HEADLINES

Web Site Stops Felling Flowers to Sell Trees

Top: Treesinstead.com's original home page. Bottom: Treesinstead.com's new and improved home page after talking with SAF.

A company that sells trees to commemorate special events has removed negative floral references from its Web site after being contacted by SAF.

SAF e-mailed Treesinstead.com July 14 about the company's prominent tagline, "MEMORY TREES - - Instead of Flowers." The company sells "memory trees" to mark special occasions such as birthdays and weddings. The site also offers "sympathy trees" that can be planted in memory of loved ones.

In the e-mail, SAF pointed out that member florists were concerned about being singled out in the tagline and asked that the negative reference be removed. A representative for the Web site called SAF 20 minutes after receiving the e-mail. He agreed to remove the "Instead of Flowers" language from the Memory Trees section of the site.

Treesinstead.com also removed negative phrases from its FAQ page, including "Why trees instead of flowers? Flowers die at the moment the stem is cut from the root producing waste while decomposing; on the other hand, planting a tree will preserve the environment."

"We want to work with florists," the company representative told SAF, "not compete against them."

Alert SAF to negative floral references by faxing (703) 836-8705, e-mailing jstromann@safnow.org or calling (800) 336-4743.

 --Morgan Schimminger
mschimminger@safnow.org

 
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House Committee Approves Credit Card Fair Fee Bill

Retailers hoping for relief from credit card fees moved closer to their goal last week after a House committee passed legislation that would rein in the non-negotiable fees credit card companies levy.

The Credit Card Fair Fee Act (H.R. 5546) is sponsored by Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-14-Mich.) and Rep. Chris Cannon (R-3-Utah).

"This bill will help give our small businesses a seat at the table in negotiating credit card fees," says Jeanne Ramsay, senior director of government relations at SAF.

The House Judiciary Committee approved the bill on July 16. The next step is to get this bill to the House floor for a vote before the end of the session.

The Credit Card Fair Fee Act is strongly opposed by banks and credit card companies because it would set price controls — and strongly supported by the Merchant Payments Coalition (MPC), of which SAF is a member. The coalition represents the nation's retailers.

For more information, check out recent coverage in SAF's Week in Review newsletter.

--Morgan Schimminger
mschimminger@safnow.org

 
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Oklahoma Florists' Program Gets an Upgrade

To keep up with industry trends and current professional terminology, the Oklahoma State Florists' Association (OSFA) is updating the written curriculum for its certification programs. The curriculum update comes in tandem with a name change for certification titles. Instead of offering "master" and "advanced master" programs, the group will now have "certified" and "master certified" tracks.

The association is revamping the program in an effort to modernize many key parts of the curriculum, such as the wedding section, where new techniques will be covered.

"It doesn't make sense to teach old technology," says Mary Wilkins, OMS, OAMS, owner of Tulsa Blossoms Shop in Tulsa, Okla. 

Wilkins, the outgoing education chair, says the curriculum is reviewed and updated as needed. They haven't reviewed the program in at least six years. The theory behind the title swap is that the public can better identify "certified" with having taken educational classes and training as opposed to the more ambiguous "master" moniker.

"We felt the certification program more professionally stated what we were doing," says Dan Long, OSFA's immediate past president.

To achieve certification, a florist must complete eight half-day classes and take a final exam. After achieving the certification pre-requisite, a florist can go on to achieve master certified status by completing five, full-day classes. Although the curriculum is still undergoing some retooling, Wilkins says it should be ready for the first class of students this fall.

The program's first class graduating with the new designation was honored during the OSFA Conference in Tulsa, held July 18-20. Previous graduates of OSFA's educational programs can request redesigned pins with new, official logos.

--Morgan Schimminger
mschimminger@safnow.org

 
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Newly Added Creativity Educational Session at SAF Palm Beach 2008

Ever feel caught off guard, forced to think quickly on your feet to maneuver out of a tricky situation? Learn some great tips and tricks to help you improvise in those trying situations at SAF Palm Beach 2008.

Come refine your improv skills at a new education session just-added to the line-up at SAF Palm Beach 2008: "Off The Top Of My Head: Improvisation Exercises for Creativity & Thinking on Your Feet." Facilitator David Glickman, an improv actor and professional speaker, will teach you how to improvise at a higher level, sharpen your focus, collaborate more efficiently and be more confident. Part lecture, part interactive exercises, this session is guaranteed to enlighten and entertain.

There's still time to register for SAF Palm Beach 2008, Sept. 17-20 at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla. With a variety of beneficial educational sessions and a chance to interact with peers, SAF Palm Beach 2008 is a great place to recharge your business batteries.

