Why the Bloomex model works

Taken from: Financial Post Published: Friday, November 28, 2008

Re: Flower Shop Empire A Bloomin’ Good Idea, Nov. 10.

Cesario Ginjo wants to build a national brand of flower retailers and distributors, according to the CBC show Dragon’s Den and the National Post. His position is that if he could find investors to finance his idea of creating a Canada-wide florist, he could “hit the ground running, open a new location and do $200,000 to $300,000 a year in business.”

This idea would be a unique one, except Bloomex ( bloomex.ca)has already implemented this business concept. Since 2005, Bloomex has been Canada’s largest florist. It has production facilities in seven major Canadian cities — Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax. Bloomex is the only Canadian online florist that can deliver to over 97% of the Canadian population from its own production facilities. In the Bloomex model, flowers are bought directly from the growers, eliminating the expensive middleman and overhead expenses. It also reduces transit time from growers to Bloomex production facilities, which equates to fresher flowers that last longer at a better price.

Bloomex has more cost-effective practices by reducing overhead expenses with warehouses, as opposed to store front retail, and passing the savings on to consumers. The Bloomex business model allows us to design and deliver fresh cut flower bouquets at 35%-50% cheaper than traditional florists.

Michelle Robitaille, Public Relations Manager, Bloomex.

National Florist Gives Hope With Christmas Charity Gift

On August 15th, 2008, Bloomex announced the launch of the Give Hope Collection, a corporate initiative to support the fight against cancer. For the duration of this campaign, 10 to 15 percent of the sales of 12 individual bouquets will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society to support cancer research. Since its inception, only three months ago, Bloomex is proud to report that $10,500.00 has been raised through the sales of the Give Hope Collection.

"We are very pleased with the success of this campaign, still in its infancy. Over $10,000 raised for cancer research is an incredible feat which all of us at Bloomex are proud to be a part of," says Michelle Robitaille, Public Relations Manager for Bloomex. "We anticipate the remainder of our partnership to be monumental in terms of contributions for cancer research."

“The staff and volunteers of the Canadian Cancer Society are grateful for the generosity of Bloomex and its customers,” says Lesley Ring, Director, Corporate Development, Canadian Cancer Society. “Progress against cancer is made one donation at a time and the proceeds from the Give Hope Collection will help support Canada’s best cancer research and make a real difference in our efforts in the fight against cancer.”

Bloomex projects that the holiday season will yield an increase in sales of the Give Hope Collection, resulting in an increased donation to the Cancer Society. Bloomex has been so impressed at the consumer response to the Give Hope Collection, that it has introduced a special gift basket for the holiday season. The newly designed basket, named Give Hope Basket, will feature an assortment of premium quality cookies, candies and holiday snacks. Bloomex has announced that 20 per cent of the sales of the Give Hope Basket will be donated for cancer research. The Canadian Cancer Society and Bloomex have introduced a way for Canadians to make a difference while sending their holiday gifts. The entire give hope collection can be found at bloomex.ca/give-hope. The Give Hope Basket will officially be launched on November 20th and end Dec. 31st, 2008.

About Bloomex

Bloomex is a Canadian Online Flower Delivery company, offering various floral and gift arrangements throughout Canada and the U.S. via its online computerized system. The Bloomex website acts as a storefront allowing consumers worldwide to place orders online themselves, chat with a live agent or place orders through a 1-800 number. Bloomex has same day delivery to almost any location in Canada, and orders can be placed 24 hours a day. Bloomex has production facilities located in major metropolitan areas such as Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Winnipeg, Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver. Bloomex has 2 new divisions, Flowers Wholesale which offers flowers in bulk to the general population and Bloomex Wedding Flowers, where they have wedding consultants to help with wedding flower selections.

About the Canadian Cancer Society

The Canadian Cancer Society is a national community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is to eradicate cancer and to enhance the quality of life of people living with cancer. When you want to know more about cancer, visit our website www.cancer.ca or call our toll-free, bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1 888 939-3333.

Bloomex Innovation Is Dragon Den's Misinformation

OTTAWA, November 14th, 2008 -Cesario Ginjo pitched an idea to the Dragon's Den with implementation of a new concept; he wants to build a national brand of flower retailers and distributors according to the CBC Dragon's Den and the National Post. His position is that if he could find investors to finance his idea of creating a Canada wide florist, he can “hit the ground running, open a new location and do $200,000 to $300,000 a year in business.”

To quote Mr. Ginjo: "With that base of sales you have the volume and the buying power to compete with the entire market. It would be like a chain store coming into the market. If you start plopping stores in seven to eight major locations in Canada, which is my idea. Now you can say, "We are a national brand."

