All I wanted was flowers

My dear teenaged son wanted to surprise me for what is probably my last Valentine's Day. He worked several jobs, saved some money, and with genuine happiness ordered surprise flowers for me on line yesterday.

They were supposed to have been delivered today. I couldn't understand why he kept calling home to see if a delivery had come. Finally, when I got home I heard him sobbing in his room. He was distraught and told me about the flowers that were supposed to come.

He had called many times during the day to see what was happening and they kept putting him off saying there was nothing wrong with the order and it would come by 7 pm. By 8:30 he realized they weren't coming and fell apart.

He so desperately wanted me to get them today. Tomorrow is my chemo day and I am usually sick for the rest of the week and the chemo is starting to fail so he was frantic.

I finally called the company and was on hold for 35 minutes. It was obvious that the person really didn't give a damn, even when I explained the urgency. He said he would send a message to the shop that was supposed to deliver the flowers but he didn't know when they would be delivered. I tried to explain what this had done to my son. He just made a note that I was upset.

This company destroyed my son's loving wish to get me flowers for my last Valentine's day. He will forever remember on Valentine's days to come that mom never got flowers. This company destroyed him. I can never forgive them for this.

Our kids suffer so much as it is. A few little roses would have meant so much to him. How do I help him? I have tried to tell him he can surpise me some time this week and go into a store close by but he is still locked in his room crying. I don't know how he will ever get over it.

I don't know if we can post company names but I will try. Please don't ever use 1 800 FLOWERS. They were rude, and really could have cared less to help this poor kid get flowers to his dying mother. Shame on them.

I for one will send a letter to them telling your story and about how unhappy ALL the ladies and men of the board are. Can you e-mail your vital information so that Maybe something can be done. Remember A VERY large portion of the flowers they sell goes to cancer patients and mothers. We have a very big voice. I got my last delivery of flowers a day late. Maybe they will be waiting for you tomorrow. And more than anything, it is the thought. I hope you reminded your son of that. Please tell him I am crying for his distress and pissed off enough to speak up for him if he wants! madubois63@aol.com

I cannot believe it but despite my explanation to this company of what they did to my son, they sent me an e mail saying that they have handled things correctly and cancelled the order so that they have no more responsibility. And oh by the way, would we please consider using them again as their service is usually excellent. They are not sure when the credit will reappear ( even though I was told it would be within one day ).

I am absolutely stunned.

Please everyone, I am asking for a boycott for 1 800 FLOWERS. They are shameful in their disregard for their customers.

From now on whenever the subject comes up I will tell my friends never to use that wretched 1 800 FLOWERS. And maybe you can explain to your son that these flowers which you never got, mean far more to you than any you did get - and that in fact women all over the world who read this site are moved by his love for you and won't forget it

I thank you all for your responses. Thank you Tessa and Maddie. It is 3 am I have to go for chemo in the morning and I can't stop crying for my son.

I am making it my mission to inform cancer organizations about this company's behavior and lack of sensitivity. THey are a very big company and I am sure that large organizations would be interested in how they treat people.

If anyone is interested in writing a letter to the company, the president's name is Jim McCann, 1 800 FLOWERS, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590. I am sending one too.

I don't want anything but perhaps some sensitivity training for their customer service people as I am sure the nature of their business ( funerals, illness, celebrations etc ) should require this.

Thank you all for listening.

I'll write to Mr. McCann this afternoon.

Good luck with your chemo today, and, may I say, don't even think that this will be your last Valentine's Day. Anyone who reads this site knows that many women with poor prognoses and supposedly just 'a few months' or 'less than a year' to live - are alive and thriving, sometimes many years later. Remission can happen unexpectedly, all sorts of new therapies are in trials - and my doctor told me, just hold on, very soon there will be more specifically targetted therapies which can reach even stubborn tumors.

I don't know exactly how old your son is but it is important for him to understand that the THOUGHT of giving you this gift (working for the money, planning for the delivery) is way more important than the actual flowers.

I can understand he was upset that his plans did not go exactly as he had wanted - like so many other things in our lives - but the fact that he wanted to do this for you is the real gift.

I'm sure I'm not the only person who read this story who was impressed. Your son sounds like a very thoughtful and caring person. Those qualities will take him far in life. You both need to concentrate on that and not on the callous acts of some strangers.

Your son sounds like a great guy - you did a good job!

