“... but I have to say setting shipping rate was also
something I didn’t know I needed but I do. Cause sometimes,
the bouquet can be much bigger and take much more time to
make.”
The
result
achieved after
using DingDoong
3-4 times
increase in the revenue ever since the switch to an e-commerce
business
15-20
increase in the number of bouquets per month
+staff
increase in the number of service staff & delivery drivers
+solution
overcome the pandemic and grow the new business strategy
Sally Wilson
Finley’s Florist owner
I found the app and it took me only a while to set up. Once everything
is done, business runs smoothly. The planning of ours is much easier,
while we manage customers’ expectation with ease. It’s one of the best
tool i’ve ever used.
Interview
with Finley’s Florist
We sat down with Sally, a middle-age florist in Manchester,
England, to talk about how our app has helped her solve her
planning headache and improve her revenue. Targeting at
individual customers, businesses like Sally’s aren’t too big,
especially nowadays when grocers such as Sainsbury’s or Tesco
also sell flowers and people tend to buy it off from them
conveniently. However, Finley’s Florist still can still find a
way to survive competition, not only with Sally’s shrewd
business strategy, but also with her passion for flowers.
How DingDoong
helped
Finley’s Florist switch to an e-commerce business?
So tell us a little about you and your business
I’m Sally, I started Finley’s Florist nearly 3 years ago, merely
out of my intention to start a business and my interest in
flowers. It was a rough start. When it all began, obviously I
started with my friends, relatives and acquaintances, asking
them to refer me to other people, but there wasn’t a lot of
demand. And then the pandemic came, which I thought would be the
death of me, but no, due to quarantine, people had little chance
to visit their loved ones, so the need to send flowers to others
on their special days actually grew. Which was nice but there
was also another problem: people want the flowers delivered
immediately, and sometimes, we can’t do that, either because we
ran out of flowers, or we don’t have the kind of flowers which
they need. Flowers are very seasonal, you see.
And how did you come across us, Sally?
I was searching for a generic planning solution, when I came
across DingDoong. It was pretty high ranking during the time,
and if I have to be honest about it, the logo caught my eyes as
well (giggle). Then I checked the app out and thought, why not
change my business from on-demand to booking? That way, I can
have better planning for my flowers and manage customers'
expectations better. Of course, that’d mean I have to change my
business from a physical store to an e-commerce site, but since
the pandemic was nowhere near over, I already thought about this
in the first place. I could try it, at least for now.
And for you personally, how did you find it?
Amazing! I actually think switching to an e-commerce business
was the right choice for me, because not only do I have a better
showcase of my products, but it’s easier for people to know me
as well. With the app, obviously orders are managed efficiently,
while I spend much less time on my preparation. Revenue
increased by 3 or 4 times ever since the switch. Without having
to have a physical store, we can afford 3 more girls and another
delivery driver. The number of bouquets I sell increases by
15-20 per month, regardless of size
Has the app solved most or even all of your logistics problems?
Well, most of it. There are things we have to do to keep the
flower nice and fresh while shipping but that’s another story.
Which function do you think is the best feature of the app?
I mean, delivery time and store pickup was obviously the
fundamental, the basic function which made me come to the app in
the first place, but I have to say setting shipping rate was
also something I didn’t know I needed but I do. Cause sometimes,
the bouquet can be much bigger and take much more time to make.
At first I thought it’d be better if I just increase the price
of the bouquet and allow free shipping to raise customer demand,
but then I also ship to people outside of metropolitan area as
well, and they don’t always want a big bouquet, which could make
me go unprofitable if it continues. So I had to set up a
shipping fee for people in those areas, and surprisingly enough,
they are okay with it. So I guess that’s okay
Who do you think would best suit this app?
Everyone, really. I mean, these days, delivery and pick up time
is quite standard in the UK, so everyone sort of expects it now.
Big brands like Asda also have that feature now. I think local
restaurants or bakers like Greggs for example, would also
benefit from the app, because they would have to prepare things
fresh for the best quality.