This idea would be a unique one, except Bloomex has already implemented this business concept since 2005. Bloomex is Canada's largest florist. It has production facilities in 7 major Canadian cities, located in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax. Bloomex is the only Canadian online florist that can deliver to over 97% of the Canadian population from it's own production facilities. President of Bloomex, Dimitri Lokhonia who has been in the flower industry for over 9 years, adapted the Bloomex business model after noticing a similar model being used successfully in the U.S.. He began with a store front flower shop in Toronto, but Mr. Lokhonia wanted to introduce a new idea to the floral industry, one completely different than even FTD, and unique to Canada. Bloomex business model is to buy the flowers directly from the growers, which eliminates the expensive middleman and overhead expenses. It also reduces transit time from growers directly to Bloomex production facilities, which equates to fresher flowers that last longer at a better price. Bloomex has more cost effective practices by reducing overhead expenses with warehouses as oppose to store front retail, passing the savings on to consumers. The Bloomex business model allows them to design and deliver fresh cut flower bouquets at 35-50% cheaper than traditional florists. Orders can be placed via Bloomex' secure online store http://bloomex.ca, or by their toll free number, 1-866-91-BLOOM.

This episode of the Dragon's Den, which aired on Monday Nov. 3rd, 2008 heard Cesario Ginjo propose his business plan to the 5 moguls by beginning with, "So today, you cannot buy flowers in any major city in Canada and get the same product over and over". When asked by one of the moguls, "There's nothing equivalent in Canada?” Cesario replied "No". As a national Canadian florist, with a consistent supply chain to all company owned facilities, Bloomex provides the same products and services from coast to coast.

Mr. Treliving of the Dragon's Den responds to this proposal with, "We can't be in a situation where we are a startup thinking it might work. We should be taking this to another level. It's eight years old and hasn't taken off. Why? Is it a great idea and it's a small business or is it a great idea and a big business? That's what the due diligence will tell us." Bloomex can state that it is a great idea and a big business; their success in the past 2 years has shown that there is a demand for a Canadian online florist providing fresh cut flowers at better prices.

Bloomex Public Relations Manager, Michelle Robitaille comments, “We are outraged that no research was done to recognize Bloomex’s presence in this industry, being we are the largest and fastest growing florist in Canada whose continued growth is attributed to our patented F3 Fresh Flower Formula business model. Our unique model means we don’t have to “Rape and Pillage”. Our extensive contributions to a national charity like the Canadian Cancer Society have demonstrated that Bloomex is Canada’s floral preference. We welcome the challenge of others attempting to market a brand superior to Bloomex."

Since Bloomex's introduction to the market in 2005, they have bloomed to a staggering 200% sales increase just in the past 6 months. It has opened 4 new production facilities across the country, 2 of those facilities in Halifax and Winnipeg opened this past summer. They anticipate the opening of 3 new locations within the year. Bloomex had also launched a Flowers Wholesale division, which enables the general public to purchase bulk flowers for weddings, events, etc at a fraction of the regular price. Bloomex is the only Canadian wholesale florist that sells directly to consumers. Bloomex also has a wedding division of professional floral designers, arranging beautiful wedding flowers at practical prices.

Bloomex Media
http://bloomex.ca
publicrelations@bloomex.ca
613-963-0484

6 Tips To Make Your Fresh Cut Flowers Last

The gift of flowers is often immeasurable, depending on the occasion, here are a few tips to ensure the longest flower life possible so that you can continue enjoying your thoughtfully purchased flowers.

1. The first thing you want to do after receiving your beautiful fresh cut bouquet of flowers, is find the perfect vase. Tall flowers like gladiolas, delphiniums, and tulips use a taller, slimmer vase. Short flowers like lilacs, peonies, use a smaller stockier vase.
2. The most common cause of deterioration of flowers is the bacterium that lingers in the vases; ensure your vase is clean. Fill it with fresh clean water, and add the floral food provided by the florist.
3. Cut off excessive leaves and greenery which will just absorb the water and nutrients that you want to go to your flowers. Cut any of the leaves lower down the stem which are submerged under water, to prevent the spread of bacteria.
4. Next, cut the bottom of the stems on an angle (about 45 degrees) to open the flower stems up to receive the water and nutrients. Criss-cross the stems while placing them in the vase to create a fuller look.
5. Never place your flowers in bright or overheated areas in your home, this encourages bacteria to breed, contributing to excess water loss.
6. Replace the water in the vase with fresh clean water every 2-3 days
   

Enjoy your flowers!

BLOOMEX CUSTOMER REVIEWS

Bloomex.ca continually strives to provide the highest quality flowers at the best prices. Over the last 2 years, Bloomex has blossomed into Canada's fastest growing online florist. We care deeply about our customers, and our continued success depends on their satisfaction.

