On March 19th I placed an online order for two sets of flowers that were to be "same day" delivery for a funeral viewing. The site stated they were able to deliver same day as long as the order was received by 13:00 EST. I placed the order at 12:52 EST. A confirmation email I received has a header time stamp of 12:53 EST (though the Flowershope internal mail server has a time stamp of 13:05 EST). I immediately followed up with what I thought was customer support at their 800 number. I was advised that the order would be delivered as my followup phone call was even before 13:00 EST.
The next day, at the funeral viewing, I discovered the two arrangements did not arrive. I called the 800 number and was told that the number listed on the site is only an "answering service" and not capable of helping me.
I waited until Monday, March 21st and attempted to contact the Flowershope. Again I was advised that the 800 number was only an "answering service". I sent emails asking to be contacted by phone by a customer service representative that could help me. I received no phone calls.
What I did receive was emails with excuses and claims of getting the order in too late. When I responded with proof of the time stamp showing the order was placed before 13:00 EST, I received no response nor no phone call. Tuesday March 22nd, I received an email stating the flowers had been delivered. No acknowledgement that they were delivered a day late, no apology for any incovienence, no offer to elivate the mistake. They felt everything was fine since it was a two day viewing and the flowers made it there by the second day. But then again, they aren't the ones that had to explain to my kids why their grandmother didn't have the flowers the first day. That'll teach me to use the internet rather than a local florist.
Their website, www.flowershope.com explicitly claims a 100% customer satisfaction. Unfortunately, they seem not to really care about the customer. What they would rather do is argue semantics. I honestly believe they have a sign in their room that says "The customer is always right, until payment clears, then they are always wrong".
A litte research goes far and I am sorry I didn't research them first. Http://www.macon. BBB.org/commonreport.html? Bid=4000081
By the way, they will threaten you with a slander suit. However, in order to prove slander they must first prove that the allegations are untruthful.
Definition: "defamation is the issuance of a false statement about another person, which causes that person to suffer harm. Slander involves the making of defamatory statements by a transitory (non-fixed) representation, usually an oral (spoken) representation. Libel involves the making of defamatory statements in a printed or fixed medium, such as a magazine or newspaper".
So going by the legal definition, they have no ability to pursue a slander suit. Because I listed facts that can be proven by hard copy evidence. Yes, they did indeed deliver the flowers. But not as was advertised by their site, nor their hired "answering service".
Patricia
Baltimore, Maryland
U.S.A.
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