A customer calls to order a bouquet of tulips from a florist. Tulips are out of season and the florist will not be able to order them for three months. Which of the following is the associate's BEST course of action?

• A. Offer different flowers and notify the customer when tulips are available.
• B. Provide phone numbers of other local florists who might currently carry tulips.
• C. Tell the customer that tulips are impossible to order at this time of year.
• D. Ask the customer to call back when the owner is available.

Answer: (D)

When a requested item isn’t available due to seasonality and the store can’t fulfill it for weeks or months, the best move is to involve someone with the authority to make or confirm exceptions. Escalating to the owner ensures the customer gets a definitive, policy-aligned answer rather than risking over-promising or misinforming about what’s possible. It also shows respect for the customer’s time by not wasting it on a response that might later need to be reversed. The owner can confirm whether any accommodation is possible, propose legitimate alternatives, or clearly state the timeline and options for when the tulips will be available again, then communicate that back to the customer. While offering alternatives or referrals can be helpful, they don’t solve the core issue of whether an exception can be made, so directing the inquiry upward is the most reliable path.