NOVEMBER 2017
FEBRUARY 2018
Mercury Messenger
FTD WOWS AT THE ROSE PARADE PG. 3
FLORIST SPOTLIGHT: WADE FLORIST PG. 5
DELIVERY CONFIRMATION UPDATE EFFECTIVE MARCH 1 PG. 6
WHAT'S NEW
LETTER FROM TOM Hello FTD Florists! We hope that you enjoyed a bustling and profitable Valentine’s Day. We were excited about our business-building plans, including a new TV spot tested in Boston and Philadelphia, fewer containers and floral designs and staying in business in select markets the morning of Valentine’s Day to capitalize on same-day delivery demand. Again, thank you for your support and customer care in delighting millions of FTD customers. We’re excited to announce our five-year strategic plan, which was shared with you recently by our President and CEO John Walden and myself. Our vision is to reclaim our heritage as the world’s floral innovator and leader by creating brands, products and technology-driven services that our customers and florists will love. As we shared, building mutually beneficial florist partnerships with the world’s best florists and creating a much stronger FTD brand that we can all be proud of will be core to our success. Over time, you can expect to see: •
Even more new FTD advertising
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Differentiated floral designs that leverage your talents
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More orders for shops with great quality
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Value-added and innovative florist technologies that help you further manage and improve your business
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Opportunities to help you reduce your cost of goods
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And many other benefits.
To continue our goal of promoting lifelong learning, there are several opportunities available to improve your FTD member experience and help you build your business. I’m excited that we’re once again offering $20,000 in FTD University scholarships to 20 member florists and their employees, plus a comprehensive schedule of FREE webinars. The scholarships are awarded for industry-leading events including AIFD Symposium, SAF Convention and FTD Boot Camp. We’re also thrilled to introduce you to the Mercury Cloud platform to simplify and modernize your order sending and receiving. Mercury Cloud is certainly a step above Mercury Direct and its key benefits include a robust dashboard, simple delivery confirmations and the ability to access the program on any Internet-connected computer. We hope you enjoy are latest edition of the Mercury Messenger and are excited about the many positive changes at FTD! All of us here at FTD send you our best wishes for a successful holiday season!
WELCOME SPRING WITH
Colorful Blooms
FTD’s Spring/Summer 2018 Exclusives were inspired by the bright pops of color that bloom with the sunshine of spring. The abundance of color, shape and texture is sure to delight discerning customers and help them celebrate life’s special occasions. The entire Spring/Summer 2018 Collection will debut on FTD.com after Valentine’s Day and remain on the site throughout the summer. Contact FTD Marketplace at 800.788.9000 today to place your codified container order.
The FTD® Sweet Talk™ Bouquet | S9 Delivered SRPs $54.99 $64.99 $74.99 $84.99
The FTD® Shimmer & Shine™ Bouquet | S5 Delivered SRPs $59.99 $69.99 $79.99 $89.99
CELEBRATE LIFELONG LEARNING - APPLY FOR AN FTD UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP FTD University will award a total of $20,000 in scholarships in 2018. These scholarships are available exclusively to FTD Florists and their employees who share our passion for continuing education in the floral industry. To earn one of the 20 scholarships (each valued at $1,000), visit www.FTDi. com/FTDUniversity and answer five short-answer essay questions. The application deadline is April 1, 2018. SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE FOR:
Executive Vice President Florist Division
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• AIFD National Symposium in Washington, DC (July) • SAF Convention in Palm Springs, CA (September) • FTD Boot Camp in Downers Grove, IL (August, October)
FTD WOWS AT THE ANNUAL
Rose Parade
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FTD was proud to once again be the Official Floral Partner of the 2018 Tournament of Roses in Pasadena, CA. FTD Education Consultant and Rose Parade veteran J. Keith White AIFD led a skilled team, including FTD Quality Services Representative Pete Samek AIFD, in designing the floral arrangements adorning the official parade vehicles that carried VIPs such as the parade’s Grand Marshal, actor Gary Sinise. All of the fresh flowers used in the arrangements were provided by the FTD Flower Exchange. This year’s parade, with the theme “Making a Difference,” drew millions of viewers on New Year’s Day.
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FTD Education Consultant J. Keith White AIFD poses with the Grand Marshal car that carried Gary Sinise. The car appeared in the 1946 film It’s A Wonderful Life. J. Keith White joined Gary Sinise as he tested out the Grand Marshal car. FTD Quality Services Representative Pete Samek AIFD adds flowers to the car that carried a Rose Bowl Hall of Fame inductee. FTD President and CEO John Walden experienced his first Rose Parade and festivities.
FTD FLORIST WINS TRIP OF A LIFETIME Lynne Snyder of Divine Floral & Gifts in Arlington, TX, was the lucky winner of FTD’s 2017 Everyone “Likes” a Parade Sweepstakes. Lynne won an allexpenses paid trip for two to the 2018 Rose Parade and Rose Bowl. While there, she was also able to go behind the scenes with FTD Education Consultant J. Keith White as he decorated the cars that carried the VIPs in the Rose Parade. “It was fascinating to see the quantity and variety of flowers and the various attachment methods,” Lynne said of watching Keith in action. “It was also fun to see all the various parade floats and how they were created. It was great to have a relaxing weekend – apologies to the FTD crew that was working very hard the whole week – in the warm California sun, and wonderful to see a fabulous parade and an exciting football game.” You could be this year's lucky Everyone “Likes” a Parade winner! Our next sweepstakes launches in August 2018. Lynne and Richard Snyder of Divine Floral & Gifts, Arlington, TX
INTRODUCING
FTD
TAKE YOUR BUSINESS FURTHER
Mercury CLoud
FTD is excited to introduce FTD Mercury Cloud, a Web-based order management solution. Because it is housed entirely online, site can be accessed from any computer and a supported browser. You’ll also save valuable time because updates appear automatically and require no action on your part.
