PETAL & LEAF FLORIST

"WE HAVE TRIED VERY HARD TO MAINTAIN OUR REPUTATION BY PROVIDING THE FRESHEST POSSIBLE PRODUCT, AND IT IS GRATIFYING TO SEE THAT CUSTOMERS ARE FINDING THAT OUR FLOWERS LAST. BECAUSE WE ARE A SMALL BUSINESS WITH VERY FEW EMPLOYEES, IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO HELP EVERYONE WHO WALKS IN IMMEDIATELY, BUT WE WOULD LIKE EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT IF THEY CALL AHEAD, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO PREPARE A BOUQUET FOR THE CUSTOMER TO PICK UP, IF THEY ARE PRESSED FOR TIME AND NEED SPEEDY SERVICE."

"IN ADDITION TO THIS POSTING, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM HIM EXPRESSING HIS DISSATISFACTION WITH HIS WEDDING FLOWERS. IN RESPONSE, I SENT HIM A LETTER OF APOLOGY AND REFUNDED HIM PART OF HIS PAYMENT; FOR THE CUPCAKE TOWER, WHICH COST ALL OF $15, AND FOR THE CORSAGES FOR THE MOTHERS, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN BRUISED AND HAVE BROWNED OVER THE COURSE OF THE EVENING, ALTHOUGH WHEN I DROPPED THEM OFF THEY WERE IN PERFECT CONDITION. WHEN I FIRST MET WITH THIS COUPLE, I FELT I HAD A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR TASTE AND BUDGET. AFTER I SENT THEM THEIR INITIAL QUOTE, THOUGH, THEY SAID THAT THEY NEEDED TO CUT COSTS, AND CHOPPED THEIR ESTIMATE BY 60%. THIS TOOK A SERIES OF EMAILS, CALLS AND SEVERAL ADDITIONAL CONSULTS, AND I WARNED THEM THAT THEY COULD NOT EXPECT TO RECEIVE THE SAME ARRANGEMENTS FOR A LOWER PRICE, BUT THAT I WOULD TRY TO KEEP THE BASIC FEEL AND USE MOST OF THE FLOWERS WE HAD DISCUSSED. FOR THE $750 THEY SPENT, THEY NOT ONLY HAD CENTERPIECES AND A LARGER ARRANGEMENT, BUT 45 CORSAGES FOR THE GUESTS IN ADDITION TO THE ONES FOR EACH OF THEM AND FOR THE PARENTS. I ALSO PROVIDED COMPLIMENTARY FLOWERS FOR PASSING TRAYS. WHEN WE DELIVERED THE FLOWERS, WE SAW THEM AND NEITHER VOICED ANY COMPLAINT, ALTHOUGH WE SET UP THE CUPCAKE TOWER RIGHT THERE AND SHOWED THEM THE OTHER FLOWERS. IF THEY HAD SAID ANYTHING NEGATIVE AT ALL, WE WOULD HAPPILY HAVE CHANGED THINGS TO PLEASE THEM. AS THINGS WERE, I WAS VERY SURPRISED AND SAD TO RECEIVE THEIR COMPLAINT."