Last week I spoke at the Inspire Smart Success (ISS) conference for wedding vendors in Riviera Maya, Mexico. I was so impressed with Stacie Francombe, who is the brains behind ISS. Her hard work and dedication blew me away. One of the reasons I love attending these conferences is that I get to hang out with my peers. So I was thrilled that I had the opportunity to spend time with some wonderful wedding experts including the fabulous Diann Valentine, who is a true force of nature, and the down-to-earth sweetheart Sasha Souza.
These conferences are also great opportunities for those of us in the wedding and event industry to come together and discuss any problems we may be having with our businesses. I spoke with a lovely wedding planner who’s having a big issue with one of her vendors. She has a friend who is also an extremely talented floral designer, and she gives her a tremendous amount of work. The problem is that this florist never provides proposals or estimates in a timely manner. This, of course, puts the planner in a very difficult situation when it comes time to do the paperwork for clients. She has spoken to her friend about this many times but nothing changes.
In today’s advice column, I’d like to know what you think this planner should do. Should the planner stop hiring her friend altogether? Or should she suggest that her friend hire someone else to write her proposals for her? Dear Readers, please share your opinion.
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George Bernard Shaw once said: “You see things and say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’” That quote embodies how Preston Bailey approaches every event.
Raean
December 12, 2011
My first approach is to be up front. Tell the florist friend, that she is having a problem finishing her proposals (or quotes) because their work is not submitted in a timely manner. Whether a friend or not it is important to be up front and evaluate the quality of work you are getting. Is it being delivered on time. Is set up an issue? If all of those “type” of questions are a yes, then it is time to move on.
If the florists work is the best in the area maybe suggest getting someone to help her complete the quote otherwise, explain to the florist if it does not change I am going to have to start to work other florist in the area.
Kara Brown
December 12, 2011
I recommend stop working with the friend. I learned the HARD way that ya can’t mix friendships and business well. Keep the friendship and ditch the business partnership.
Sue Bain AIFD
December 12, 2011
I am so very grateful to the wedding and event planners that choose to work with me and recommend me as their vendor for flowers. It is an honor and priviledge to be affiliated and these planners’ reputations are at stake. I think that your friend’s florist should know this and correct the problem or loose out. No hand holding required.
Angela
December 12, 2011
I will advise she advices her friend to get someone who will handle that aspect of the business for her if that is not her strength.
Diane Freeland
December 12, 2011
Never let anyone become a detriment to your business. Hopefully, this is not the only florist that she has in her vendor network. She should have no problem finding another talented florist who understands the importance of providing timely quotes, etc. I say the time has come to sever the business relationship. Hopefully, the personal friendship will not be impacted. But at the end of the day, the planner has a business to run and anything or anyone that is preventing her from being the best planner she can be must be removed, immediately. If the florist is a REAL friend, she will understand and they will remain friends. If not, so be it. Clearly she has spoken to her on previous occasions and she has not altered her practice. So, the planner has to move on to the next step. Word travels fast, and when service is not good, it travels even faster. She does not want to risk damaging her reputation in order to protect another “professional.” That’s all.
Allison
December 12, 2011
The wedding planner should be honest with her friend. If they are true friends, she would understand. Business is business and should be kept professional. You don’t want to lose a good friend because of business. Just take your friend out to lunch and just create a conversation that allows you to bring up the subject. Tell about a specific experience that was frustrating. There are tactful ways of addressing the subject.
Janet Mohapi-Banks
December 12, 2011
In my opinion it’s easy; business is business and if your “friend” is making you look inadequate at your job then it’s time to straighten things out. The planner has a responsibility to herself to ensure that her paperwork goes out to her clients on time and if that means using a different, more reliable florist then so be it. The only exception to this would be if the florist in question is SO good at what she does and she is absolutely and undoubtedly the best florist for a particular job, in which case the planner needs to explain to the client that this is the case, so the planner covers her back and doesn’t appear incompetent in front of her client.
Having said that, I don’t believe that there is any excuse for rubbish customer service and that is extended to planners too. A real friend wouldn’t want their friend to appear anything other than brilliant and the opitomy of professional.
Shaun
December 12, 2011
Well Mr. Bailey, this is an easy one. If a vendor I was working with was not providing me the materials I needed to do business in a timely manner, I just wouldn’t use them any more. We have lists of preferred vendors because we have excellent working relationships with these individuals and we respect their talent. The key here is “business relationships”. The wedding planner should keep the talented florist as a personal friend, but stop using the florist as a preferred vendor. I would “prefer” to work with a vendor who provided me with quotes on time. The planner’s reputation is at stake, the planner’s clients are dependent on the planner following through, as is the client’s budget. These are definitely three things I would never EVER compromise.
Gloria
December 12, 2011
If she has already spoken to her vendor about this, enough said. Send your business elsewhere. No need for a dramatic breakup, just use some other florists. I wouldn’t burn my bridges with my friend, but the planner is not responsible for solving the florist’s problem. Keep the florist in mind for those jobs that really require her individual skills. With less work, she may have time to do a more thorough job.