Here, clients are able to post their company reviews and feedbacks to help us consistently provide the best products and services. Please include your order number in your post for verification.

Thank you!

NOTE: posts without order numbers OR last names, profanity, abuse WILL be deleted.

New Product Gallery

Bloomex Introduces 77 New Products to Bloomex.ca

OTTAWA, September 2008 - Bloomex has introduced 77 newly designed products for a fresh fiery new look. The change came about after extensive feedback from consumers, showing interest in a larger selection, and wider price range than conventional Bloomex bouquets. Bloomex Creative Design team has been studying 2008 trends in the market, and has released a fresh bold selection of unique bouquets.

“Bloomex has grown extensively in the past several years, and it's important for us to keep current with new trends. The new invigorating selection allows us to remain up to date with our clients floral needs. It is important that we continuously expand ourselves and bring about enlivening and unique designs that would appeal to the general public, we can now say that we have something special for every one ", says Natalya Nogaeva, Professional Floral Designer for Bloomex.

The new bouquets come in a variety of intense colours, and mixtures of various traditional flowers, flattered with tasteful exotic flowers. Bloomex has taken the all-time favourites, such as roses and used softer brilliant colours such as pink, purple, coral, and yellow. They incorporated more striking fashionable flowers such as delphiniums, lilies, snapdragons and asters, to mix and compliment the modern carnations and roses, creating a magnificent masterpiece of fragrances.

This new collection includes bouquets that relax the senses with their pure, elegantly youthful colours such as soft pink tones, pure whites, deliciously warm hues of purple and yellow. For more illuminating occasions, there are artfully designed bouquets of arresting vibrant yellows, reds and oranges creatively presented to be distinctive from other bouquets. Each new bouquet has an elite name that depicts it's expressions, like Serendipity, Whimsical Elegance, Sparkling Radiance and Groovy Petal Parade to name but a few.

The launching of these new products have already begun, the entire new collection will be completed and fully functional by September 12, 2008. Visit http://bloomex.ca for more information, or to view the new selections.

Canadian Cancer Society and Bloomex Launch Partnership

Bloomex Inc, Canada’s fastest growing online florist is pleased to announce a new relationship with the Canadian Cancer Society in support of the fight against cancer.

“All of us have been touched by cancer in some way or another. The Bloomex management team felt the need to support cancer research by contributing proceeds from the sales of our flower arrangements. This way our customers can feel good knowing that with the purchase of certain arrangements, 10 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society to help make cancer history,” says Dimitri Lokhonia, President of Bloomex Inc.

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, cancer is the number one health concern of Canadians and two in five Canadians will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime. Through research, advocacy and information and support programs, the Canadian Cancer Society works towards achieving its mission of eradicating cancer and enhancing the quality of life for people living with the disease.

“We are excited to be part of this initiative, and look forward to an exciting relationship, which will ultimately help save lives,” says Michelle Robitaille, Public Relations Manager for Bloomex Inc. “Since the gift of flowers has special meaning to those sending and receiving them, we wanted our best selling arrangements to be even more meaningful, knowing that together we are battling a disease that affects so many.”

“Give Hope Collection” on Bloomex’s website will feature 12 of its best selling arrangements. For each of these arrangements sold, 10 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Society in support of cancer research. Graphics of participating products will indicate that a portion of the proceeds will be contributed to fund cancer research. Every month, Bloomex will feature one of these arrangements and 15 percent of the proceeds of this product will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society. This month’s featured arrangement is Morning Glory.

Each featured arrangement will include a special tag informing the recipient that the sender is a proud supporter of the Canadian Cancer Society. The cost of cancer is immeasurable – both in terms of the lives that are affected by the disease and the economic cost of cancer and we are proud that every dollar donated to the Canadian Cancer Society through this campaign will help to make a difference in the fight against cancer.

For more information about the Canadian Cancer Society please visit www.cancer.ca. For more information about the relationship between Bloomex and the Canadian Cancer Society, please go to http://bloomex.ca/give-hope.

http://www.wireservice.ca/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=368

BLOOMEX LAUNCHES NEW FUNERAL PRODUCTS

OTTAWA, July 2008 - Bloomex, the fastest growing online florist in Canada, has redesigned its funeral arrangement and products for a fresh new spin to depict the universal changing of opinions when it comes to selection of funeral products.

Bloomex Creative Design team has been studying 2008 trends in the market, and has released a fresh bold selection of funeral arrangements.

“The growing change in attitude towards funerals has given us new ideas of how we can design funeral arrangements that celebrate the life of someone departed, and as society changes, we are changing with them to meet their needs, “ says Jeff Godfrey, Marketing Manager for Bloomex. “The loss of a loved one is definitely tragic in that they are departed from our Earth, but they are not departed from our memories and hearts. More and more people are celebrating the life of a recently departed, and thus want colours, scents and flowers to portray joy, celebration and festivities of times shared with that special someone.”

