BEST OF A BUNCH
AN Ashbourne florist has set out to highlight the best customer service in Ashbourne, by rewarding businesses which go the extra mile for their customers.
Sheila Haswell, at St John Streetbased Freedom Flowers, has been inviting customers to nominate shops and other service providers in the town to receive a bouquet of flowers as a reward for the good service they provide. Sheila hopes to gather up a shortlist of 13 top firms which will go ahead for the chance to be voted “best of the bunch”, with the winner set to be announced during Late Night Shopping on Friday, December 7.
Six businesses in the town have so far been presented with a bunch of flowers – Chic; Mark’s Butchers; Impromptu Café; Kay & Co; Ashbourne Secretarial Services and Dorothy Perkins - and nominations are open for the next award on the Freedom Flowers Facebook page. Sheila said: “It has been a huge pleasure to take the flowers and tell people in person that they are appreciated. We seem to have lost the art of doing that.
“The recipients have all said it has absolutely made their day and makes them feel all the hard work is worthwhile.
“Of course we would like it if people sent thank you flowers, but just telling someone they’re doing a great job is really important too.
“Lots of lovely comments came in about businesses in the town who go the extra mile to help their customers.
“It has made us realise how lucky we are to live in a town where so many local businesses are so well regarded.”
Nominations can be made either on Facebook, or in person at the store.
Once the 13 businesses have been shortlisted, a week-long poll will open on Facebook and the overall winning business will receive a Christmas hamper to share with their staff, as well as a bunch of flowers every month for the next year to give to a deserving customer in need of cheering up.