Well, apparently the thing to do if you're upset about something that happened with a company? Is to write a ranty blog post (or two) about it. Because 1-800-Flowers? Found my bitter posts about the flowers via Google Alerts. And sent me an apologetic email saying they'd like to send me flowers to make up for it if I would just give them my address. I was suspicious because, you know, someone on my blog asking for my address, etc. So I called 1-800-Flowers to verify that the person who sent me the email, a vice president of the company, was who he said he was. And I wound up on the phone with him. And we had a long chat. And he was a really nice guy. So I gave him my work address.
And yesterday? A gorgeous, fragrant bouquet of flowers arrived. In the morning. In a vase. From an actual florist. These flowers, to be exact (in medium--and can I just say that I find that weird? Why wouldn't they send the large one? I mean these are flowers from the president of a large company. And it's not like she even had to pay for them herself). The one thing is, they aren't purple. (Although actually, there are a couple of little purple flowers in the mix.) But I think that's because they only read the second post, which did not specifically mention purple. And despite not being purple, they are beautiful. And they smell really, really good.
So I'll stop looking a gift horse in the mouth now. I'm inclined to be a bit forgiving. That is some serious attention to customer satisfaction, there. And also, it was the president of the company who discovered my blog post. I like a hands-on CEO, I have to say.
So here's my revised opinion of 1-800-Flowers. They have two ways of doing things: florist and shipping. But they tell you with each bouquet which it will be. So if you order flowers from them, look for this image:
And STAY AWAY from this one:
I assume they sent me these flowers in part so that I'd write a positive post about them. But what can I say? It worked. Maybe it's the heady fumes of the flowers, but it feels like spring in my office, and I'm very happy about that.
Haha! That's awesome? And since when do flowers come in shirt sizes? And why would they send the middle one? Cheap asses. :)
ReplyDeleteWow, that's both cool and bordering on crazy at the same time ("Hi, we have been monitoring the Internet for any adverse press about us and we want your home address...") But you have to hand it to them; they followed up nicely.
ReplyDeleteIt really IS the New World when companies are scouring the internet for blog posts about their products.
ReplyDeleteI once did a post on TurboTax, and within about 5 hours, I had a comment from a TurboTax PR guy. CRAZY.
I want the job of Internet Scourer. Wait, it seems that I already HAVE that job, doesn't it?
Wow - that IS great attention to customer satisfaction. I think it's right and fair that you posted the update. It's a little strange that the reponse came from a complaint written on your blog and not the real live complaint from Torsten, but whatever. You got flowers!
ReplyDeletewell from the picture they look gorgeous! glad it finally worked out :)
ReplyDeletebut you're right, they should have sprung for the large. i mean, COME ON. the CEO of 1800 flowers?!
Wow! It's almost like you're famous, talking to the VP of 1-800-flowers. I'm going to start writing ranty posts too. And not just about my Technology class.
ReplyDeleteDontcha love it?? That's like when Dave bought a kit to make his own beer and I blogged about it and a rep from the company commented on my blog about it!! (I referenced Dave possibly blowing up the house. Haha)
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know the difference between the 1-800Flowers icons.
ReplyDeleteI posted about a musical artist once and his manager contacted me offering tickets to his next show.
Love the connections blogging can make! And the free flowers!
WOW... i'm impressed, you got a VP of a major corp on the line from your blog! that's pretty darn awesome, really :-)
ReplyDeletethat's awesome that they did that, but i have to agree...why not send the largest arrangement? and, i have never heard of small, med and large arrangements either.
ReplyDeleteAt last, some compensation for poor service! Good for you!
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty cool - too bad Sears didn't read my post on their inability to deliver the appliance I ordered and send me a free one, hmpfff...
ReplyDeleteI find it beyond weird that they sent you the medium. You would have thought they would go all out with you! I'm glad you like them though.
ReplyDeleteBlogging is a powerful tool, eh? The flowers are beautiful. I'm glad you finally were able to receive some!!
ReplyDeleteHmm... tried to leave you a comment and it said my request URI was too long. I don't even know what that means, but I'm trying to leave you another comment anyway. Even though it has nothing to do with what I said last time... :) Glad everything worked out!
ReplyDeleteThat's great! Now I feel a little better about considering buying some of their stock. I coded the online version of a stock valuation program, and occasionally update the data. 1-800-FLOWERS is at the top of the alphabetical list of stock data, so I've noticed how their stock prices cycle.
