By Art Conforti, founder
When I work with florists trying to grow their business, the first question I ask is, "what is your goal?" The next, "what is your plan to get there?" If they don't at least mention Teleflora in their response, I always know where to start.
For over 20 years now, Teleflora has rewarded and thanked florists for supporting the network with their orders. The orders sent through Teleflora help many florists prosper. You see in my opinion, no one is doing more to help local florists succeed than Teleflora to ensure this continues.
They offer every possible option for helping florists operate a business including point of sale equipment, signage for your shop, images to sell, credit card programs (which are better than almost any local bank), state-of-the-art tech websites, and dedicated support staff available to help any florist in need, at just about anytime.
What I applaud most about Teleflora is, they generate their own orders (which they do by marketing) and send them through their system. They secure the trust of the online shopper and completes the transaction with the help of a LOCAL RETAIL FLORIST who designs and delivers the order. They clearly appreciate the time and hard work their members put in to generate orders to send through the network and they make showcasing flower buyers a priority.
What if Teleflora was not out there doing this? I would bet the chances are far greater that FTD or 1-800-Flowers would get those orders. Why? Because they have the marketing dollars. The local retail florist has what they need to market locally, but unfortunately, not enough do. Teleflora even tries to help florists understand how to compete by offering programs to market local florists. But what really makes Teleflora stand out is the fact that they NEVER ship flowers in a box, it is always designed and delivered by a local florist. I personally appreciate this.
Teleflora supports any shop looking to grow their business. It's important florists remember one thing, Teleflora needs florists to be successful for Teleflora to be successful, and that's a great position for florists. So reach out and talk to your Teleflora representative, myself, or anyone you feel comfortable speaking with and make decisions that are best for you and your business. That is everyone's goal because if we do well, our support systems do well.
Did you know...
Teleflora will make you a custom website just about any way you like? Just ask.
You don't have to carry every image Teleflora offers. If you don't control your inventory, Teleflora can't either. You will end up with more options than you want. This is up to you.
Teleflora is the ONLY wire service that offers after-hours service for YOUR customers. Answering services are not cheap. Teleflora continues to make them available to local flower shops at affordable prices. Shop around, I did. I was amazed. There are so many more values they bring to the table. I find when florists seem frustrated it is because they are not informed.
Last but not least, Teleflora handles order resolutions FAR GREATER than any credit card company does. If there is a problem, Teleflora is pretty fast, to the point, and fair. They see the big picture and want all their members happy.
Let's remain optimistic and enjoy the beauty of this industry. Our greatest strength, we can have a bouquet HAND-DELIVERED on the same day, anywhere in the USA! Let's not forget the power of what made us special to begin with. I am always available for you any time day or night. You can reach me at (941) 806-1911 or drop us a line here.
