Florist News

I don't think i'm speaking out of turn,I hope I don't upset too many people ,sod it ,I don't care if I do!!
I had a wedding cancelled this week. I had a consultation with a bride to be last year. I took the ?20 non refundable deposit,which is our policy, to secure the day for her. I asked her discreetly why she cancelled with us. Her reply....A so called friend has just completed a floristry course,so because she is working to a budget,her friend is going to do her wedding flowers. The estimated cost of her flowers was aprox ?350 pounds, that included table arrangements ,the lot!!
How the heck can we get through to the public,it takes more than just a college course to arrange decent wedding flowers.!
I still think every college student should have a placement in a florist shop. Any comments or advice will be welcome. thanks

I doubt very much that the bride?s friend has enough experience to properly cost the flowers and order the correct quantities, let alone make them and organise the whole job. I'm sure the bride to be will be disappointed by the final result from her friend, which will be a shame.
I think quite often when I do wedding consultations, at first they look at me and think I look fairly young and wonder what experience I have. But I show my knowledge with ideas, suggestions of flowers and interesting designs. Also if they discreetly ask about my background in floristry and I tell them about my NVQs and how many years experience I have. I think that displaying any relevant staff member?s qualification certificates in the shop helps to give customers reassurance that you are experienced professionals.
We need to educate people so they realise that they are paying for our years of experience, skill and qualifications. Not just FLOWERS like they seem to think. There will always be people who would prefer the cheapest price they can possibly get for things but we know that in real life you get what you pay for.

thankyou for your reply,I agree with you,after all the mona lisa doesn't have millions of pounds worth of paint on it, it is valuable because of its artistic value. Bit like floristry really,just because a brides boq. costs ?60, it doesn't mean she's going to carry ?60's worth of flowers,It still doesn't stop me getting angry when I lose a wedding to a student working from home.

Unfortunatley somebody that has just finished a floristry course does not have any idea of the costs involved in running a business.

As a comparison, my wife has a nail studio for setting artificial nails, nail piercings etc, and although the studio is in our home, she is an official company having to pay tax, insurance, electrics, carry a lot of stock etc. She has the same problem with others that have just finished a nail course, and to gain experience they offer new sets of nails for real cheap prices.

Customers that want a good product/service at the end of the day do not look at the price first. I think the bride that cancelled was more worried about the cost than the product at the end of the day, but as I have previously mentioned in some of my posts, home workers are beginning to make a major impact in the business.

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I wont even get onto the subject of how annoying people canceling for reasons like that is or i'll be here all day!! I always take a ?50 no refundable deposit, i'm not in a very expensive area and my shops not a 3 flowers and a twig for ?40 kind of place either, we do anything from traditional to exotic modern designs but always at reasonable prices and i've never had anyone not book because they didn't want to pay the ?50, it might disscourage them from having a friend do the flowers if they have got a bit more to loose.

Hi to you all
I have just been reading your notes with regard to florists working from home. I am a floral designer working from home as this is my ONLY option at present. I have just started my own business and the support you offer to tose working from home is outstanding. I would love to own my own shop, nothing would thrill me more. All I can say is there room for us all and give those of us who work from home a break. We all have to start somwhere!!!!

Regards
Ian

Hi Ian, have you worked in a florist shop, you say working from home is your only option at the moment, is that for personal reasons, or because that's your choice. There are loads of florist shops out there looking for staff, the reason we can't get staff is because of the working from home sindrome

Hi Flowerfairy
I have worked in a florist. I would love to have my own shop but there are none around. There are shops for rent in my local town and surrounding areas. However there are at least three florist shops already in the towns.

So I do have the work at home syndrome as this is my only option.
Ian

Working from home rocks!!! No overheads, little wastage, completely in control....

Way to go, Ian!

Fabfiori

Hi Fabfiori

Thanks for your reply and support. It is the only option I have at present but life is great and to top it all I have just found a new supplier just 4 minutes drive from my house.

Regards
Ian