First Word

The monthly, weekly and, depending on what's happening in this mad, mad industry of ours, sometimes daily views of Caroline Marshall - Foster, Managing Editor of Florist & Wholesale Buyer, the only independent trade magazine for the £2.1 billion retail flower industry in the UK.

Never known to hold back, she comments on what's happening, what's got her goat and even what's made her happy... yes it does happen!

Have something of your own to say? Want to vent your feelings?
Got an idea you want to share. Then let her know by e-mailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Replies go straight to her computer so anything you say is strictly between you and her... unless you want it made public!

WHY GFG's take priority these days

Friday, 03 February 2012 10:31 |

Although I hadn’t the foggiest who they were until I’d done my judging (Emily kept everything incredibly secret!) I wasn’t surprised to find all three finalists in the recent Wedding Industry Awards were in our Good Florist Guide. Because it’s fair to say that florists who’ve gone to the effort of applying for GFG accreditation are not just better in terms of self-promotion but consistently show themselves to have the better shops.

But we’ve decided that we’re going to expand GFG out. Because the reality is having a shop on a street somewhere is no longer the benchmark of what defines a florist. In fact, if I am brutally honest, there are businesses out there who have no shop window but do far better work than some ‘proper’ shops … after all the ghastly bouquet below came from a florist shops that descibes themselves as a designer florist!!!

Now some may curl their lips and stick pins in my picture at the thought that I could possibly credit a person who runs a business from a workshop or a home based studio or even (at this point she ducks!) a supermarket.

The truth is, I’ve learned the hard way, from testing an awful lot of florists, that where the work is done is no barometer of excellence and if I am going to have a credible brand that I can quote as being the sign of quality for consumers I need to move with the times.

badbouquet

My belief is that GFG will always be dominated by independent, shop based florists simply because they can do the whole gamut of designs and services. However on the basis GFG is about helping consumers choose a business that will hopefully give them an above average flower buying so they want to buy flowers again and again, I can’t preclude anyone.

Because I am far more concerned about promoting the best our industry offers; not being protective of florists who let the side down and think it’s OK just because they have a shop window.

Comments (1)

Hair today ... what tomorrow!!!

Friday, 03 February 2012 10:20 |

Found this on Facebook ... like so many pictures is hard to track back who made it so apologies for no formal credit but have to say it made me smile and proved that Gyp and foliage can be funky!!

Add new comment

What's my favourite flower?

Thursday, 26 January 2012 14:34 |

When peeps ask me what my favourite flower is, I say “I love all flowers!” A: Because, in the main, I do and, B: I deal with clients who sell everything, so couldn’t possibly diss someone’s product. However, there are things I don’t like as much… for example I’m not a great lover of balloons or cuddly toys and tropicals don’t rank in my top 10 simply because they don’t work in my home. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have them in my shop if I went back into retailing.

What I thought wouldn’t really matter… it would be what my customer liked or wanted that counted because if someone wants to buy them who am I to say they are wrong! On the same lines, how many of you have said, when you’ve seen a design idea or product, “I couldn’t sell that in my shop”. Excuse me … how can you ever say what you can and can’t shift unless you try it?

Which is why every week – or at least every two weeks – there should be something new in your shop... even if it’s something you’ve managed to convince yourself wouldn’t shift or that you personally loathe (like Happy roses which I will admit are one of my personal faves!). Unlike big stores who have to order in the thousands, independent retailers can duck and dive with a bunch here, a bunch there and always look as if they’ve got something unique/different/radical/funky etc. Stick with the same old, same old and not only do you look boring but you potentially alienate customers as well.

happy-roses-for-web

Add new comment

How do you make a florist angry?

Monday, 28 November 2011 12:57 |

How do you make a florist very angry? You place a £30 order via a relay system specifying that it should contain autumnal colours, a raffia bow and definitely no lilies. Given the time of year you are comfortable that this is not an unrealistic request and that nothing can go wrong. You then get a phone call from the person who placed the order with you who is mortified. Because the bouquet pictured below is what arrived!

Why we're being choosy about who we work with

Friday, 16 September 2011 14:00 |

Am I selective on who I deal with? In many ways yes. Not to be mean but quite simply because logic says you do more for the people who support you - in our case the florist that pays for a subscription/attends our events or a client who advertises - rather than those who don’t. Tough maybe but reality is that when budgets are tight and every penny has to work there isn’t the luxury of ‘giving’ stuff away for free like there used to be and everything has to make a return.

First impressions count

Tuesday, 09 August 2011 08:42 |

Despite the economic doldrums and the need to save money, I confess I still can’t bring myself to cancel the window cleaner. I don’t care how tough it gets, my shiny bright windows are essential. Not just because I love the sun pouring in but also because they are literally a reflection of our business.

Free advice from some oldies

Monday, 13 June 2011 23:57 |

While Chelsea was a welcome interlude, the reality is that floristry in the real world continues to be hard and at times weary making. So when Barry Porter (foliage man extraordinaire from New Covent Garden Market who presented a brilliant show at Chelsea) asked me would I open a shop I thought long and hard.

Stop boring the customer

Monday, 13 June 2011 23:55 |

What’s hip hop happening these days in the world of flowers? Dahlias. Big, fluffy headed, flowers in the most gorgeous of colours and popping up everywhere as the uber cool flower. Then there’s the gladioli – as raved about by Nicky Chapman on the Beeb – the zinnia and the marigold … heck even the humble carnation is getting better press these days (except we now call them dianthus coz it stops that dreaded ‘I won’t have carnations’ syndrome)

Bad phone manner = bad customer feeling

Sunday, 22 May 2011 19:46 |

I once sacked a girl (well she was actually a 40 year old woman) for refusing to answer the phone properly. Her view was that calling people Sir or Madam was demeaning to her as she was their equal, that filling out the message pads we used (days before e-mail) was pedantic (they were bright orange so they could be seen whereas she used anything she had including backs of envelopes) and that I was stuck in the dark ages when it came to manners because the world had moved on.