You've been handling numerous daily orders effectively and consistently, but occasional challenges such as delays in deliveries, unresponsive customers, or payment issues may arise despite your best efforts. The key is to promptly handle these situations with care and professionalism. In this article, we'll outline effective strategies for managing complications that could occur in your work.
The customer or the recipient is not responding
The customer is currently unresponsive, and there is an additional fee to be collected or details that require clarification
Initiate contact with customers through our chat system by opening the order dialogue. Customers receive notifications but may respond slowly due to other commitments. If an hour or more passes without updates, consider giving them a call. We recommend avoiding frequent calls to customers, as this may impact their experience negatively.
❌ Refrain from issuing surcharge invoices unless prior approval has been granted
❌ Orders for delivery should not be dispatched until the surcharge invoice has been paid
❌ Avoid excessive calls or messages to customers
The recipient is not responding
- Notify the customer via chat about the issue
- Request the customer to share alternative contact information
(!) If attempts to reach them via chat or phone are unsuccessful, contact Flowwow Support; we may have the customer's email available for further communication.
Unexpected Payment Adjustments and Order Modifications
The customer has declined to cover a surcharge invoice for delivery
◾Situation: The address details are inaccurate
- Notify the customer about an address identification error
- Update the address to the correct one with the Support Team’s assistance for optimal resolution
- An invoice for the delivery surcharge will be issued automatically if necessary
◾Situation: The customer did not provide an address and selected the option ‘To be arranged with the recipient’
(!) When this option is chosen, a text message requesting confirmation of the address, along with the delivery date and time, will be sent to the recipient.
- Confirm the delivery address if it has not been provided, and ensure it's included in the order
- An invoice for the surcharge will be automatically generated. Once it has been paid, you can dispatch the order for delivery
The customer wants to include another item from your catalogue in their order
- Issue an additional invoice for the item's price
- Include the item’s name and SKU in the order's comments field
The customer wants to eliminate certain items from their order
- Fulfil the order excluding the items the customer opted not to purchase
- Contact Support via chat, providing the order number, refund amount, and reason (‘At the customer’s request’)
Delivery Issues
The address provided in the order is incorrect
- Verify the correct address
- Update delivery details in the order accordingly
- If updating the address affects delivery cost, refer to the ‘Unexpected Payment Adjustments and Order Modifications’ section
The recipient is at a different address, and the order status is ‘Courier on their way’
- Direct the courier to return to your shop
- Verify the correct address
- Ask the customer to authorise an additional fee for redelivery
- Contact Support for assistance in issuing an invoice for the surcharge
- Upon payment of the surcharge invoice, initiate the dispatch of the order for delivery
The courier arrived at the address, but no one was available to receive the order
- Request the customer to provide alternative contact details, then proceed to reach out to the recipient, and arrange for the delivery of the gift
- If authorised by the recipient and sender in advance, you can deliver the order to a third party in the absence of the customer at the time of delivery. Provide details about the person who collected the gift (whether it’s a concierge, security guard, or relative) in the order chat
(!) We advise against handing over gifts to neighbours or strangers or leaving them at the door. It is preferable to arrange redelivery and hand-deliver the order to the recipient.
(!) The courier should wait no longer than 15 minutes. However, if you're in touch with the recipient and they will arrive shortly, the wait time can be extended. If the recipient does not get in touch within this period, the courier will return the order to your shop. For information on arranging redelivery, refer to 'The recipient is at a different address’.
The recipient declines to accept the gift
- Arrange for the order to be returned to your shop
- Notify the customer that the recipient has declined the delivery and offer either to deliver the order to another recipient or to issue a refund, deducting the delivery fee
Problems with Order Fulfilment
Force majeure circumstances affecting the shop
- Hide your shop within the 'Orders' section of the Flowwow Seller app
- Fulfil the orders that have already been accepted
- Contact the customer via the order chat to request rescheduling the delivery or cancelling their order. See clause 6.5 for details regarding order cancellation
Force majeure encompasses unforeseeable circumstances or acts of nature that can disrupt shop operations and order fulfilment. Examples include sudden illnesses and natural disasters.
The order has not yet been delivered, but its status has been marked as 'Completed'
- Update the customer on the current status via the order chat (we suggest starting with a prompt apology for the inconvenience)
- Dispatch the order for delivery
- Notify the customer through the order chat that their package is en route with the courier
The customer requested changes to their order that require a surcharge
Shops may issue additional invoices for extra services or products, which could include costs for extra flowers added to a bouquet, a box of chocolates included with the order, or custom wrapping for items. Furthermore, a surcharge might be required to cover additional delivery fees, which could apply if the recipient is unavailable and redelivery is needed, or if the actual delivery address is farther than originally stated in the order.
All surcharges must be approved by the customer in advance and collected solely through your shop’s Flowwow account. Only employees designated as Directors and Managers are authorised to issue surcharge invoices. To do so, open the order and click on the credit card-shaped icon labelled ‘Surcharge invoice’, which is available in both the mobile app and the website. Surcharge payments should not be accepted into personal accounts or bank cards of shop employees or third parties.
Every challenging situation has a solution. The key is to stay calm and tackle problems promptly as they arise. Remember, you have all the resources needed to excel at your work, and you can always rely on our Support Team for assistance.