Blossom Flower Delivery — Customer Service: Operational Guide and Best Practices

Executive overview

Blossom Flower Delivery (est. 2009) operates a national floral delivery network serving retail and event customers with more than 700 local florist partners across the U.S. Our customer service function exists to protect floral quality, ensure on-time delivery, and resolve issues quickly; historically we target a 95% first-contact resolution and maintain a 98% successful same-day delivery rate for orders placed before local cutoffs.

This document describes operational standards, concrete processes, pricing examples, contact points, and measurable service-level agreements (SLAs) that customer service agents and managers should follow. Policies below were last updated in March 2024 and reflect current fulfillment, packaging, and complaint-handling best practices.

Ordering, pricing, and cutoffs

Orders can be placed 24/7 via www.blossom.example.com or through phone support at +1 (800) 555-0100 (Mon–Fri 08:00–20:00 ET, Sat 09:00–17:00 ET). Standard product pricing ranges: budget bouquets $29.95, signature bouquets $59.95–$99.95, premium arrangements $129.95–$249.95. Delivery fees are tiered: Standard $6.95, Express $12.95, Same-day $19.95; add-on items include glass vase $9.95, balloon $4.95, gourmet chocolate box $12.95.

Same-day delivery cutoff is 2:00 PM local time for most urban markets and 11:00 AM in rural delivery zones. For international orders (Canada, UK), cutoffs are 96 hours prior due to customs; fees start at $39.95 and transit times vary by carrier. Agents must confirm the recipient’s local time zone before committing to a same-day window and note any holiday surcharges (e.g., Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day +$9.95 delivery surcharge applied automatically during peak dates).

Delivery logistics and packaging standards

Flowers are shipped using three packaging standards depending on bouquet value and transit time: hydration tubes for short local hops (up to 24 hours), insulated boxes with gel packs for same-day cross-town runs, and chilled vans with 2–4°C temperature control for multi-hour routes. Typical box dimensions for signature bouquets are 60×25×20 cm and include a moisture-proof liner and a packing slip with SKU, recipient name, and order ID (format BF-YYYY-XXXX, e.g., BF-2025-0123).

Substitution policy: if a specified stem is unavailable, florists substitute with an item of equal or higher retail value and similar color palette. If substitution occurs, the delivery team must photograph the substituted arrangement and send the image to the ordering customer within 30 minutes of dispatch; customers can approve or request a refund instead. Record-keeping requires retention of photos and delivery timestamps for 24 months for dispute resolution and quality audits.

Customer service channels and contact protocols

Primary channels: phone (+1 (800) 555-0100), email ([email protected]), live chat on the website (average response ≤ 3 minutes) and SMS updates. Phone should be prioritized for same-day changes and claim initiation; email is used for photo attachments and records. Standard response SLAs: chat 5 minutes, phone hold time ≤ 90 seconds average, email 24 hours, escalations acknowledged within 2 business hours.

Headquarters and returns address for damaged-arrangement claims: BlossomFlower HQ, Returns Dept., 123 Bloom Street, Suite 200, Portland, OR 97201. For time-sensitive escalation, regional managers are reachable via a secondary line: +1 (800) 555-0199 (business hours). All agents must confirm the customer’s preferred resolution method (refund, resend, or credit) before closing a ticket.

Agent intake checklist

• Confirm order ID (format BF-YYYY-XXXX), billing name, recipient name, phone, and delivery address (including unit/apartment); verify local time zone for cutoffs.
• Capture event date and required delivery window; document any gate codes or delivery instructions verbatim.
• If reporting damage or late delivery, request a photo of the product and delivery tag within 48 hours; timestamp and attach to the ticket.
• Offer immediate remedies: same-day resend (if feasible), full refund (processed within 7 business days), or store credit (valid 12 months). Record customer choice and expected resolution timeline.
• Escalate high-impact claims (weddings, corporate orders > $1,000, or media-sensitive incidents) to a supervisor within 1 hour and log escalation reason.

Quality control, refunds, and SLA enforcement

Quality claims must follow a strict timeline: customers must submit photographic evidence within 48 hours of delivery to be eligible for replacement or refund. Upon receipt, standard processing times are: immediate provisional credit for high-confidence claims, formal refund posting within 7 business days to the original payment method, and replacement arrangements scheduled within 24–72 hours depending on inventory and seasonality.

Refund amounts are calculated net of delivery fees if delivery was completed as scheduled; if delivery failed due to our error (late or not delivered), full order and delivery fees are refunded. On high-volume dates (typically 7 days around Feb 14 and May 12–15), SLA expectations loosen slightly due to constrained supply; agents must communicate expected timelines and record the acknowledgement to protect CSAT scores.

Training, metrics, and continuous improvement

New agents complete a 40-hour onboarding program with practical assessments on order systems, photography standards, substitution rules, and 20 recorded mock calls. Ongoing training includes monthly refresher modules, quarterly ride-alongs with delivery teams, and participation in product workshops when new SKUs are introduced.

• Key KPIs and targets: CSAT ≥ 95% (measured monthly), First Contact Resolution ≥ 90%, Average Handle Time (AHT) 6–10 minutes for phone, Email SLA ≤ 24 hours, Claim resolution within 72 hours for 90% of cases.
• Operational metrics tracked weekly: same-day success rate (target 98%), substitution frequency (target ≤ 8% of orders), photo documentation compliance (100% for substitutions), and return rate (target ≤ 2%).

Continuous improvement uses a closed-loop feedback process: customer complaints generate root-cause analysis, which drives changes to inventory forecasting, supplier agreements, or cutoffs. In 2023 we reduced substitution frequency by 15% after changing assortments and implementing a two-week forecast horizon with partner florists; similar program rollouts are planned through 2025.