The new arrangements come in a variety of intense colours, and mixtures of various traditional flowers, flattered with tasteful exotic flowers. We have taken the all-time favourites, such as roses and used softer brilliant colours such as pink, purple, coral, and yellow. We incorporated more striking colourful flowers such as delphiniums, lilies, gladiolus and asters, to mix and compliment the traditional carnations and roses, creating a magnificent masterpiece of fragrances illustrating the joy and commemoration of a special person that will be dearly missed and forever remembered.

Bloomex Management realizes that not all generations share this new concept of funerals arrangements, in which we have continued to offer our traditional funeral products. These collections are just as beautiful and elegant as the modern ones, however they concentrate on less vibrant colourful flowers, generally using red, white, soft hues of purple and yellow. The conventional flowers such as carnations and roses are still the popular favourites among the traditional funeral arrangements.

As well as initiating new vibrant colours to our new funeral products, we have also implemented unique inventive designs not offered in the past. Included in these new products and collections are casket sprays of vibrantly luscious Gerberas daisies, standing wreaths in both traditional colours, and festive exciting colours and flowers. Bloomex offers an array of modern, contemporary, and remarkable funeral arrangements that cater to your preferences and needs, and to top it off, we also provide customer orders.

CANADIAN ONLINE FLOWER COMPANY TAKES COMPLAINTS SERIOUSLY


OTTAWA, June, 2008 - Bloomex, the fastest growing online florist in Canada, has come together with Ellen Roseman of the Toronto Star. This encounter came about after several customer complaints were published on Ellen Roseman’s blog site, which had imprecision of Bloomex policies and procedures.

Mrs. Roseman, who describes herself as an advocator for consumer issues, positions herself on the side of the consumer to battle alongside annoyed, testy and disgruntled consumers in their dealings with big companies. Her blog site is just that, a place for discontented consumers to voice their experiences, and deter others from dealing with certain corporations.

The owner and President of Bloomex, Dimitri Lokhonia, met personally with Ellen Roseman to give clarification, and resolve some of the misapprehension of Bloomex policies. Mr. Lokhonia admits that there have been mistakes in the past, and in an effort to correct these issues, we implemented a new system that will allow customers to get answers to their questions almost immediately. “We could not possibly predict the enormous growth of Bloomex, especially in the past year”, says Dimitri Lokhonia. “We realized we needed a more interactive, customer centric system that is easily available, and understandable to our customers, which is why we created these two new systems”

Bloomex, a national Canadian online floral company, offering various floral and gift arrangements throughout Canada and the U.S. via its online computerized system. Since it’s inauguration in January 2006, Bloomex has grown to an exponential growth rate of 200%. The magnitude of its success was unpredictable, and in the light of this development, Bloomex Management implemented new systems to properly deal with the quantity of orders being placed, designed and shipped.

With the initial installation stages now complete, Bloomex was pleased to announce the implementation a state-of-the-art customer service system in order to keep pace with the company's dynamic growth. This new approach to customer service will dramatically reduce hold times, eliminate the need for customers to repeat information after arriving at a live customer care representative and even allow customers to chat live with a service agent, resolving their issues faster and more conveniently. In addition to this ultra-modern customer service system that has received optimistic reviews, a new tracking system will work in conjunction and hold all our employees accountable. Bloomex anticipates this new tracking system will improve overall customer satisfaction.
”Our customers are always our #1 priority and we continuously strive to provide the very best products and services”, says Angela Malik, Customer Service Manager of Bloomex. “ We are confident that our two new systems will alleviate some of the issues that have faced us in the past.”

After the initial meeting with Ellen Roseman, Dimitri Lokhonia placed Michelle Robitaille, the Public Relations Manager at Bloomex and Ellen Roseman in contact to assess some of the past complaints, and give Bloomex an opportunity to correct situations where they made mistakes. Michelle Robitaille has reviewed each complaint seriously, extracting all order details from the Bloomex system to determine accountability and try to rectify them. This has initiated customer refunds, credits, discounts and re-sending of products where Bloomex has taken the initiative to regain customers that have had unsatisfactory dealing with Bloomex, as well as ensuring these concerns do not arise in the future.

“Our goal is to address the issues of past Bloomex clients, and offer them reasonable compensation where we made mistakes. Due to the nature of our business, and human error, we do make mistakes, but we always try to resolve these as quickly as possible to maintain customer satisfaction.” Says Michelle Robitaille. “We have made several changes to our website so that our policies and guarantees are easily visible in numerous locations across our website, eliminating unjust expectations. Bloomex’s business model continually permits them to provide the freshest flowers possible at the lowest price.”

