02/15/2024
DO NOT USE AVAS ONLINE FLORIST! THEY WILL BREAK YOUR HEART!
Laurie and I had our 52nd anniversary coming up and we planned a big trip to Las Vegas for a week to celebrate in style.
Our tradition is for her to receive a special flower arrangement on Feb. 5th, and for 51 years, I made that happen, no matter where we were celebrating in the U.S. It has been in Seattle, Honolulu, Kihe Maui, Beaufort S.C., Washington D.C., Whistler B.C., or Wenatchee, without fail, until this year in Vegas.
Not from lack of effort! I began the process of ordering flowers to be delivered to our Bellagio hotel 2 weeks before we were to arrive. The Bellagio does not have an in-house florist, so I went online and found Avas Flowers. It took 38 minutes to place the order, Alex was very deliberate and detailed in taking down the details, even though I had pre-selected my choices and input all my info online. I thought, ok, it will be good to get it right. He correctly repeated each detail to me 3 times, including where and when I wanted the flowers delivered. Sunday the 4th, before noon at the Bellagio Las Vegas. (You have heard of the Bellagio, right? You know, the host hotel for CBS for the broadcast of the Super Bowl that week.)
I received multiple emails confirming all of this.
On Sat. the 3rd at 4 pm, I received a call from Avas, “We don't deliver on Sunday”. An important part of our ritual is to walk into the hotel room and have a gorgeous arrangement greeting her. More than upset, I asked why Alex didn't tell me when I ordered? No real answer, “Just our policy”.
Having me squarely behind the eight ball, she said Monday morning. I said it had to be as early as possible, after much fumbling around, she said 10 a.m. was the best she could do. I reluctantly agreed.
With there to be no flowers on arrival, I worked on a secret plan to stay in the room until 10 a.m. so she could be surprised by the delivery of flowers. Meanwhile, back at the Ranch, Christopher was receiving phone calls from Avas, asking for the delivery address for the flowers! He would tell them about the Bellagio in Vegas each time.
Monday morning came, no flowers, no contact from Avas on our cell phone, even though specific, confirmed details had been given at the time of ordering, that after Sat. we should be contacted on our cell number.
At 11:30 Monday, Christopher called me to talk in private, and when safe, said Avas was calling multiple times wanting the address to deliver the flowers! At this point I had to spill the beans and tell Laurie what was happening and why she didn't have flowers for the first time in 52 years! I was beyond being able to hold a civil conversation, so minutes later when Avas called on our cell to ask for the address, she took the phone and asked for a manager. She then very patiently described the whole story in a 20-minute conversation, repeating all the details a tenth time. The manager promised immediate action and delivery, and a follow-up phone call to confirm they were on the way.
That was 8 days ago, we never did get flowers, or a follow up call, only more calls asking for the delivery address of the Bellagio and a bill for $144 for no flowers. No, we are not paying the bill, we are also warning you, DO NOT USE AVAS FLOWERS.
Footnote: Laurie proved I made the perfect choice for a lifetime partner that day when she heard the story for the first time, she was immediately impressed by the effort I had gone to, to keep our ritual intact and flatly stated that I didn`t break the ritual, Avas flowers did! We had a celebratory anniversary dinner in the Bellagio at one of their fancy restaurants, Harvest, and when we arrived at our table there was a single red rose and a “Happy Anniversary” card waiting for us, compliments from the restaurant staff. We thanked the manager and mentioned our story to him, he was most appalled too. When we got back to our room that evening, there was a gorgeous flower arrangement and card wishing us a wonderful evening, signed, the staff of the Harvest restaurant. Such touching care and service was the perfect antidote to the complete frustrating failure of Avas.
