Tips for researching your florist's reputation
When shopping for flowers online, you will notice that there are a number of vendors from various countries. Not only do they offer local delivery but it's also possible to order an international flower delivery just by placing your order online. When you visit your local flower shop, you can get a pretty good idea of what kind of bouquets they assemble and the quality of their work. When ordering online, on the other hand, you might feel like you have no real way of knowing. The truth is, you can find out more if you are prepared to do just a little bit of online research.
Check their websiteStart by taking a look at their website. Take note of the design and how everything is organised. The website will often give you a hint as to whether or not the company itself is professional and serious about their work. You should also look around the website to find out just how long they've been in business. A florist that hasn't even been open for a year is often more difficult to trust than one that's been around for years.
Read DiscussionsRun a search online and read discussion forum posts relating to this company. This is a great way of finding out what others have to say about this particular florist and they are usually ready and willing to share both good and bad experiences.
Run Online SearchesGoogle has a wonderful way of predicting your searches according to the phrases and terms that are most associated with a particular word, partial phrase, or company name. Type in the name of the florist and see what Google suggests. Look for both positive and negative options. By searching specifically for negative feedback, you will find more results than when running a neutral search for reviews.
Check Review WebsitesThere are a number of customer review websites out there and they allow people to rate products, services, and companies based on their experiences. It's important to understand how these sites work. Some allow people to post anonymously while others do not. There are also some sites that allow the vendor or business to get in touch with any unhappy reviewers in order to correct the problem. It's important to read these reviews and take not of any responses to the negative posts. In many cases, the company will respond to the negative review with a solution or offer to help. Keep in mind that it's not possible to make each and every customer happy but problem solving is a must in any industry.
Social MediaIf the company has a page on any social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and so on, do yourself a favour and read what their followers have to say about their products/services. These are also like non-anonymous reviews in a way because they will detail the experience as well as tell you who wrote the comment.
Remember that pinch of saltDon't forget to take all reviews with a pinch of salt. Some people might complain about flowers wilting after one week but perhaps they did not follow the care instructions or maybe they put their bouquet in the sun or too close to their fireplace. In addition, consider the ratio of good versus bad reviews. If good reviews dominate, you can usually trust that. The florist should also offer satisfaction guarantees and do everything in their power to make sure that their customers are always happy!