Where To Now For The Floral Industry?

Why is it, that in this day and age of fierce consumerism and competition within the floral industry amongst florists and their relay networks (and their affiliated order gatherers), are florists still resisting change?

Why also when faced with an alternative to the outdated 80 year old ways, are they unwilling to go that extra mile to retain what integrity may be left, before it becomes too late?

As the old saying goes prevention is better than cure. For all businesses this is the case, be it a small one man florist shop or be it a huge multi national company employing hundreds. Do we wait until it is time to close our doors and say oh if only I did..or if only I tried? No! We do whatever we possibly can to keep our ship sailing.

Around 80% of independent floral businesses are small, struggling and cannot compete with the price wars inflicted upon them by the relay networks and their order gatherers. Nor can they compete for the advertising space over the internet that these huge organizations can afford.

Unfortunately many of these small businesses cannot see past the relay services, some cannot even afford, at this stage, to be without them due to geographical and population reasons. Why is it that there are numerous floral communities on the net that bash these organizations, yet still belong to them? (Some of the biggest whiners are still affiliated). Is it a fear of change, habit, or is it actually a good business decision to belong to a service that provides you with sales that you must fill at discounted rates, then to add insult to injury, make you wait up to six weeks to be paid (even though you pay for your stock on a weekly basis)?

Am I being naive in thinking that I can actually change this industry for the better (before there is no such thing as a local florist), or will I be able to gain the support of the independent florist and finally gain some momentum?

What am I talking about? My answer to the shenanigans of the flower ordering process, is a way to introduce florists and their beautifully skilful work, directly to the consumer via an online florist directory. No service fees for the consumer to pay and 100% payment going directly to the florist.

And whats so unique and special about that may you ask? Has it not been done hundreds of times already? The florist directory thing certainly has. Its been done well, exclusively to florists in certain parts of the world, and very poorly by others that are full of non researched and misleading information.

The difference that my directory provides is that it is for real florists only, from all over the world, who are committed to providing the highest standard of customer service available by sending the consumer (through the purpose built software), a link to view a photo of the flowers that were delivered (which is hosted on the website), thus making the consumer feel more of a part of the gift giving process and providing them with proof of their purchase and that their flowers have in fact been delivered.

Why bother having the florist send a photo when the recipient can do that for you? Why should they? How appropriate is it for you to ask for a photo of the flowers you sent to your friend for her mothers funeral, when she may have received flowers from a number of people and is grieving? What about that bouquet six of you chipped in for? Wouldnt it be nice to show everyone who did pay up, proof of where their money went? Wouldnt it be nice for you to know what you had sent to your loved one before you are talking to them?

And what makes me the (wo)man to do this job? As a qualified florist and floral shop owner, my business partner and I built from scratch, an upmarket florist shop in a small town, and by offering such a service we managed to sell our 16 month old shop at market value within five weeks of putting it on the market. Ive been there. Ive had ups. Ive had downs. And through it all, my passion for this industry has remained (and grown some what), and I want to see it once again bloom.

Only with outstanding customer service can the real local florists win out over the flower selling giants and the time to make it happen is NOW. To make it happen we need to educate the consumer (without getting on the relay bashing bandwagon), and become united on a global scale to save the real local florists..the backbone of the floral industry.

Emily Stevens. Qualified Florist and Director of new Online Florist Directory http://www.vuzien.net

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