Interview with Bloomex Wedding Consultant, Michelle Brazeau

By Alyssa Julie

Designing the perfect wedding at a low cost is a lot easier than most people believe. That’s thanks to companies such as Bloomex, which sells beautiful flowers at extremely low-costs. The company has an expert team of florists that can design the perfect arrangements for your weddings, or they can sell you a selection of beautiful flowers at a wholesale price that won’t break your budget. That’s a great option for young and crafty couples that want a beautiful wedding, but don’t have as much money to spend. Although the company has been around for 10 years, the wholesale division of the company is relatively new (only within the last year or so). Taking up the reigns is Michelle Brazeau, young-women with a background in forestry and a passion for plants of all kinds. She jumped headfirst into her career with the company and has been rising quickly through the ranks ever since. She is now the wedding and wholesale’s consultant for Canada’s largest online flower company.

Bloomex, she explains, is able to offer bulk flowers at such affordable prices because they deal directly with the growers. There is no middle- man to speak of. That means the flowers they sell are beautiful and fresh and since they are grown in Canada, they don’t take too long to reach the customer.

So whether you want to create your own beautiful arrangements, or whether you want someone to do that for you, Michelle is their to help brides and grooms-to-be understand what flowers there are available and what flowers make great matches. That’s something that can often be very surprising she says, adding, “ I was never a big fan of Carnations, but after seeing the beautiful ways they can be arranged, I’ve definitely become a fan of Carnations.” The company, she says, can also provide a striking, expertly arranged bouquet at an extremely low cost that will look beautiful with any DIY or professionally designed flower arrangements.

The one piece of advice she says needs to be emphasized, is that whether you’re interested in DIY or not, couples should take time to plan flower arrangements well in advance of the big day. Most couples, she says, change their minds a few times before coming up with the perfect arrangements, simply because there is so much to choose from. Just think; couples can choose anything from striking and colorful Hydrangeas, to Carnations or Tulips, to the timeless and elegant Calla Lily.

That said, although most brides change their mind quite a bit before the big day, there are definitely some noticeable trends. For one, brides often choose colors that will match their bridesmaid dresses. Many brides are also choosing flowers in cream colors and shades of pink, such as Fuchsia. “Really anything that’s feminine,” Brazeau explains. Matching the color of your flowers and bouquet to your bridesmaids’ dresses makes sense, because it ties all the colors together so they aren’t overwhelming.

At the end of the day, Michelle says she really loves her job and sees herself working there for some time to come. Not only does she love working with flowers; but also It’s such an important day for all of her customers and it’s a great feeling to be involved in something so monumental to their lives.

2008 Floral Trends

So, what’s hot for floral trends in 2008? The trends for 2008-2009 were unveiled at the AIFD’s (American Institute of Floral Design) “The Edge of Paradise” Symposium in Palm Desert in the summer of 2007. At that time, with the input from leading floral stylists and floral product designers, they arrived at the 2008 floral forecast. Based on various factors, the following 5 factors are the lead in for 2008 floral trends.


“Habitat”

A concern for the Earth, gentler, yellowed greens dominate, with touches of blue yielding a calm and natural feeling. Flowers and plants of interesting form and texture are showcased. "Habitat" provides a restful, serene and studious environment that communicates one's ecological values, respecting the delicate balance between the Earth and its people. Below are some of the flowers that enact the habitat style:

Rose
'Monte Cassino' Aster
Calla
Hydrangea
Gladiola
Tulip
Hyacinth


"Nocturne"

"Nocturne" exudes luxury and opulence with a darker edge. This provocative, urban palette is inspired by haute couture and celebrity culture. Lustrous hues of greyed purples, plums and roses combine in overflowing arrangements that bring together deeply coloured flowers with powerful silhouettes. "Nocturne" expresses elegance and luxury. Below are some of the flowers that enact the habitat style:

Rose
Cattleya Orchid
Japhet Orchid
Phalaenopsis Orchid
Asiatic Lily
Miniature Calla
Gerbera
Gladiolus


"Whisper"

A tranquil, calming aura floats through "Whisper," with neutral, hushed tones of creams, grays and blues. Stronger earth tones, such as brown and charcoal, provide a base, and a hint of dusty coral and shimmery copper add punch. "Whisper" invites us to settle in and let tranquility and texture envelop our senses. Below are some of the flowers that enact the habitat style:

Rose
LA Hybrid Lily
Protea
Peony
Anthurium
Dahlia


“Nomad”


The bright colours of tribal handicrafts from around the globe populate this trend, from golden oranges and saturated blues to deep fuschias and browntinged reds. "Nomad" celebrates the wanderlust in each of us while the global influences that shape our world in a vivid, exciting palette. Below are some of the flowers that enact the habitat style:

