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NOVEMBEIl 24, 1010. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



9 



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' THE RETAIL 



FLORIST 



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CUSTOMERS' CRITICISMS. 



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Making Profitable Use of Them. 



Eemarks which come unexpectedly 

 over the counter may be unwelcome at 

 the time, but may be turned to good 

 account. Of course, the man behind the 

 •counter is supposed to know what's 

 what. But science and art are not yet 

 full-grown and it requires tact to take 

 an unfavorable criticism in a courteous 

 manner, especially when it is thrown 

 out with a sarcastic fling. Yet, to keep 

 ■an ear out for these things is good pol- 

 icy, not only for the sake of your popu- 

 larity with these very persons, but also 

 to keep in touch with the general tone 

 of public taste and demand. 



This does not mean that we should 

 keep on a level with the public taste, 

 for that would mean no advance, but 

 the purpose is to lead skillfully to the 

 appreciation of better work and higher 

 ideals. If we are going to "evolute, " 

 we must start where there is common 

 knowledge and understanding, and al- 

 ways keep the line of fascination in 

 touch with the game. Keep your ear 

 to the ground, not to follow, but to dis- 

 cover how far you can carry your con- 

 stituency on your next 

 leap. 



Replying to Criticisms. 



Shall reply be made to a criticism 

 thus volunteered on the part of the cus- 

 tomer? If the customer is incorrect in 

 her statement and is in the mood to dis- 

 cuss and receive information, yes, and 

 you may thus gain her confidence and 

 respect; and if you are sure of your 

 ground, yes. But the discussion will not 

 be found profitable if it partakes mucli 



progressive 



of argument and is not mutually agree- 

 able. If the customer is fussed or hur- 

 ried, no. If her 2>oint is well taken, do 

 not defend your side of the case; take 

 her criticism as your dose, without 

 ' squirming. If uninformed on the point 

 at issue or uncertain of your ground, no. 



Now, aside from the discussion of the 

 Kubject, how about its future value to 

 the dealer? The idea which the custo- 

 mer contributes by his or her criticism 

 may or may not be accepted. If it does 

 not appeal to you at first as signif- 

 icant, weigh it well; then, if you con- 

 clude it cannot be valuable to you, for- 

 get it. If there are possibilities brist- 

 ling out of it, adopt and develop it and 

 add it to your Thanksgiving list. Some 

 of these tasteful suggestions, and even 

 the flings, may be valuable of them- 

 selves, or will suggest valuable things 

 as we pocket our pride and think over 

 them. 



Criticising the Centerpiece. 



Now for a few of those criticisms 

 which come mostly from the intelligent 

 flower buyer, and which are not in- 

 tended as a benefit to tne dealer, but 

 as a demand on the customer's part for 

 better service or more for the money. 

 There is not one which is made more 

 frequently by the hostess at home, or by 

 the exacting hotel manager, than this: 

 "You make your centerpieces too large. 

 They encroach too far on the space 

 needed for the service on the table." 

 That is too often true. Besides, they 

 are often too high, for which there is 

 no excuse whatever, as in trade circles 

 this is the most frequently discussed of 

 all our faults. One can scarcely read an 

 article which touches on table decora- 

 tions where this caution is not thrown 



in. The height of the centerpiece must 

 conform to the style of service. A re- 

 ception table centerpiece may be high, 

 but not heavy. A luncheon, dinner or 

 banquet table centerpiece must be low. 



A Plain Rule. 



Th<! rule is as plain as the nose on 

 your face: Where the guests sit at the 

 table it should be low — below the eye- 

 line across the table. If the guests do 

 not sit at the table you may have tall 

 decorations. It is beyond charitable ex- 

 planation why so many florists seem de- 

 termined to disregard this first principle 

 of table decoration. 



Do not use long-stemmed American 

 Beauties, no matter how handsome, for 

 a dinner table. It would be just as sen- 

 sible to hang the soup spoons above the 

 heads of the guests. It is not your op- 

 portunity to display 3-foot stems and 

 other gaudy things, but rather the 

 daintier and less showy flowers and 

 plants. 



"But," some one interrupts, "sup- 

 pose the customer wants these and 

 doesn't know the difference?" Then 

 tell him the difference, unless you are 

 unable to speak the language of your 

 locality. "But there may be no oppor- 

 tunity to discuss the case, and there is 

 nothing else good to be had." Then 

 choose the less of two evils and cut 

 the stems to reasonable lengths, leaving 

 a few handsome stems long, to lie flat 

 on the table, if its size permits. 



The Width of the Centerpiece. 



Neither must the piece be too wide. 

 I have seen centerpieces so wide that 

 the foliage extended over the silver. It 

 is not surprising that many of the most 

 refined people will not allow a made-up 

 centerpiece on their dining table, but 

 prefer a vase or bowl of their own 

 arranging. Some florist, in his anxiety 

 to make a show, has overstepped his 

 opportunity to make a true decoration 

 instead of a market display, and milady 

 has formed her opinion of florists for 

 all time. 



If it is your first work for a cus- 

 tomer, it would be well to have an 

 understanding as to the exact space to 

 be allowed to the centerpiece and to 



Table Decoration of Cattleyas and VaUey by A. Wiegand & Sons, Indianapolis, 



