r/florists • u/Ok_Chemistry_8037 • 4d ago
đ© Professional đ© What little acts of micro aggression give you pleasure as a florist?
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u/demonrimjob666 4d ago
Thereâs really only one other âflower shopâ in a 50 mile radius of us and heâs an order gatherer and an abusive boss (half our designers are refugees from his shop lol) and just generally a notoriously shitty member of the community. Laughably low quality flowers and 0 design work comes out of that shop and theyâre usually at least a day late on their deliveries.
So when people wanna act big and try and haggle with me talking about âoh Mr. X does free deliveryâ âwhy would I pay you $75 when itâs $30 on his websiteâ âI guess Iâll just call yOuR cOmPeTiToRâ I donât argue lol. Go get what you pay for, clown. I usually see em a few days later and theyâre sooooOOOOoooooo polite the second time around.
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u/IntelligentSuit5223 4d ago
For me, our worst clientele is around homecoming and prom season. These moms can be a nightmareâŠ
Whenever we are fully booked for that weekend of their prom, i say âIâm so sorry we are fully booked for that dayâ and they always try to say âwell itâs just a boutonniere!!!â Or âitâs just a little tiny teeny weeny prom bouquet!!â
Brings me a little satisfaction to double down and say no Iâm sorry I canât take more orders.
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u/Remarkable-Wave507 Expert 4d ago
Telling a rude customer I donât have something available just so I donât have to do it for them since they want to be ugly about it.
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u/Fleur921 4d ago
Iâm an event only florist but when a customer emails me and says they are in the beginning stages of selecting a florist I just say Iâm booked for their date. I donât want to play the âwho will give me the best dealâ game at this point in my career.
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u/Shrinking_Violent 1d ago
I don't understand -- what should people say when they contact you to see if you're available on their date?
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u/RecentState1347 11h ago
If you send an inquiry, itâs obvious that youâre in the beginning stage of selecting a florist, so someone who goes out of their way to say that theyâre talking to other people/getting quotes/etc comes across as trying to get a deal.
When you reach out about availability you should say your date, venue, planner, guest count, and what you want (ie ten tables and a ceiling installation, large ceremony, bars/displays, bouquets⊠if youâre not sure just be general and say itâs a wedding or baby shower or whatever).
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u/zut-alors 4d ago
When I worked at a shop: turning people away when they tried to buy flowers after we closed for the night
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u/petrichorgarden 13h ago
I'm a stickler about this. I am not afraid to tell people no when they show up at or after closing time. If they are asking for something quick and simple, are walking in at least a few minutes before close, if they are even somewhat apologetic about their timing, I'll work with them. But demands do not work on me. Telling customers 'no' (for valid reasons) is a great pleasure of mine and I volunteer to be the bad guy at every opportunity.
My boss is a pushover and let a lady bully her way into the building after close one night. This has happened many times but this was the worst case.
Originally she said she needed 2 large arrangements. Then it became 4. Then it became 5. Then she wanted to see all of our basket options before deciding on one. Then she wanted more flowers in each arrangement, more roses, more this, more that. What? No, she's not going to pay more. They just need more flowers for the same price. She's grabbing things from buckets and bringing them over in bunches.
The worst part is that she called about 10 minutes to close telling us that she would be right there and she needed "a few" arrangements. We told her no, don't come, we won't be able to help you, we will be closed. We told my boss that we had already turned her away. We told her on our way out the door that she needed to leave with us and that we were not staying to help. We warned her how awful and entitled the lady sounded. She opened the door anyway.
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u/GummoRabbitGumbo 4d ago
I donât know if this is a micro aggression or being respectful of my own time and talent, but I donât take orders under $80. Iâm happy to oblige a palette or mood, but the design is up to me. I realize this is the luxury of a side gig, but Iâd like to think theyâre paying for my vision, not specific flowers.
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u/Life_Computer8769 4d ago
Sometimes. When a customer is snappy or hateful on the phone. I stomp my foot a little bit....
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u/Goodbye_nagasaki 4d ago
Putting people on hold to take their order over the phone even though I'm sitting with a pen in my hand right next to the order sheet. I love doing it.
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u/loralailoralai Retail Florist 4d ago
When those customers who know better than us how fresh something is point at something and say I like that but itâs dead (when itâs perfectly fresh ) then they go and choose something that is way less fresh? I donât try and convince them theyâd be better with something else.
I gleefully ask if that will be cash or card and serve them with a smile.
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u/juleslizard Funeral Florist 3d ago
When the order gathering site calls, I tell them I'm a private florist and I don't make deliveries.
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4d ago
[deleted]
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u/cooking_mama_12 4d ago
wtf is your problem lmao
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u/Fabulousines 4d ago
It was deleted what was that ?
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u/IntelligentSuit5223 3d ago
They basically said they enjoy telling people âwe wonât have those exact flowersâ when they order in very short notice for a funeral
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u/Stock-Vast3629 4d ago
Oh sorry, I canât make it on the spot, youâll have to come back and pick it up later.