Gerbera
Iris
Rose
Asiatic Lily
Parrot Tulip
Miniature Calla
Sunflower

"Chinoiserie"

"Chinoiserie" (pronounced shen-wah'-zeh-ree), a French term describing European interpretations of Chinese style from the 17th and 18th centuries, reflects China's influence as a world power and Westerners' fascination with the country, the site of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. This update features a midtone colour palette encompassing dominant pink-toned reds as well as lighter purples and greens as complements. "Chinoiserie" offers a new take on cultured style and beauty with its exotic sophistication. Below are some of the flowers that enact the habitat style:

Chrysanthemum
Cymbidium Orchid
Oriental Lily
Calla
Rose
Gladiolus
Gerbera
Tulip
Snapdragon

So what does this all mean? Well to start we can see reoccurring favourites populate the 2008 floral trends guide, the rose, gladioli, orchids and lilies are just but a few. However, the type of flower is not the only thing, the top 5 trends are based on colours and moods of these various favourites. The distinction of trendy colours, as well as the mood these colours and flowers represent is what catapults them into the various category trends. What we are learning is that in our everyday, our moods and the colours we select depict how we feel, flowers have always been considered a “feel good” gift. For spring '08, models became walking bouquets of roses, peonies, and pansies – to name a few. The season itself was the obvious inspiration for this blossoming trend, with designers displaying vibrant illustrations and blurred hothouse motifs in their delightful fashions. Flower lovers will swathe themselves in large, graphic floral prints, while those allergic to the impact of oversized patterns can opt for a quieter take on the flowery trend by choosing summery dresses and silky scarves in mid-sized prints. Flowers are everywhere in our daily lives, and now you can customize your “feel good” surprise with a unique twist of colours, which actually have meanings!

Bloomex Introduces New Tracking System

Bloomex, Canada’s largest and fastest growing online florist has introduced a new customer service tracking system. This new tracking system will work in conjunction with the new Customer Service System that was implemented only a few weeks ago that has received optimistic reviews. Bloomex anticipates this new tracking system will improve overall customer satisfaction.

“In an effort to isolate and remedy customer issues, we have asked our clients to provide feedback as to their experience with our company.” says Angela Malik, Customer Service Manager for Bloomex. “After carefully reviewing the feedback, Bloomex Management has come up with this new tracking system which we hope will improve our overall productivity. If there is an issue with our production facility, or delivery system or customer care, we want to know about it. We want to endeavour to ameliorate our services.”

Bloomex’s new tracking system works internally and externally; externally involves our production facilities and delivery services. Internally involves our Customer Service System. How it works: overnight Bloomex’s computerized ordering system generates all orders placed and delivered, tracking all the mistakes made by the production facilities and then the delivery services. The new tracking system generates a report that is sent to the Quality Assurance Managers for review. This allows the managers to review the information submitted and implement different strategies to correct any issues. The system ensures that all production facilities are using the freshest flowers, and are continuously committed to providing the best products and services. It also ensures that delivery drivers and courier companies handle our products with care as the system tracks products damaged in the course of delivery. Bloomex can then address any delivery system issues and employ regulations to ensure recipients receive their flowers in excellent condition.

The second part of this new tracking system, allows the Customer Service Managers to ensure that all Bloomex Customer Care Specialists (CCS) are thorough in their duties. The new system tracks errors made by CCS’s, which in turn are sent to the managers. This will allow them to correct these situations and provide the best customer service possible. The major benefit of the new system is the development checks and balances so that management and employees alike are held accountable for any inconvenience that the customer may face.

Bloomex Management is confident that this new tracking system will increase efficiency in an affirmative manner, resolving the issues at hand immediately. Bloomex’s business formula has always been to provide our customer with the best quality product at the lowest price.

For further information:
Michelle Robitaille,
Public Relations Manager
Bloomex
(613) 228-7673
publicrelations@bloomex.ca

Bloomex Introduces New Customer Service System


Bloomex, the fastest growing online florist in Canada, has implemented a state-of-the-art customer service system in order to keep pace with the company's dynamic growth.

With the initial installation stages now complete, Bloomex’s new approach to customer service will dramatically reduce hold times, eliminate the need for customers to repeat information after arriving at a live customer care representative and even allow customers to chat live with a service agent, resolving their issues faster and more conveniently.

"We simply weren't satisfied with the time it was taking for us to handle customer inquiries," said Angela Malik, Customer Service Manager. "The implementation of this new platform marks the completion of the first major step in the 'Improving Customer Service' campaign at Bloomex, and is the first of many customer-centric enhancements aimed at improving the communication experience for our customers."