MERCURY CLOUD ALLOWS FTD FLORISTS TO:
• Print enclosure cards • Access Florist Link and the FTD Floral Selections Guide
• Verify delivery addresses • View an order’s life cycle and confirm deliveries
FTD Mercury Cloud dashboard
Mercury Cloud does not replace the best-in-class Mercury Point of Sale system, but is instead designed to be a step up from Mercury Direct to give you more functionality when sending and receiving orders. To learn more and begin using Mercury Cloud, contact Mercury Technology Sales at 800.767.3222 or TechSales@FTDi.com.
CONVERT ONLINE SHOPPERS INTO BUYERS Shoppers are more likely to purchase from websites that share customer ratings. FTD Florists Online subscribers can enjoy a boost in their credibility and potentially capture more orders by subscribing to Online Ratings Service. This valuable add-on collects and displays ratings right on your homepage so that customers feel confident ordering from you. Ratings are also automatically emailed to you. Additionally, our new cart abandonment tool can help you improve conversion and boost sales. When an online shopper starts to navigate away from your site, a promotional message pops up. This message can offer discounts, recommend products or ask shoppers to call your shop. The goal is always to encourage the visitor to continue their shopping experience and not leave the site. You’ll also receive a monthly report to gauge the difference these tools are making in your business. Get started today by contacting the FTD Florists Online team at 630.724.6472.
FLORIST SPOTLIGHT
Wade Florist FTD: TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS. SCOTT COOPER: Wade Florist opened in 1973, shortly after Wade Funeral Home opened next door. A few years later, the Wade Twin Chapel was opened and now Wade Florist rests perfectly between two upscale funeral venues. Today, Wade Florist is proud to serve the African-American community in the metro St. Louis area. Each year, Wade creates more than 400 casket pieces. We are also pleased to offer full-service floral work to the region. We strive to make sure our customer base knows we are by no means just a "funeral florist." FTD: WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME A FLORIST? SC: When I was very young, I loved working with plants and growing flowers. After high school, a family friend opened a tiny shop and I began working in the typical start-up fashion of sweeping floors and driving the truck. I found design work intriguing. When I had surpassed the owner's own knowledge, I knew I needed more challenging work, so I moved on to a much larger shop. I've always viewed design more as a craft. To me, it’s like building furniture or rebuilding an engine – there’s a specific, organized way it must be done. Obviously, a little flair is helpful! FTD: HOW HAS THE FLORAL INDUSTRY CHANGED SINCE WADE FLORIST FIRST OPENED ITS DOORS? SC: Our industry has changed so much! Technology has made our jobs both easier and more efficient. Customers are also more savvy.
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Wade Florist has been serving the metropolitan St. Louis, Missouri, area since opening its doors more than 40 years ago. FTD spoke with store manager Scott Cooper to learn about the shop’s unique connection to the funeral industry and the FTD tools that keep the business running smoothly.
The Internet has put the world at our fingertips. As designers, we've had the bar raised and must perform better than we ever have before. FTD: YOU USE MERCURY TECHNOLOGY IN YOUR SHOP. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS SYSTEM OVER OTHERS? SC: Using FTD technology revolutionized our shop on so many levels I cannot begin to count them. Personally, as an FTD Master Florist, I love having tech support any time I need them. One quick phone call and the problem is solved. FTD: WE HEAR THERE’S A 94-YEAR-OLD IN YOUR SHOP WHO USES THE MERCURY SYSTEM! CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT HER? SC: Mariana is a unique and beloved employee. She's been with Wade for 30-plus years and loves Mercury Technology. She often reminds me how to perform certain functions. Rest assured, the Mercury system is positively for everyone!
FTD: WHAT DO YOU VALUE MOST ABOUT YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH FTD? SC: Being an FTD Master Florist has given us access to so many marketing, delivery and shop management ideas. FTD allows us to run a professional website and present a polished appearance on every level. As a smaller shop we rely on FTD to make us shine and be the best we can possibly be.
QUALITY CORNER
FTD DELIVERY CONFIRMATION POLICY UPDATED FOR IMPROVED CUSTOMER SATISFACTION In order to create a more positive customer experience and reduce the number of customer service calls your shop receives, FTD is changing the Delivery Confirmation deadline to 5:30 p.m. (local time) on the day of delivery. This change will go into effect on March 1, 2018. The goal of the FTD Delivery Confirmation Policy is to achieve 100 percent same-day delivery confirmation notification. In today’s Internetcentric and service-oriented environment, many consumers expect real-time notification when an order they placed has been delivered. Providing these confirmations will place your shop alongside many other best-in-class, customer-focused businesses.
The following FTD tools can help you send delivery confirmations quickly and efficiently.
MERCURY MOBILE APP The Mercury Mobile app makes it possible for deliveries to be confirmed while your driver is still on the route. Shop managers also benefit from on-thego access to the Mercury Dashboard and immediate access to crucial shop information. The app is available in the Apple Store and on Google Play.
MERCURY DIRECT Mercury Direct users can visit www.FTDconfirm.com to quickly process delivery confirmations that are sent over the Mercury Network to the sending florist or FTD.com. The site can be accessed on any computer or smartphone with Internet access.
CONNECT WITH US www.FTDi.com | 800.788.9000
Delivery confirmations can easily be sent from the Mercury Cloud platform, which can be accessed from any computer and supported browser.
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To learn more about the FTD Delivery Confirmation policy as well as other quality-centered initiatives, please visit www.FTDi.com/Quality.