Over the course of 40 years, the two women had to overcome several hurdles. Retail has evolved rapidly. The pandemic has disrupted many festive plans. And more recently, labor shortages have been the straw that broke the camel's back.
After being forced to lay off all staff during the Corona years, the two women had no choice but to return to work behind the counter when stores reopened due to staff shortages.
Without the pandemic, we would never have been able to contact customers again. Without really knowing it, we neglected to make bouquets, Josée admits.
Over the years, the two partners had left customer service to run the business, work on events outside of the store and start new projects. Like becoming a florist…a few weeks before Valentine's Day. But the pandemic slowed their momentum.
We were really at our peak in 2019. At the time, we didn't know that our timing wasn't good, but we achieved peak sales, reveals Andrée.
This year, Andrée and Josée had nine full-time employees and were responsible for hundreds of events in Quebec, from a little boy's party to the complete decoration of the Salon de la Femme. The company offered turnkey experiences for all types of events. She had her own website and an inventory of decorations suitable for any party.
Thanks to the employees behind the counter, entrepreneurs were able to carry out their 1001 other projects. However, the current labor shortage is far from resolved and has led the two women to a simple observation: They are tired.
“The lack of employees is absolutely terrible in a company like ours,” says Andrée.
Let's think about the holidays. Most take place in the evenings, at night and especially on weekends. With only two left, Andrée and Josée were forced to significantly reduce the store's opening hours and the number of events they planned to decorate.
“We no longer have people who dismantle rooms at night,” says Andrée, who admits that in the last month she has never found employees as passionate as her, who were willing to work the necessary number of hours.
Both partners work four days a week, but admit they have been criticized on several occasions for not having time slots to collect the balloons.
“Our customers expect certain opening times, which we can no longer offer for a variety of reasons, including our age,” says Josée.
Therefore, they only have one option: they have to withdraw and close the shop. As early retirees, they will travel around the United States in a caravan.
“We need a few months of vacation and the lease on our store is about to expire,” says Josée. The plan is to think about the future of Chant-O-fétes, but on vacation.
But we shouldn't think that they have said their last word! “We continue because we still have so much fun,” says Andrée, admitting that we have to work differently. When they return from their trip at the end of the summer, they want to reinvent themselves again.
Because both partners are categorical: there will always be room for the party business. Unfortunately, there is no replacement for Chant-O-Fêtes.
It would have been the best gift, said Josée. She still hopes to find the idea that will ensure Chant-O-Fêtes can continue its mission. Yes, there is the Internet, but customer service is important, say the two women, who have developed a unique relationship with each of their customers over the past 40 years.
So how can we benefit from this expertise while being cognizant of the challenges presented by lack of succession and retail?
“After lighting up thousands of parties, now it’s their turn to find the spark that will ignite something for the future,” concludes Josée, with her partner’s unwavering support.