For example, Bloomex is now utilizing Crafty Syntax to give customers 24/7 self-service access to Bloomex Live Help, Questions & Answers, or to email their questions directly to a Bloomex agent. With Live Chat powered by Skype, customers are able to chat real time with a Bloomex agent to change/modify order details such as delivery time, address changes, additions to orders, etc.

Through handling most queries via our new Interactive Customer Service System, Bloomex management is able to respond faster and more efficiently to customer complaints, rectifying situations immediately, and with customer “call back” times being dramatically reduced. Being the only floral company in all of Canada, which provides in house 24/7 live customer service, Bloomex’s call centres serve between 500 to 1,000 calls on a daily basis. The mounting successful growth of Bloomex and its divisions, and increase in customers made it nearly impossible to keep pace with the volume of customer service inquiries.

“This new interactive system will improve customer service at Bloomex by ending the frustration of long hold times, decreasing demand for agent time, and controlling costs by enabling Bloomex to offer personalized customer service without adding new staff at an increased cost to the consumer," said Dimitri Lokhonia, president of Bloomex Inc.

For further information:
Michelle Robitaille,
Public Relations,
Bloomex,
(613) 228-7673,
publicrelations@bloomex.ca

Bloomex announces new Division

OTTAWA, May 21 /CNW/ - FlowersWholesale.ca, a division of Bloomex, was launched in December 2007, when Bloomex management found there was a large market for wholesale flowers.

Bloomex is a national Canadian based floral company, offering various floral and gift arrangements throughout Canada and the U.S. via its online computerized sending system. The Bloomex website acts as a storefront allowing consumers worldwide to place orders online themselves, chat with a live agent or place orders through a 1-800 number. Bloomex is the only Canadian floral company that offers same day delivery to almost any
location in Canada, and orders can be placed 24 hours a day.

The core strategy behind FlowersWholesale.ca is similar to that of Bloomex.ca, in that it is not only aimed at any size of business, big or small, but also geared towards the average consumer needing flowers in bulk.

Bloomex marketing team found that in the past the majority of these consumers would purchase from local florists that would offer a modest discount for large orders of flowers, because most florists didn't have the means to provide bulk prices. As well, many small local florists would deal with several wholesalers for their bulk flowers, some wholesalers being American, which would have the bulk flowers in transit for many days, losing its freshness.Consumers themselves couldn’t deal directly with wholesalers, as most require business numbers and don’t necessarily sell flowers in bulk to the general public.

”Through its harmonized network of growers, and company owned facilities, Bloomex is able to provide fresh cut flowers at significantly reduced costs to the consumer”, says Dimitri Lokhonia, President of Bloomex Inc. “Since Bloomex is Canadian owned, the flowers being shipped to their destination would be in transit for hours instead of days, keeping their freshness and longevity. The average consumer and business can now access large quantities of flowers in bulk for wholesale price without sacrificing quality.”

Bloomex and FlowersWholesale.ca are also able to offer floral arrangements for any occasions, at wholesale prices. Whether it’s for hosting of events, parties or weddings, the supply and demand for flowers in bulk are endless. Bloomex's national brand name is able to offer exceptional customer service and quality products that are 100% guaranteed, working directly with the consumer to create the perfect ambiance for their event.

Bloomex's integrated business network allows the consumer to deal with one contact, from placing their order to its delivery, reducing the margin of errors associated with middlemen.

Bloomex has already launched new and innovative approaches to further ameliorate the growing floral market, by including such options as chocolates, teddy bears and fruit baskets. FlowersWholesale.ca also has a floral wedding co-ordinator, which is available to help with the selection and design of a range of assorted wedding arrangements,including custom orders.

For more information, or to view our selection of assorted products, visit our websites at http://www.bloomex.ca and http://www.flowerswholesale.ca.


For further information:
Michelle Robitaille,
Public Relations,
Bloomex,

(613)982-2469,
publicrelations@bloomex.ca


Ottawa Ontario Flowers
9 Capella Crt., Unit 1,
Ottawa, ON K2E 8A7

Bloomex, the fastest growing online florist in Canada, has implemented a state-of-the-art customer service system in order to keep pace with the company's dynamic growth.

With the initial installation stages now complete, Bloomex’s new approach to customer service will dramatically reduce hold times, eliminate the need for customers to repeat information after arriving at a live customer care representative and even allow customers to chat live with a service agent, resolving their issues faster and more conveniently.

"We simply weren't satisfied with the time it was taking for us to handle customer inquiries," said Angela Malik, Customer Service Manager. "The implementation of this new platform marks the completion of the first major step in the 'Improving Customer Service' campaign at Bloomex, and is the first of many customer-centric enhancements aimed at improving the communication experience for our customers."

