TRUTH !
IT"S SO MUCH EASIER TO BLAME THE LOCAL FLORISTS !
The first thing I would think is if you are so down on what happened this V-Day, then WHY do you still belong to an association that would do this to the customer and to you???? Tele-FTD-1800????
I've been reading this thread to death, and the same thing keeps coming into my head. WHY?
Grassroots, fight back with better advertising, take it to the political arena, fight back with words on blogs, educate the consumer. And all the while just about everyone talking a good fight is still part of the WS 20%-rebate game. I've been around for many years now, and I feel bad, feeling the way I do today. I know everyone is dead serious about their business, as I.
But this is how I feel today---------If your going to talk the talk, than walk the walk.
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
Eric S
Demoted Webmaster
MANORVILLE
New Member
- Oct 2, 2006
- 1,607
- 337
- 0
- State / Prov
- NEW YORK
Jerry
Trust me when I tell you that I have had more than enough disappointment with my associations to the big 3 WS.
We built our shop on sheer drive and determination and have worked 1625 days straight creating our business.
Those that know me know that I will stand and fight for what I believe in at any cost and have never compromised.
My obligation, as the General Manager/Co Owner of this shop is to protect the interest of our customers, and our staff at all times, while working to create a new environment that will benefit other shops like us that actually care about this industry and hopefully each other.
Prematurely giving up the WS would have destroyed us, and some of our very loyal and devoted staff members.
I look at the big picture........always !
Since joining FC I have learned a lot and am very happy to be a part of something that I truly believe in. I wish I had known sooner.
As far as walking the walk, you're right, if people are gonna talk they best be backing up what they say.
My phones have gone silent with 2 of the 3 WS as of this afternoon.
At least one is making an attempt to keep us in the game and to be honest, the only one that is actually treating us with any respect.
" May have something to do with the fact that we kick serious butt for them ".
Of the other two, one is as useless to us as the local rep, which says it all, and the other one knows that financial ties and obligations have kept us together, until now.
The last one also knows that I have a very big mouth, a lot of very powerful friends and clients and know where to take this if justifiable restitution is not offerred and provided.
If I have been perceived as out of line in any way shape or form, or misunderstood I offer my sincere apologies to anyone that may have taken offense to my rants. I speak what I feel and back up what I say !
Kevin
"Don't expect to run with the Big Dogs........if you pee like a puppy"
Trust me when I tell you that I have had more than enough disappointment with my associations to the big 3 WS.
We built our shop on sheer drive and determination and have worked 1625 days straight creating our business.
Those that know me know that I will stand and fight for what I believe in at any cost and have never compromised.
My obligation, as the General Manager/Co Owner of this shop is to protect the interest of our customers, and our staff at all times, while working to create a new environment that will benefit other shops like us that actually care about this industry and hopefully each other.
Prematurely giving up the WS would have destroyed us, and some of our very loyal and devoted staff members.
I look at the big picture........always !
Since joining FC I have learned a lot and am very happy to be a part of something that I truly believe in. I wish I had known sooner.
As far as walking the walk, you're right, if people are gonna talk they best be backing up what they say.
My phones have gone silent with 2 of the 3 WS as of this afternoon.
At least one is making an attempt to keep us in the game and to be honest, the only one that is actually treating us with any respect.
" May have something to do with the fact that we kick serious butt for them ".
Of the other two, one is as useless to us as the local rep, which says it all, and the other one knows that financial ties and obligations have kept us together, until now.
The last one also knows that I have a very big mouth, a lot of very powerful friends and clients and know where to take this if justifiable restitution is not offerred and provided.
If I have been perceived as out of line in any way shape or form, or misunderstood I offer my sincere apologies to anyone that may have taken offense to my rants. I speak what I feel and back up what I say !
Kevin
"Don't expect to run with the Big Dogs........if you pee like a puppy"
You sure put a lot of words in our mouths that aren't true.
Right on - I doubt we need a tin foil hat, except Mark perhaps?
You go girl. I doubt any of us will ever find out the truth, tho I have tried and what Cyndi said was what they told me too - overloaded.
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
Just checked my logs from the last 4 years......and yes they did have more messages this year or lots of missing #'s.
Feb 11 2004 U8359O to Feb 13 2004 W7537R 2 missing messages
Feb 11 2005 P5889N to Feb 14 2005 R7398M
Feb 11 2006 M4599L to Feb 14 2006 O9932A
Feb 11 2007 K2413G to Feb 14 2007 N3000W 3 missing messages
Don't know what time of day the first or last messages were so it's not really accurate..............But if the system couldn't handle the load how come the old phone line ones went through and the high speed didn't???
- Nov 10, 2002
- 9,206
- 3,792
- 113
- 71
- State / Prov
- Ontario
Mikey -
I ran one of the shots through PhotoShop - attched below. Great Job.
It apprears there's a technical error on the RF BLog that prevents me from uploading images. I don't know how to fix it so the photo posting will need to wait..... Unless someone else can host the shot on his/her site.
I ran one of the shots through PhotoShop - attched below. Great Job.
It apprears there's a technical error on the RF BLog that prevents me from uploading images. I don't know how to fix it so the photo posting will need to wait..... Unless someone else can host the shot on his/her site.
Attachments
12BucksFor2Dozon
New Member
I posted a follow-up to the Merc story on the RF Blog. Ryan fixed the image editor (yay!) so it includes one of Mikey's pictures.
BOSS
FlowerChat Administrator
- Status