ReplyDeletehahah that is amazing! I'm very happy you got your flowers finally. Still too bad they weren't purple!
ReplyDeleteHA! Oh my god, that is hysterical - and also, awesome. I am definitely going to have to rant about stuff more often in hopes of getting free stuff as well!
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty awesome that they tried to make up for their mistakes. Wish more companies had that sort of outlook.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your lovely flowers!
Yay! My faith in humanity has been restored.
ReplyDeleteThat's an amazing customer service story. Seriously! It deserves the post you just wrote!!
ReplyDeleteWow, very awesome!
ReplyDeleteActually, my parents sent me flowers from 1-800-Flowers when I graduated from college last year and they came by Fed-Ex and were gorgeous and lasted at least a week. So I'll vouch that they at least work sometimes!
The flowers are very pretty, but I still think they should have sent you the Large. At least they're trying to keep their customers happy... and you got free flowers! Yay!
ReplyDeleteThat's really impressive. Also, do you feel drunk with power? I would.
ReplyDeleteYay! I'm all about contacting customer service when I've got a beef! Usually there is a response even more positive than you would imagine!
ReplyDeleteWay to go!!!
Yeah! Yay for them kissing your butt. I feel like I need to write more posts about specific brands so I can get makeup free stuff.
ReplyDeleteHoly cow! I've never heard of such a thing....
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome! Enjoy your random Thursday flowers!
Great flowers! It's nice that they found out about your experience and wanted to make up for it, though, obviously it also gets them marketing brownie points. I'm just thinking of your nice flowers now.
ReplyDeletewow, that's great. What a nice gesture. I think it's fine that they sent MED instead of LRG. Free flowers are still great. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool. Maye I should start ranting like crazy on my Blog.
ReplyDelete<*evil lightbulb goes off over Froggy's head*>
ReplyDeleteSoooo... maybe if I write a bitchy post about Manolo Blahnik I'll get a pair of free shoes?
No?
Damn.
Interesting. After I blogged about Apple, I ended up getting a ton of hits from an apple store webpage. But no free offers of Leopard or a new Macbook or anything. Alas. :)
ReplyDeleteWow! I am amazed. This type of story happens so infrequently I tend to think its made up when I hear about it. Of course I know you didn't make up the story, but it's an example of how great customer service should be. And how infrequently it actually is. I am so glad you finally got some beautiful flowers.
ReplyDeleteI wish Comcast would give me a free month of HBO plus package after I bitched them out (repeatedly) on my blog. Le sigh.
ReplyDeleteI'm really glad they made it up to you because it was tragic how shitty the experience was. Those flowers are super pretty!
Okay so i am officially impressed that they searched you out AND sent you new flowers. I'm a bit weirded out that they do this kind of thing though...like being spied on!
ReplyDeleteGlad you like your new flowers!
That was a really nice gesture.
ReplyDeleteI've seen Technorati search results that tell me large companies are occasionally stopping by my blog because I've mentioned their name. I'll admit that when I ranted about poor customer service from Qwest and didn't disguise their name, I was actually sort of hoping someone from Qwest would find it and remedy my problem. That didn't happen, unfortunately, but I'm glad the flower thing worked out for you! Now if only Neutrogena would see my post about how distraught I am over their discontinuing my favorite lip balm... That would be a blog dream come true. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat's kinda cool. I wonder if they purposely snoop for blogs or random web things about their company.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you have advertisements on teh side bar? Is that new? You've joined the corporation!
Justice! They're lovely flowers...in a Medium sort of way. ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd does this mean I should randomly start writing bad reviews of things....like say...cars? or money?
Wow, thats crazy. I am glad you got some pretty flowers out of the deal, finally.
ReplyDeleteSometimes a little complaining goes a long way. :)
Stories like this make me want to reactivate google searches to my blog-- because it is nice to think your rants having a genuine effect!
ReplyDeleteI sent my mom flowers from 1-800-Flowers when she was in the hospital last summer and they arrived wilted (and they were gerber daisies--those things are ridiculously long lasting). I sent an e-mail to them saying that I was unhappy and they gae me a credit to buy a new bouquet of flowers for the same price that I had paid. I ordered roses and they were gorgeous and lasted forever. I guess the second time seems to be the charm with them :)
ReplyDelete