Peggy in Florida

I forwared this thread to 1-800-flowers, both customer service and investor relations.

Regards
Joe

Tell your son it was the thought that means more than the flowers. It may be hard for him to understand, but assure him tihis is so.
I will also write to the company and would also see if you can report them to better business bureau.
You have a wonderful son to give his time to work two jobs to give you flowers. Assure him you will fight to be here next year and he can doit again, using a local florist.
I will also tell your story to anyone who will listen and especially at the cancer center where I get my treatments.
Take heart and remember, lyou will be here next year.
Peace
Sherry

I don't live all that far from Westbury, NY - I am so pissed off I just may hand deliver my letter. I know exactly where their office is. It's just around the corner from Roosevelt Field Mall. I may get arrested, but it will be worth it. I hope you let your son read all the posts. We are all very proud of him. And as others have said, many of us should have had our last Valentine's Day many moons ago. Stay positive, fight the good fight and you will have many more to come. Hallmark has beautiful flowers on line. Someone sent me yellow roses. They came in a beautiful box, and were tight buds. Within one day the bloomed so beautifully and they had maroon tips. Somehow, the flowers kept blooming and the bouquet got bigger and bigger. They were the nicest flowers I ever got!

[Lolly]

What a stunniningly callous response from this company! I will DEFINITELY send MR. JIM McCANN a letter, and will be cheering Maryanne on, if she gets ahold of him heaven help him!
I will be praying for your son, he sounds like a very big-hearted guy, and certainly didn't deserve such a hard knock. However, out of adversity comes strength and determination, so maybe some good will come from this experience; a wake-up call to this company, so this type of indifferent response hopefully won't happen again.

Love, Lolly

Hi there, Don't forget to mention that these messages are read all around the world and this one comes from Australia, so probably by the end of the week they may be out of business and won't spoil anyone elses day. I should have expired in 2000 but like the energiser bunny I just keep getting plugged in for different chemos and radiation so out of sheer determination you stay around for a lot more Valentines Days and that's an order.

Love & big hugs to you and your son
Lyn

[StephN]

Never did like that McCann guy with his smarmy smile on his ads. Just seemed to elicit the wrong response in me. Maybe Valentine's Day is a busy one for deliveries - but that is why most shops add some extra delivery runners so they can meet all the requests! Hope you find out which local flower shop was contracted with the 1-800-flowers people and give their name to the Better Biz Bureau.

Your son's heart will mend, but the shock of the initial disappointment is what will stick with him. His love is worth 1,000 roses and more. You are one lucky Mom and obviously did right with him.

I guess it's silly to keep posting as anonymous when all of you have been so wonderful and supportive. It is my son who tried to send the flowers.

As a followup, I received 3 more e mails from this company, all canned replies and word for word the exact same thing. It is obvious that they don't directly respond to any complaint.

I sent a letter today to the company but I don't expect much. I did however expect that they would credit back my son's debit card today because that is what they told me they would do. No such luck.

So all around, this company is cold, dishonorable and have no interest in serving their customers.

Please pass this along to your friends, family or organizations. I tried to post on another list the same issue but it was removed. I spent all day in chemo so I couldn't do much with it today. Tomorrow I am being scanned but by Thursday, I will be contacting some of the larger cancer organizations.

I can't begin to tell you all how much it means to me what you have said about my son. I love him beyond measure and it is so nice to hear outside validation that he is a good kid. He has been through so much with me. I was first diagnosed when he was 6, so he really doesn't remember a well mother. As we all know, though it makes no sense, sometimes there is a lot of guilt involved in having your child suffer so much over your health. This flower thing was just the straw that broke the camel's back. Seeing him sobbing was more than I could take.

I thank you all so much for being there.

With hugs,
Sherry

Goodness! Shame on them!

On a positive note...Hallmark.com is the absolute BEST flower company to order on-line/by phone for. My hubby and extended family ordered flowers for me occassionally when I was going through the harshest chemo and not only did they send the most beautiful flowers - they waived the shipping fee! I even got a free teddy bear. Now that's caring about someone.

Sherry - please e-mail me your sons name and address. I have started an e-mail message that includes copies of your posts and have written to the company. I will also show up at there office to complain, but I would love to show up with tons of letters and hand deliver them. If anyone would like to send their letter to me, please e-mail at madubois63@aol.com. I love a good fight! Maryann