We are in the delivery business. We deliver 6 days a week (sometimes 7) to all points in the Valley area. By delivering flowers, we help people celebrate special occasions…birthday, anniversaries, graduation, promotions…you name it. We love to help you acknowledge your loved ones!
There is one issue in reference to delivering flowers that we find ourselves explaining often…why we call before we make a delivery. Many customers feel as though we are ruining the element of surprise when we do so. Please read and allow me to explain…
First, if your delivery is being made to a place of business or any other location where someone will always be present, we will not call. However, if a delivery is requested to a private residence…we will always call. Here’s why:
1. To ensure that the recipient is at home. We charge for one delivery attempt. We will not make additional trips to an address because a recipient was not present when we arrived. Depending on the time of year, we cannot guarantee that we can leave a delivery at their door…heat, cold, wind, and/or direct sunlight prevent us from promising such.
2. Safety. Believe it or not…this IS an issue. Over the years, we’ve been met by angry dogs and even home owners that don’t particularly like unknown persons entering their driveway. Sorry, but we really don’t like being greeted by someone with a gun in hand. If they know we are coming, dogs can be corralled and anxious homeowners can be prepared for our arrival.
3. Many home owners have locked gates that we cannot enter. We have to call prior to delivery to either get the gate code or to alert them to open the gate prior to our arrival.
4. Even if the recipient is at home, it’s just common courtesy these days to call prior to our arrival. People that are home alone might feel unsafe answering their door, even if we present ourselves as flower delivery personnel. Or, what if the recipient is in the shower when we arrive? If we can’t get them to the door…we’ll leave and miss them, then they’ll have to pick up their delivery at our shop. Is that really what you want?
So please understand…it is not our intent to ruin your surprise. In fact, we don’t feel as though we are ruining it…we tend to believe that it helps build the anticipation. If they know something is coming but not what and from whom…it keeps them guessing until we arrive!
We appreciate everyone’s understanding on this subject. We’ve been doing this for 50+ years and we don’t make decisions lightly. These policies in regards to delivery are in everyone’s best interest.