Customer Reviews

Retailing Flowers Profitably

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When I purchased this book, I expected a traditional business book that gets straight to the point with no fluff, just the nitty gritty of pricing, overhead, stock, accounting, etc. What I encountered, however, was the opposite. Written more like a personal memoir, the author rambles on and on about his many years as a florist and reminisces about all the mistakes he made over the years (often about subjects that have little to do with retailing flowers profitably). I purchased the book for insight and ideas for streamlining my business's operating procedures and increasing the bottom line, not for wasting time reading about how he should've treated Employee X better or how he should've been more patient when training Employee Y. While writing this book may have eased the author's guilt about how he treated his employees (he sounded like a bit of tyrant that no one would want to work for) and customers, it did nothing but waste my time and money. I wonder if I can write off the cost of this book, and the time I wasted reading it, as bad debt on next year's tax return? The book earns a "D" on my review report card.

I had read an article written by Mr. Royer in a florist only subscription magazine. I was so impressed with his article that in an effort to improve our own business my husband and I both read this book.

Everyone thinks this industry is "so much fun" but it is extremely hard. There are a lot of issues involved regarding customer service, wire services, employees, marketing, holidays, priorities, processing, deliveries, etc., etc. Although this book was written in 1997, much of what he discusses still remains extremely accurate with the exception of some changes in technology regarding the order processes and accounting/bookwork. Other than that, this book is perfect for anyone wishing to enter this industry. There has to be a perfect blend, of talent, business sense, and organization to pull off owning, managing or even working in this industry; from the owner to the delivery driver.

As someone that has been in this industry over 20 years, there were things in this book that I had to laugh at in regards to my own mistakes. HOWEVER, there were things that I really took into consideration regarding my own management, hiring, design training and marketing that I found extremely helpful.

This book in not intended to help you make more money. It is to give you an opportunity to understand what the TRUE basics of this industry are like. The blood, sweat and tears that go into this industry. It is to help you learn from anothers mistakes and to "slap you with reality" in regards of the truth to the industry.