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!

Now, to my eyes, those are deffo lilies – and fairly rank ones at that – I am at a loss to work out where the rest of the cymbidium orchid has gone and quite frankly it looks more like the contents of the bits bucket than a £30 hand tied. It’s a disgrace and has nothing to do with relay but the executing florist who obviously hasn’t given a toss.

Sending florist - because client is good and valued - then tries to get the matter put right but executing florist refuses to talk to them because they are too busy. Eventually sending florist reports executing florist to relay company and they get on the case. Replacement isn’t hugely better but at least it has a degree more content.

However sending florist is not only incensed that they have had to waste time putting someone else’s mistake right but now doubt if they can trust the system and as a result will either blacklist the florist who let them down or maybe even send their own flowers out in a box.

From my perspective, as someone who tries to defend florists to the hilt, I am appalled that this sort of work – never mind the financial value - was considered acceptable. It is one of the worst cases I have seen and wouldn’t make it out of the door from a packer/supermarket never mind a respectable florist. Do I know who they are? Yes. Can I do anything about it? Yes Will I? You bet… we don’t need outside forces to damage the reputation of the bespoke florist sector... here’s one of our own doing it very nicely for us.