How Bloom & Wild turned complaints into its greatest growth engine

“We see that our strongest advocates aren't our customers for whom things have just always gone right. They are customers where things have gone wrong and we have gone the extra mile to do something about it.”

That’s the surprising insight from Aron Gelbard, co-founder and CEO of Bloom & Wild, the online florist that has redefined how people send flowers and gifts. Since launching in 2013, the company has grown into one of the UK's best-known digital gifting brands, expanding into markets including France, Germany and the Netherlands.

When I met Gelbard earlier this year at the company's London HQ, he explained what has underpinned that success: an obsession with feedback. It’s something, he admits, he’s been obsessed with from an early age.

After a stint in management consultancy, Gelbard spotted an opportunity to modernise the traditional flower delivery model. Neither he nor his co-founder Ben Stanway had a background in floristry, but they saw how technology could transform the customer experience.

The company pioneered the idea of letterbox delivery, with flowers packed flat in boxes ready to be arranged at home. They have since expanded into gifting, offering chocolates, whisky and cocktail kits alongside its floral ranges.

Bloom & Wild enjoyed steady growth over the past decade and last year had revenues of £110m. It employs over 350 people and has raised more than £100m from investors, including Index Ventures.

Gelbard is obsessed with feedback, he explained, not just because of the data but because it drives loyalty.

“We send out millions of flower bouquets, plants and gifts every year,” he said. “Unfortunately, occasionally we get things wrong, sometimes there are quality problems or problems with our delivery partners. When our customers complain, we go to extraordinary lengths to make things right for them.”

In a category as emotionally charged as flowers and gifting, timing is everything. If a sofa turns up a day late, that is an inconvenience, says Gelbard, but a Valentine's bouquet arriving late can be devastating.

Bloom & Wild's team uses data to pre-empt problems, often identifying potential delivery issues before the customer even knows and acting immediately to fix or compensate.

This mindset is something Gelbard credits to his consultancy background. He is a firm believer in Net Promoter Scores and A/B testing, applying a scientific approach that has allowed his business to bloom.