Communication is a two-way street between employer and employees, who should be instructed clearly on how they are expected to interact with customers and management, Vonda LaFever, AIFD, PFCI, said during a Society of American Florist webinar.
Every employee — from owner to the delivery driver — is an extension of a floral business, making clear communication both within and outside the business essential to maintaining an efficient operation and a vibrant customer base.
Shop employees must communicate respectfully and clearly with customers while owners and managers should set reasonable and predictable expectations for how employees treat patrons, Vonda LaFever, AIFD, PFCI, and Lori Wilson of Flower Clique, a floral consulting firm, said April 5 during a Society of American Florists webinar.
“Everything you do is a reflection of the shop,” LaFever said. “Whether you’re my delivery driver and you cut somebody off and people are looking because you’re driving a billboard, or when our customer comes in and you roll your eyes at them, and they see whether you’re short with the person on the phone. That’s a reflection of the shop. It’s a reflection of the owner in some way.”
LaFever and Wilson shared several real-world scenarios in which employees addressed a customer question or request with a rude or unhelpful response. In many of these scenarios, the shop employee was not trying to disrespect the client, but simply was not instructed on how to properly address issues such as why the shop doesn’t have out-of-season blooms, Wilson said.
“The way to a well-run team is communication,” Wilson said. “Sometimes it just takes a tweak, a new approach, to make the difference between an employee or customer staying with you or finding the door and walking out. You never say no … in this industry. When someone calls for something and you don’t have it, you don’t say no. You find a solution for them.”
For instance, a customer once called a Flower Clique client’s shop asking for peonies, and the employee who fielded the call acknowledged they had peonies but told the customer the flowers were not in her budget. In another example, when peonies were not in season, the employee asked the customer why they didn’t know that.
In another example, a customer with a budget of $50 was asking for a centerpiece for a table seating 12 to 14 people. The owner of that the shop asked the customer if they were kidding, remarking that the budget was more appropriate for a kids’ table.
That customer simply hung up.
“Those are really, really cringe moments,” Wilson said. “You might come back and say ‘You know what, we do have peonies. Now, we do consider those one of our premium blooms but with your budget, we can absolutely feature a few of them in the incorporation of your whole design. Now, if you want an entire bouquet full of only peonies, we could do it for this price. Is that something you want to look into?’ See, the difference is you’re not making the customer feel stupid.”
Floral industry professionals — from owners and managers to designers and salespeople — should strive to arrive at some solution to meet a customer’s needs. Clients should come away from an interaction feeling that their ideas were respected and believing that the shop can fulfill them. That will ensure return business, Wilson said.
In example of the peonies, one approach might be asking the customer if their interest is specific to that flower or the soft, pastel pink. Is there another, in-season or more-affordable bloom that will satisfy?
“That also tells the person you’re listening and you’re trying to help them come up with a viable solution,” LaFever said.
Communication is a two-way street between employer and employees, who should be instructed clearly on how they are expected to interact with customers and management, LaFever said. Owners and managers should provide regular positive feedback and criticism — when appropriate — to employees, especially new hires or when learning a new skill, she said.
“Employees tell me ‘I do want feedback,’” LaFever said. “However, I want positive feedback just as much as negative. And a lot of the people that I speak with feel like ‘I’m only being called out when I’m doing something wrong.’ So that is that’s a big frustration. I need you to outline your expectations.”
The webinar, “Say This, Not That” is available to watch on-demand in Career Connection. The webinar is free for SAF members, $14.99 for non-members.
Dan Parsons is a contributing writer for the Society of American Florists.