Questions? Contact Laura Weaver, CMP at (800) 336-4743 or lweaver@safnow.org.

--Morgan Schimminger
mschimminger@safnow.org

 
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Boesen the Florist Co-Owner Ed Boesen Dies

Ed Boesen, a florist and well-known entrepreneur in Des Moines, Iowa, died July 15.

Surprise and grief have marked the response from the community in which Boesen, 43 years old, was a familiar, friendly force. In addition to his work with the family business, Boesen the Florist, one of the nation's largest family-owned flower shops, Boesen recently purchased his own shops. In 2007, Boesen acquired six Amlings Flowerland locations in the Chicago suburbs, nine Andicott Fresh Flower Markets in Michigan and Piccolo's Florist & Gifts in Omaha, having already bought Locker's Florist in the Milwaukee area in 2001. The Andicott locations abruptly closed on Friday, the day of Boesen's funeral, the Des Moines Register reported.

The Boesen family has owned their business since 1923, except for about a two-year period, from October 1998 to February 2001, when Gerald Stevens, a retail consolidator that eventually failed, purchased it. Some Boesen family members bought back their operation in February 2001.

Ed Boesen's connections and kinetic energy moved him beyond the family business and into other pursuits. In the past year, he'd bought an aircraft fuel and charter business at a regional airport, purchased a printing firm and launched a magazine. The first issue of Inspired About Des Moines, the magazine he launched, came out last month.

"His mind was always working," Tom DeSio, an assistant Polk County attorney told the Register of his personal friend. He was "absolutely a dynamo."

Ed Boesen is survived by his wife, Maureen LaBonia Boesen; four children; mother; seven siblings and numerous nieces, nephews and godchildren. Read the complete obituary.

--Amanda Long
along@safnow.org

 
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BUSINESS BUILDERS

Wholesaler Offers Annual Scholarship to Aspiring Florists

The Boston Flower Exchange is again planting the seeds for the next generation of florists with its 2008 Rachel Butterworth Dietz Scholarship.

The $5,000 scholarship is available to full-time students in the New England region who are currently enrolled or have been accepted into a floriculture or ornamental horticulture program.

Students must submit an application and a one- to two-page essay demonstrating passion for floriculture, knowledge of the industry and plans and career ambitions. Supplemental information, such as resumes or recommendations, also are encouraged. The deadline for the application is Sept. 15, 2008.

The scholarship has been in place for more than 12 years, says Edward Norberg, president of the Boston Flower Exchange. Each year, the scholarship is awarded during the company's annual stockholders' meeting, held October 21 this year.

"[The scholarship] helps promote the horticulture industry," Norberg says. "It gives [members of the Exchange] a good feeling to be able to do this. We're doing something good for the youth, for the community and for the flower industry."

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

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GREEN house

New Texas Greenhouse Dedicated to Pest Management

In a perfect world, growers would have the funds, room, equipment and time to test the newest pesticides and biological controls while identifying every bug that lands on their crops. With the help of a new $50,000 greenhouse, members of the Northeast Texas Nursery Growers Association (NTNGA) can now do just that.

The new greenhouse, built on the grounds of the Texas Agrilife Research and Extension Center in Overton, Tex., will be used to conduct research on integrated pest management techniques. Researchers are expected to investigate, for instance, how the use of chemical pesticides can be reduced by correct timing of applications, pest identification and biological controls.

"Everyone is really excited," says Jade Hopson, owner of Circle G Nursery in Grand Saline and president of the NTNGA.  "It gives [Agrilife Extension researchers] a space where they can conduct their own experiments. It gives them a place where they can find solutions for us."

Association members in four counties will benefit directly from the greenhouse, but experts say the high-tech facility could help the overall economy in Texas. The greenhouse and nursery industry rank third in terms of cash receipts (about $300 million) in Texas agriculture, behind cattle and cotton.

"In 2007, the Northeast Texas greenhouse and nursery growers were responsible for about three quarters of a billion dollars of cash receipts for their industry," Scott Ludwig, AgriLife Extension entomologist and integrated pest management specialist, said in a press release. "This amounts to about 40 percent of the state's total greenhouse and nursery output."

The NTNGA funded the greenhouse through the Northeast Texas Nursery Growers Association Memorial Fund, and many relatives of deceased members attended the July 10 dedication.

"It's a really cool way to remember our friends and everything they gave to the industry," Hopson says. "At the same time, it's benefiting us."

Read more about the facility's dedication and its research plans.

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

 
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TRENDWATCH

No Drop, No Shop: Rising Fuel Prices Rein In Spending

About two-thirds, or 63 percent, of consumers are cutting spending due to rising gas prices, up 18 percentage points from a year ago, according to a new report by market research company Nielsen Co.

