The national network and the guy down the street

When you want to send flowers, your priorities are quality, price, and delivery time. You also want a reliable florist that is going to consistently meet or even exceed your expectations. So in this age of Internet hook-ups and toll-free numbers, why not just call into the national network?

• If you order flowers from a toll-free number or by the Internet, the order is relayed to the nearest member florist in their network for delivery. In other words, even the “national” networks rely on local florists.
• If you can find the nearest local florist directly, you may be able to get better prices or perhaps a broader assortment of arrangements. Many national networks have a few basic packages; the local florists can make custom arrangements to your specifications.

The drawback to a local florist is that you need one in each location where you send flowers. If you’re the kind of person who sends flowers regularly to lots of people all over the country, you’re probably better off with a national network if only for the sake of keeping your life simple.

But if you’re sending flowers in the town where you live or if you send flowers mainly in one town (even if you don’t live there), it can pay to find a good local florist.

So how do you go about that if you don’t know where to look?

• Start with the Internet; we often forget that the Internet is a good search tool even for our own backyard
• Look in a local phone book or go online for commercial listings
• Ask around; word of mouth is great advertising because it’s so truthful!
• Once you find the name or names of some local florists, call them up. The level of service they give to you now, as a prospective new customer, is probably the highest level of care and attention you’ll get. Can you live with that?

There are a few real reasons to consider a local florist.

• If you want to suggest specific arrangements or plants and you’re not sure you can get them through national chains, a local florist is a good idea
• If you need an extra level of service, such as special delivery instructions, an accommodating local florist is a good idea
• If you like to send plants that grow in the local climate, a local florist will be more likely to give you solid recommendations
• If you’ve seen some unusual arrangements you’ve really loved by a particular local florist, you’ll have to use that florist to get that style

When contacting a local florist, be sure to take advantage of the special expertise they bring. They often have store specials, know local plants and flowers, and may offer unique arrangements or gift options. Be sure to ask them how to keep the flowers fresh as long as possible and get them to suggest gift options.

There are also good reasons to rely on an online service or national chain.

• Online and national services can definitely make things simple; you just order and they take care of the rest
• Most of these organizations ramp up for Mother's Day so you can be sure your order will be taken promptly, filled, and delivered
• If you like an online or national service and have had good experiences with them in other dealings, you should stick with them
• Most online and national services may not have a huge range of choices for Mother's Day, but their choices are precisely targeted; that means you won't have to agonize considering dozens of options and odds are that you mom will be like what she gets

When contacting an online or national organization, recognize that they may not be able to tell you what kind of potted plant grows best on the balcony of an apartment dweller in Tucson, but they will be experts at expediting your order efficiently. They may offer other options besides flowers.

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