Florists
Prepare and sell floral arrangements.
The week before Mother's Day
You are a florist in a small shop in the week before Mother's Day, the busiest week of the year. It is 6am and the van is loaded from the market. Orders are stacking up, you have one part-time helper, and the phone has not stopped since you opened.
Choose what you would do. Then see what happens. There are often good reasons for each choice.
I need flowers for my mum, but I have no idea what she likes. I want something special, and I will pay whatever it takes. I need them delivered this afternoon. Can you just choose for me?
Choose the most expensive bouquet you have, because he said whatever it takes, and he is in a hurry
He pays happily, but his mother does not like lilies and the strong scent upsets her. Spending a lot is not the same as choosing well, and he trusted you to ask.
Ask a few quick questions about his mum, then build around what he tells you
He remembers she loves her herb garden and the colour yellow. You make a fresh, soft bouquet with herbs, and his mum rings him in tears. A couple of questions can turn a guess into a gift.
Show him three ready-made bunches and let him pick the one that looks best to him
He picks one and it is perfectly nice. But you have missed the chance to make something that suits his mum. A ready-made choice is quick, and he came for something special.
The roses in the cool room look a bit tired. They are for the big order this afternoon, but I think some of them have started to droop. I can hide the droopy ones in the middle of the arrangement. Will that be okay?
Hide them in the middle, because there is no time to find replacements
The arrangement looks good on delivery and wilts by the evening. The customer sends a photo the next day. Hiding the problem moved it onto the customer.
Sort the roses, use the good ones for the order, and re-cut and refresh the tired ones for a smaller bunch or the counter
The order looks good, but you are short of roses for another bouquet, and the refreshed ones are not perfect. You protected the customer, though a quick call to the market for a few replacements would have helped.
Sort them, order a few fresh roses from the market, and use the tired ones for another job where they will be fine
The market delivers within the hour, and the order goes out fresh. The tired roses become a gift for the nursing home, where they look wonderful. Nothing is wasted and nothing misleading is sold.
I need flowers for my sister's funeral on Friday. I do not know what to say or what is suitable. I am sorry to bother you with this. I think she liked blue, but I can't remember. I am a bit lost.
Take your time, offer a few gentle ideas, ask about her sister, and tell her what you can have ready
Mrs Kovac tells you a little about her sister, and you design something soft and personal in blue and white. She says she felt looked after. Listening was as important as the flowers.
Tell her to choose from the funeral range on your website and order online, because you are busy
She orders from the website and the flowers are fine, but she hung up feeling more alone than before. A short, kind conversation would have taken five minutes.
Suggest the biggest arrangement, because a funeral deserves it
She agrees because she wants to do the right thing, but later regrets the cost and it does not suit her sister. The right amount is the one that suits the person.
How it went
Mother's Day week ends with an empty cool room, a tired helper and a lot of thank-you cards. Floristry is design, early mornings and a surprising amount of listening, since you are often part of someone's biggest moments. Does that mix of creativity and care sound like you?
This is a simplified, fictional situation to help you explore. It is not professional instruction or a test of your ability.
Case study: The wedding flowers that were not quite right
A fictional case set in a small neighbourhood florist, with a cool room, a workbench and a doorbell that rings all week.
The situation
Teresa owned Little Fig Flowers and was making the arrangements for a Saturday wedding. On Thursday the market could not supply the peonies the bride had chosen, because the season had been short. Instead there were ranunculus in a slightly different shade. The bride, Aiyana, was anxious and had sent three messages that morning asking if everything was on track.
What they did
Teresa did not wait until the last minute. She rang Aiyana that afternoon, explained what had happened and offered a photo of the substitute flowers. She also showed how they would look with the same greenery and ribbon. She asked Aiyana to choose, rather than deciding for her. They agreed on the ranunculus with a few touches of the original colour.
How it turned out
Aiyana was disappointed at first but said she was glad to know early. The flowers looked beautiful on the day, and she sent a photo a week later. Teresa started telling all wedding clients in advance which flowers were seasonal and which might change.
What would you do?
- How would you break the news to someone who has their heart set on something?
- What would you want to know before substituting flowers in an order?
- Does the thought of working with fresh flowers, with their short lives, appeal to you?