According to the study of nearly 50,000 consumers conducted during the first week of June, 78 percent of them are combining shopping trips and nearly one-third (32 percent) are clipping more coupons — that's up from 25 percent in December 2007.

"Consumers are altering their driving and spending habits at dramatic levels," says Todd Hale, the company's senior vice president of Consumer & Shopper Insights, adding that "even affluent consumers are looking for ways to make their dollars go further."

And they'll be on the bargain hunt for a while, according to a study released in February by Yankelovich, Inc., on purchasing behavior. The study found that 58 percent of consumers report cuts ranging from a little to a lot, and a much larger percentage are planning further reductions over the coming year. The Dollars & Consumer Sense report revealed that 14 percent of American consumers felt "severe anxiety" about their personal economic and financial situations.

"We are getting squeezed on both ends," florist Gary Barnett told the Kansas City Star in an article about how small businesses are adapting. Barnett, who co-owns The Flower Man in Olathe, Kan., said he's recently changed delivery vehicles to control fuel costs and expanded store hours.

Not all florists are feeling the pressure of bargain-basement shoppers. In an e-mail survey of 318 SAF members, about 37 percent said the average price per order had gone up compared to this same time last year; 36 percent said prices are about the same, while 21 percent reported price points were "down a bit."  

Help cost-conscious customers by promoting your in-store specials, offering coupons and frequent-buyer programs. Put your design ingenuity to use for corporate customers by showing them how you can help them stretch that event budget. Let brides know which varieties lend themselves to lower price points, like carnations, without sacrificing the "wow" effect. (Get some carnation inspiration in Floral Management's August issue, in your mailboxes soon.)

And don't forget to take advantage of inexpensive promotional tools like blogs, e-mail newsletters and marketing materials from SAF.

--Amanda Long
along@safnow.org

 
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LIFE AT WORK

Staff Infection: Sick Time for Small Businesses

Are you as nice to your employees as you are your flowers and customers?

As many as 43 percent of American workers in private industry don't have paid sick days, according to 2007 data from the Labor Department. An estimated 79 percent of low-wage workers and 80 percent of part-time workers do not have paid sick time, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research.
 
Although about 135 developed countries have laws requiring private and public employers to provide paid sick leave to full-time employees, the U.S. does not. The Healthy Families Act, reintroduced by Sen. Ted Kennedy, (D-Mass) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-3-Conn.) in March 2007 (it was first introduced in 2005 and never passed) would require private and public employers with 15 or more employees to provide a minimum of seven paid sick days a year to full-time workers. The bill is pending. If no action is taken (again) this session, it's back to the drawing board.

Some cities, including Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, filled that void by passing their own paid sick-time requirement. In D.C, employees at businesses with 24 or fewer workers will get three days off, a recent requirement that local florist David Hope, AAF, AIFD, greeted with a "yuck" upon learning of the legislation from this reporter. "It will be abused, people will just add it on to their vacations days and demand to get those days off," said the co-owner of Flower Gallery. Hope does offer vacation days, which can be used as sick time.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses opposes a national law, contending that time-off policies of small businesses are more flexible than what the government would require. 

Employers should make clear their policies on time off, both paid and unpaid, experts agree. Flexible schedules that allow employees to switch shifts or stay home unpaid without fear of punishment can help keep sick employees out of the shop (and out of breathing distancing from customers and colleagues).

--Amanda Long
along@safnow.org

 
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BELIEVE IT OR NOT

Ex-Employee Guzzles $40,000 in Gas Heist

Fifty dollars here, $30 there... with fuel prices on the rise, those kinds of double-digit charges seemed like normal business expenses when they showed up on one wholesaler's fleet fuel card. But after more than $15,000 in unaccounted for gas charges appeared on the account in late June, Mike Ulrich, owner of B W Wholesale in Pittsburgh, knew something was wrong.

Ulrich, who usually pays about $45,000 in fuel charges a month for his 17-vehicle fleet, immediately decided to file a police report about the suspicious charges. After he left the police station, however, Ulrich spotted Thomas Jones, an ex-employee, at the gas station where the fraudulent charges had been made.

"I called the police but they wouldn't be able to get there in time, so I followed [Jones]," Ulrich says.

After a few miles, Ulrich caught up with Jones, confronted him, and asked him to accompany Ulrich to the police station. Jones complied and was arrested. A trial is pending.

Ulrich believes that for at least six months Jones was filling other people's vehicles at a discount while using a card he must have taken sometime after being fired last year.  The fraudulent transactions, dating from January 2008, amount to more than $40,000, only $10,000 of which is covered by B W Wholesale's business insurance. The remaining charges are being negotiated with Pacific Pride Services, the company that issues the fuel cards, Ulrich says.

