Benedict’s Flowers

What an awesome, unexpected customer service experience! When ordering a time-​sensitive sympathy floral arrangement on a Sunday evening, a Monday delivery made me a little nervous. The early morning email confirmations were great, but were so timely they seemed almost automated. A follow-​up call seemed prudent — only to receive a polite & confident personal response that the arrangement had already been promptly delivered ahead of schedule. Later to see the GORGEOUS arrangement… well done.

I have to say I was extremely shocked by the bad customer service my sisters and I received from Sandy the owner and her husband. We ordered flowers for my oldest sister’s funeral we ordered on Tues. and the funeral was wed. They were supposed to be there before noon. They were late and when they did show up they were not what we ordered. The only thing the arrangements had in common was that they both had roses in them. We ordered Victorian Romance (English ivy, blue wax flowers. pink roses, in a serenity vase, what we got were cream and pink tipped roses in square vase with ferns). Not the same at all. When you are paying that much for an arrangement ($ 102.00 +delivery) you expect to get what you paid for. When we called to complain we were told that they didn’t have pink roses or English ivy. If we had been told ahead of time we would have ordered something different. Sandy suggested that she send someone to add the blue flowers. Great, Not! She sent her husband who started arguing with me that we were told the day we ordered that they didn’t have the things I already mentioned and that we agreed to this. Not true.
Then he had the audacity to suggest that he take them back because it was a beautiful arrangement and he would have no trouble selling them. Don’t forget this was the day of my sister’s funeral. When my sister called Sandy this morning to tell her how upset we were and we thought she should offer a credit she said she would take $ 20.00 off (the price of the delivery charge) REALLY! I suggest this company go to customer service school. Please save yourself the frustration, go someplace else.

LONG STORY — BOTTOM LINE– Benedict’s is not a professional business and has a scary dude that will show up at your door to take flowers back when there are problems with 1−800-Flowers. Benedict’s and 1−800-Flowers both suck. Stay away! So wish I didn’t have to even give them ONE star. Grrrr.
Here’s what happened:
I ordered flowers for a friend’s birthday and have been embarrassed and humiliated by –1800-​Flowers and their terrible business partners, Benedicts Florist in Allen Park, MI.
When the flowers arrived to my friend she took a photo and sent it to me thanking me for the flowers. The flowers looked nothing like what I ordered. They were pretty but NOT even close to what I ordered on line. I replied to the ‘feedback’ email that comes after an order is placed. I simply said that the flowers were not the same and that I was dissapointed. From there 1800-​Flowers called my friend to see if she was unhappy with the flowers. She said they were great. Then I got a phone call from 1−800-Flowers asking me what the problem was because my friend was not unhappy. I told the caller that that was fine. But — I was the one paying for them and that’s not what they looked like on line. Not even close. My friend didn’t know what the order was supposed to look like. The 1−800-Flowers rep then offered a refund and a $ 20 voucher. I told her that was appreciated. The matter, I thought, was settled.
From there I got a call from my friend that said the FLORIST showed up at her house to take the flowers BACK! Unbelievable. The guy that pounded on her door told her that her friend ‘wouldn’t pay for your flowers” and «now we’re going to lose money! I want them back so I can RESELL them!» I was offered a refund. If I had know that would happen I wouldn’t have accepted the refund. This is so unprofessional and I can’t even believe this is how they do business. I have advised my friend to call the police if he shows up again. He was very intimidating and also admonished her for sending me a photo. I called 1−800-Flowers to inform them of what happened. I talked to a representative who seemed just as appalled as I was and said the she had never heard of this happening. She said the first representative only gave me 50% off AND ordered a redeliver. (Not what she said during our conversation.) I said that was fine except certainly not from that same florist. This particular 1−800-Flowers employee was the only one that was nice, spoke clearly and said she was taking notes and that the situation was resolved. I am sorry that I didn’t write her name down.
Then I got a call from yet another 1−800− Flowers representative. I tried and explained that we’ve had many calls over the weekend regarding this issue and that it was resolved. She wasn’t understanding the situation so I asked for a manager. I waited 15 minutes on hold. When the manager came on and I started to explain she yelled over me asking for my order number. I don’t have the 15 digit order number memorized and ready when I am being woke up for my 2^nd day in a row. For some reason they only call me at 7a.m. The call with the manager did not go well. I had my doubts that she was really a manager. She was not a good manager if that is indeed her title. She wanted to talk more than she listened. She didn’t read the notes already in the system and I had to ask her not to yell at me. She asked if I had placed a second order to which I did not. Obviously there are some glitches in your system and there is no vetting when it comes to local florists that are essentially business partners with your company.
* When offering a ‘refund’ to customers you should warn them that that might involve the florist (your business partner) to go back to the recipient demanding the flowers back!
* Managers of 1−800-Flowers should not get snippy with a customer that has been treated poorly. They should read all the notes first then talk to a customer in a reasonable fashion once they are informed.
The whole point, I thought, for ordering flowers through a service such as this is that you can pick the arrangement you like since you can’t be there in person to pick out flowers. While one 1−800-Flowers rep says she’s never heard of such a thing — a florist to go back to retrieve flowers from a customer — the ‘manager’ I spoke with said this happens often and she told me they have every right to retrieve the flowers for ‘non payment’. I NEVER asked for free flowers. They offered it freely. And it wasn’t NONPAYMENT. When the refund was offered I took it. I am leaving this situation completely embarrassed and ANGRY.
Oh — and when I called the corporate offices to find out the name and email of the correct person at 1−800-Flowers to send this complaint to the operator told me that they couldn’t give out email addresses and hung up on me. All I did was ask and she HUNG UP! Just the icing on the cake. a

«Courtship» is the traditional dating period before engagement and marriage. During a courtship, a couple dates to get to know each other and decide if there will be an engagement. Usually courtship is a public affair, done in public and with family approval.
It includes activities such as dating where couple go together for a dinner, a movie, dance parties, a picnic, shopping or general «hanging out», along with other forms of activity. Acts such as meeting on the Internet or virtual dating, chatting on-​line, sending text messages or picture messages, conversing over the telephone, writing each other letters, and sending each other flowers, songs, and gifts constitute wooing.– taken from the Wikipedia definition for courtship.
This morning I got another pleasant surprise. Well, besides the fact that I stayed upstairs, while someone was violently knocking on my door, trying to peek to see who it was… I didn’t expect it to be a delivery of flowers! Nonetheless, the very next morning after my detestable day!
It was raining– cloudy and gloomy… but these vibrant blooms put a smile on my face =) This flower shop– although I have never paid a visit to them, have been the deliverers of my mother’s day surprise, and my totally-​out-​of-​the-​blue surprise! All 3 times have presented gorgeous and bright bouquets!
What could be better?! Mmmm… maybe if I opened the door and he slapped his buto on my chin and said «cheer up and get to work!»
From ladies man to Katie’s man!!! Biiiitches! LOL!