For example, Bloomex is now utilizing Crafty Syntax to give customers 24/7 self-service access to Bloomex Live Help, Questions & Answers, or to email their questions directly to a Bloomex agent. With Live Chat powered by Skype, customers are able to chat real time with a Bloomex agent to change/modify order details such as delivery time, address changes, additions to orders, etc.

Through handling most queries via our new Interactive Customer Service System, Bloomex management is able to respond faster and more efficiently to customer complaints, rectifying situations immediately, and with customer “call back” times being dramatically reduced. Being the only floral company in all of Canada, which provides in house 24/7 live customer service, Bloomex’s call centres serve between 500 to 1,000 calls on a daily basis. The mounting successful growth of Bloomex and its divisions, and increase in customers made it nearly impossible to keep pace with the volume of customer service inquiries.

“This new interactive system will improve customer service at Bloomex by ending the frustration of long hold times, decreasing demand for agent time, and controlling costs by enabling Bloomex to offer personalized customer service without adding new staff at an increased cost to the consumer," said Dimitri Lokhonia, president of Bloomex Inc.

BLOOMEX ANNOUNCES EXPANSION IN FALL 2008

Bloomex is pleased to announce 2 new production facilities in Halifax and Winnipeg, scheduled to be operational for Fall 2008. This will allow Bloomex to deliver to 97% of Canada’s population for “same” and “next day” delivery.

The Halifax production centre will service all the maritime provinces, such as Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI. Offering same day delivery for all of Halifax and the surrounding areas, and next day delivery for the remainder of the Maritime provinces.

The Winnipeg production centre will service all of Manitoba, as well as North-western Ontario such as Sandy Lake, Thunder Bay and Kenora areas. The Winnipeg production centre will also service parts of Saskatchewan such as Regina and surrounding areas.

Bloomex already has 5 production facilities across Canada, located in Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal. Both the Vancouver and Calgary production centres were opened in October of 2007. “When we opened the production centres in Vancouver and Calgary, there was a viable interest in Bloomex’s products based on market research, to our surprise both production centres were an enormous success, tripling the amount of consumer interests that we forecasted,” says Marilyn D, Office Manager for Bloomex Inc. “We anticipate the opening of these two new production centres in Halifax and Winnipeg to be just as successful.”

As Canada’s Leading Online Florist, we recognize the importance of low prices and fresh products. We are frequently asked how we can provide fresher flowers at lower prices than our competitors. It is simple. Bloomex F3 Formula is 1-2-3:

Fresher Flowers: Our flowers are purchased directly from growers unlike most florists who purchase from wholesalers. This means they are in transit for much less time and you can enjoy them for longer.

Lower Price: We buy flowers directly from growers and sell them directly to consumers bypassing the middleman. The savings we pass on to you, the customer.

Accurate fulfillment: We have our own production facilities in which our professional floral designers prepare our flowers. From these facilities, located in major Canadian cities, the flowers are shipped directly to the recipient using same day and next day overnight services.

BloomEx.ca is a national Canadian based Floral company, offering various floral and gift arrangements throughout Canada and the U.S. via its online computerized sending system. The Bloomex website acts as a storefront allowing consumers worldwide to place orders online themselves, chat with a live agent or place orders through a 1-800 number. Bloomex is the only Canadian floral company that offers same day delivery to almost any location in Canada, and orders can be placed 24 hours a day.

Through it's harmonized network of growers, and company owned facilities, Bloomex provides fresh cut flowers at a reduced costs to the consumer. 87% of orders are done directly at company owned warehouses, and shipped out to recipients. Bloomex's integrated business network allows the consumer to deal with one contact, from placing their order to it's delivery, reducing the margin of errors associated with middlemen.

Bloomex has the following 7 productions facilities located across Canada:

Bloomex Toronto
601 Magnetic Drive
Unit 24
Toronto, Ontario
M3J 3J2

Bloomex Ottawa
9 Capella Court
Unit 1
Ottawa, Ontario
K2E 8A7

Bloomex Montreal
1954 Rue Cabot
Montreal, Québec
H4E 1E3
Phone Orders: 514-312-5366

Bloomex Calgary
125- 3850 32nd Street NE,
Calgary, Alberta
T1Y 7L9
Phone Orders: 403-770-9164

Bloomex Vancouver
9133 Shaughnessy St
Vancouver, BC
V6P 6R9
Phone Orders: 604-357-7470

Bloomex Halifax
20 Wright Ave, Unit #5,
Dartmouth, NS,
B3B 1G6
Phone Orders: 902-482-4440

Bloomex Winnipeg
1119 Sanford Street,
Winnipeg, MB
R3E 3A1
Phone Orders: 204-480-8584

This is the official blog of Bloomex.ca - the National Canadian Florist dedicated to low prices and the freshest flowers directly from growers using our special F3 - Freshest Flower Formula.