I worked part-time at a florist years ago. Of course, Valentines' was the busiest time for the store. The shop I worked for had been in our area for over thirty years and was a family run business. This florist was consider THE florist in town.
I didn't realize when I started working there, that it had been bought by a New York man who owned a string of discount floral shops across the East Coast. When the new owner took over the quality and service began to diminish. Employees were even forced to shop other florists when our flowers ran out!
It is no secret that the price of roses sky rockets by 40% for Valentine's Week. Roses are in high demand and orders from suppliers must be placed early. The new owner failed to order sufficient roses to fill the demand for our orders.
No, we did not turn away business so customer's could shop at another florist. We even continued to take FTD and online orders knowing we didn't have product. We were instructed to keep our mouth shut and take all orders.
The owner demanded that when the complaints poured in because flowers weren't delivered, we were to apologize and tell the customer we would immediately send out a replacement order. No biggie? Oh so wrong.
Ya see, the owner was able to pocket the money for the triple price roses when they were ordered. The week after Valentine's filling the replacement orders would only amount to pennies on the dollar. We were not allowed to give any refunds. We could only replace the customers undelivered orders with product.
I happened to be working the Saturday after Valentine's fell on a Friday. A lovely, elderly man came into the shop. He patiently waited his turn in line. When he got to the register, he explained (not complained) that his wife had not received her dozen roses for Valentine's Day. My co-worker gave him the company pitch about 'a new arrangement will be sent out next week with a note of apology'.
The gentleman's eyes teared-up and he said in a soft voice,
"She won't be here next year. My wife is dying of cancer.
She thinks I forgot her on Valentine's day."
I know there is a special place in Hell for the owner.
That was so hard for me to read and realize that there are people out there that do these things!
ReplyDeleteI think of that gentleman every Valentine's. It still makes me cry.
DeleteI'm sure he is burning in Hell surrounded by unhappy, complaining customers and it's Valentine's Day every day. His own private groundhog day.
ReplyDeleteI like that scenario Heather.
DeleteTearful, tears tears tears, I am all choked up, wish I were there to have taken her roses from another store and I'd of paid for them out of my own pocket. Shame on him.
ReplyDeleteThis is not a managing establishment to work for.
He's rotten to the core.
Xx
Doré
It was so sad. I cried and hugged the man and told him how sorry I was. He didn't want replacement flowers. He couldn't understand how his order wasn't filled when he placed it early. It was so heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteHow profoundly sad. Hugs to him and you.
ReplyDeleteI know. I hated to be a downer but this really happened and it haunts me.
DeleteOMG I burst into tears when I read this one. . . I agree with your last statement!!
ReplyDeleteI will always cry when I think of that sweet man and his wife....
DeleteRecently I sent flowers to my aunt for her 89th birthday. I ordered the arrangement from a well-known website and chose it carefully for size, color, and my aunt's favorite flowers. When I received her thank you note a few days later, I realized she had not received the arrangement I ordered--different colors, different flowers.
ReplyDeleteI was with a friend when she received a large, beautiful bouquet of mixed flowers. It was lovely. I don't remember all the flowers included but I do remember there were daisies and a few roses. Her suitor, who lived in another city, later asked her if she received the 2 dozen red roses he had sent. What she got was probably prettier but also certainly much less expensive than what he had paid for.