After-Hours Guide
After-Hours Call Handling Guide for Florists
After-hours calls are where florists win (or lose) the fast money: same-day bouquets, apology flowers, and last-minute funeral pieces. But you’re often elbow-deep in buckets, clippers in hand, or loading a van—so answering every call isn’t realistic. This guide gives you clear rules, scripts, and coverage plans you can use tonight to capture urgent orders without burning yourself out.
1) What counts as a florist “emergency” (and what can wait)
Florist emergencies are about time-sensitive flowers, not physical danger. If the flowers must be designed or delivered within hours—and the customer will call another shop if you don’t respond—treat it as urgent.
Treat these as TRUE emergencies:
- Funeral flowers needed ASAP: “Can you do a casket spray for tomorrow morning?” “Visitation starts at 6pm.” “We need a standing spray delivered to the funeral home tonight.” (Typical $100–$500)
- Same-day delivery that’s time-locked: “Must arrive before 5pm,” “before the restaurant reservation,” “at the hospital before visiting hours end.” (Typical $50–$150)
- Wedding/event setup issues happening now: “The florist didn’t show,” “We need centerpieces in 2 hours,” “We’re short 10 boutonnieres.” (Typical $200–$1,000+)
- Venue/funeral home rejection: “They said the card needs full name,” “They won’t accept it without a stand,” “They need it by 3pm sharp.”
These can WAIT until the next business day:
- Price shopping: “How much are your roses?” “Do you have peonies?”
- Future-date wedding inquiries (even if they feel urgent): “Getting married next fall.” (Typical $1,000–$5,000 but scheduled)
- Changes that don’t affect tomorrow: color swaps for next week, vase upgrade for Friday.
- General store info: hours, address, parking, delivery zones.
When in doubt, use this rule: if the delivery/setup is within 24 hours or tied to a service time (funeral/visitation, hospital, restaurant), it’s an emergency. If it’s about a date weeks away, it can wait.