"We're still using Pacific Pride cards," Ulrich says, "But now instead of monthly statements, we're receiving daily statements, which we check every day."

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

  
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR

SAF Palm Beach Deadlines

Don't miss these important deadlines!  

SAF Palm Beach 2008: Sept. 17-20, 2008, at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla.

Designers: Aug. 1 is the deadline to sign up for the Sylvia Cup Design
Competition.
Suppliers: Aug. 1 is the deadline for Premier Product Showcase product submissions.
Growers: Aug. 15 is the deadline for Outstanding Varieties Competition product submissions.
Attendees: Aug. 20 is the last day to receive the SAF room rate at The Breakers. Aug. 22 is the deadline to receive the registration discount.

 
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On the Horizon

•  SAF Palm Beach 2008: Sept. 17-20, 2008, at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla.

 
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REGULAR FEATURES

E-Brief Top Five: Wedding Info Tops the List

Our GREEN house story about the florist who's turning bridal bouquets into seed-filled thank-you note paper captured the most attention last week. It was followed closely by news about FloraStar's contribution to the American Floral Endowment. Here's the full list. Click the links to read what you missed.

1. Florist to Brides: Don't Toss the Bouquet, Recycle It

2. FloraStar Gives Remaining Funds to Endowment

3. Florist Says "Scram" to Scam

4. You've Got Plants: AOL Gives Props to Pots
  
5. PFCI Lifeguards Float Ideas to Rescue Image, Business


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Reader Feedback: California Florist Has Choice Words for Internet Directory Scams

Last week's story about Internet directory scams was as familiar as it was frustrating for LuAnn Schwab, owner of Blooms & Bears Florist and Gifts in Irvine, Calif. But like the florist interviewed last week, Schwab also fights back when scammers prey on her business. 

In an e-mail to E-brief editors, she shared her back-and-forth battle: "We received a call from a representative of Data Solutions saying they were renewing our subscription for Internet advertising, two years at $495/year, and we still owed for the past two years. We questioned, denied, protested and said no. They then said they were going to take our name and links off the Internet and turn us over to collections. They had never sent us anything over the past two years regarding their services or an invoice."

Schwab didn't have to go far for expert legal advice. Her husband, an attorney, told her that if anyone called to collect, to get "their name, address, contact person, phone number, and then tell them if they persist I will file a complaint with our state attorney general and the FBI, for fraudulent business activity."

--Morgan Schimminger
mschimminger@safnow.org

  
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Product Spotlight: Ultimate Floral Industry Supply Guide

SAF makes finding what you need easier with the Ultimate Floral Industry Supply Guide. This online guide is your one-stop, searchable source for a broad selection of fresh product, hard goods, business supplies and gift items. From ribbons to refrigeration units, the selection is wide and rich. Suppliers, get in the guide and get ready to be noticed. SAF members enjoy preferred placement and the SAF logo next to their company name. Members are eligible for a 25 percent discount on enhanced listings with Web links and additional information.
 

 
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On the Discussion Boards

Weddings are still the hot topic on the discussion boards. After reading through other posts in a discussion on wedding contracts, a florist was inspired to establish a written contract form. He knows an attorney from a business association he belongs to who offered to share a contract developed for another florist after an incident requiring legal intervention to get payment.

Another new post added to the same contract discussion suggests having quotes serve double duty. The quote "spells out exactly what we are providing with descriptions of the wedding pieces, delivery costs, and any onsite labor charges," explains the poster. It also covers how much is due when, and refund policies. She's even offering to provide more information to interested florists.

There were also new posts added to a discussion on tracking down the right POS system. Go ahead and respond to any of these topics or start your own discussion.

--Morgan Schimminger
mschimminger@safnow.org

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Rising Cost of Health Care Diagnosed as 'Excruciating'

The rising cost of health care is "excruciating," according to slightly less than 68 percent of respondents to last week's e-poll. Almost 27 percent labeled their pain associated with the ever-increasing cost of health care as moderate. A little less than 6 percent thought they were experiencing only mild symptoms thanks to health care costs.

--Morgan Schimminger
mschimminger@safnow.org

 
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Survey Says: Few Florists Charge for Re-deliveries

Almost eight in 10 retail florists don't charge customers when orders have to be re-delivered, according to SAF's Fuel Survey. Of the 11 percent that do, four percent build it into the original delivery fee, and seven percent assess a second fee. Ten percent do something else, such as asking the recipient to pick up the order or calling to make sure someone is available to accept the delivery.

 
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