Managing the Gray – Positive Advice That Everyone Can Use to Succeed

i have had a good experience with 1800flowers.com.

You know who does a surprisingly good job, even though it’s probably the last place you’d look online? Wal-Mart. Their florist service actually delivers what’s promised for the most part. Granted, sometimes they make insanely poor judgement calls (like leaving flowers on the doorstep outdoors in January – hello frozen flowers) but otherwise, the quality’s good and service is prompt and on time.

Remember what Barry Schwartz said at TED: The secret to happiness is low expectations.

Dear Mr Chapman,

We at FTP strive to make your experience the best possible and we assure you that your situation is not typical.

You can be confident that as you are reading this, our team of FTD Enforcers is currently en–route to the obviously incompetent florist who filled your order. Upon arrival they will proceed to cut off the hands which have forever tarnished our image.

When complete, and to make sure the message is loud and clear to our other FTD affiliates, the FTD Enforcers will drive to the home of your florist, kill their cat(s) and /or dog(s) and leave the head(s) in the bed(s) of their child or children.

If there is anything else we can do, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Melissa
FTP Dispatcher

Yeesh. That was the same response I got from Domino’s when I wrote to complain about the fact that they won’t deliver to our house… which is less than 3 miles from their store.

Their form-letter corporate response, paraphrased, was:

We’re sorry you don’t like out policies. Suck it.

(Or something to that effect.)

Papa John’s, who were at least 7 miles from my house until they opened up the new store on Sam Ridley, now gets all of my pizza orders because they literally go the extra mile. And they’ve given us free pizzas when they screwed up our order before.

Similar story for my mechanic as well… it’s amazing how loyal a customer one can make simply by correcting a mistake like you mean it.

Pax,
Matthew

I’ve had good luck also with 800 flowers, but in the Boston area, I reccomend Winston, it’s the same thing as chosing Tiffany’s over any other Jeweler…

This is great. It is a customer’s market and the customer is getting more and more power. How many readers does this blog have? Lots. And i doubt they’ll be choosing FTD in the future.

“less than satisfactory”. cool, sounds like an answer on a scan-tron test. Just once I want to see an evaluation form that says: How would you rate us a)great b)decent c)suck ass.
And I love the part about how they usually don’t do this, oh but we did it to you. You’re one of the lucky few. They need better marketing writers.

“Let us assure you that your experience is not typical,” but we just so happen to have a form letter ready to address this atypical occurrence.

Now THAT’S irony. I second Winston. But if you want really fresh flowers: Calyx and Corolla

I’ll join those who say that I’ve had great success with 1-800-Flowers. I’ve used all of them, and their flowers always look like they do on their website, especially their “designer flowers”. Can’t go wrong with them.

[...] Another example of a company that is putting automation of process ahead of customer experience.read more | digg story [...]

I’m (was until now) currently trying to order flowers from them but there is no place to put the promo codes I have. I think it’s total bull. Why have promo codes if you can’t use them? Anyone else have trouble with this? But yeah, sounds like they’re a rip off.

On 5 /7/10 I tried to order flowers for my mother for mothers day. needles to say this was a very bad experience for me. It seemed every arrangment I choose was no longer being offered. Then I was told the earliest my flowers could be sent out would be 5/10-5/11, so this made me a little upset but I have been ordering from your company for years and I understuder the delay. So I placed my order anyways, I gave the gentlman my acc. number threw out are intier conversation he had to repeat himself because most of the time I could not understand him & there where times he could not undstand me. I was on hold for at least a half an hour waiting for my conformation number. He fine get’s back to me and say he is having difficulty’s getting my card to work he tells me it is coming back invaled card I no for a fact it is a valid card. So he ask me for another card, I give it to him he ask to but me on hold so he can but the new number threw, I told him I did not want to wait another 30 min. He agreeded to call me back in 5 min. With all my info,he did call back at 8:00pm a half an hour later. He reqested my 1st account number again he could not find it. I have never had proplems like this before with your company, that is why I use to use your service for 15 years Itold the gentman there was something very wrong here he already had my 2 acc. numbers and I did not like were I thought this was going. So I canceled my order and to him I would try another company, and that I was going to pass this on to my friends who use your service, and are good paying clients to have. I’am upset over this I have alway’s love looking at your beatiful arrangment and and the way your flowrist come up with some of the most beatifull designes. I can no longer stay with you if this is how customers are to be treated.So good luck to your future and thank you for the many years of service. Belle Smith