Owner of Langton Flowers in Mildenhall High Street worried for future of business after being left with no phone line service ahead of Valentine’s Day
The owner of a high street flower shop has said she is worried for the future of her family-run business after being left with no phone service in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day.
Julie Lloyd, 54, has been running Langton Flowers in Mildenhall for 13 years and on February 5, she changed her broadband and phone provider from TalkTalk Business to cheaper service XLN.
Since making the switch, the shop’s landline has not been in operation and despite numerous attempts, Julie and the rest of her family have been unable to receive or make calls.
It has forced the shop to ask customers on their website, social media pages and on local radio station Zack FM, to call via Julie’s mobile phone.
“Most of the shop’s orders are done over the landline and this is the busiest period in our calendar with Valentine’s Day coming up, so the timing could not be worse,” Julie said.
“This is crippling my business. It is no exaggeration to say that this could cause us to fold and the stress that this has caused is beyond anything I’ve had to deal with before.
“If Valentine’s Day goes well for our business then it can subsidise us for the rest of the year so this has, and is, such a worry for me and I’m near to tears with the stress of it all.”
Langton Flowers doesn't have a web shop and long-term or older customers are now unable to buy flowers unless they’ve been made aware of the issue so they can call Julie’s mobile, or if they come into the premises.
The experienced Mildenhall florist said two elderly customers that regularly buy from Langton Flowers came down to see what had happened with the shop as they were worried it had closed.
Julie has thanked her daughter Ella, 28, who has worked with her mum at the store for more than a decade, for her help on social media with letting people know not to call on the landline.
Julie, as well as her husband Darren, have spent hours trying to sort out the phone line issue with TalkTalk Business and XLN, but have become frustrated with the lack of progress.
She said: “It’s extremely disappointing and frustrating to see the lack of accountability shown by each of these companies.
“Each time I contact customer service, I am redirected between departments, with each blaming the other for the issue.
“This lack of coordination and responsibility is unacceptable and quite frankly farcical.”
TalkTalk Business and XLN have been approached for comment.
