At A Glance‍

Dandelion Chocolate’s CXO messaged Floral Nishara on Upwork about a seasonal position to help the company get through the holiday busy season. Flora’s CX experience and skill set was such a great fit that she was asked to stay, eventually stepping into the role of Director of CX and Partnerships. You’ll be inspired by how combining a personal approach to CX and brand values with technology, Flora and her team are helping customers experience luxury chocolate in new and exciting ways.

Who is Flora?‍

Meet Flora Nishihara, Director of CX and Partnerships at Dandelion Chocolate!

About Dandelion Chocolate

Dandelion Chocolate is a bean-to-bar chocolate factory that began in the Mission District of San Francisco. For over 10 years. Dandelion Chocolate has been making single-origin dark chocolate from only two ingredients: cocoa beans and organic sugar.

Flora’s CX Journey

Flora was working as a CX Manager for a beauty tech company when Elaine Wherry, the CXO of Dandelion Chocolate, reached out to her on a talent platform. “She said, ‘I’ve looked at your profile. We desperately need someone to help us during the holiday season when things really ramp up,’” Flora recalls. Despite the 9-hour time difference—Flora lives in Spain while Dandelion Chocolate is based in San Francisco—she was intrigued. At the time, Flora was working independently but craved a more collaborative work culture with people to “spin ideas off of.”

Taking the temporary role proved to be the right move. She was asked to stay on, and since joining Dandelion Chocolate three years ago, Flora has progressed from Guest Care and Corporate Sales Manager to her current role as Director of CX and Partnerships.

The Guest Care Team at Dandelion Chocolate

At Dandelion Chocolate, the CX Team, known as the Guest Care team, has grown significantly since Flora joined. In her first year, she managed one permanent team member and five seasonal agents; three of those agents stayed, and she now oversees a core team of four. To support the busy holiday season (November–December accounts for 65% of sales), she continues to bring in seasonal staff. Initially, she hired through Upwork but now partners with the New York-based BPO, Create CX, to source talent. The fully remote team is based in Las Vegas, NV; Orange County, CA; and Vancouver, Canada.

What Flora Looks for in a Guest Care Agent

To ensure agents are well-equipped to provide support during the busy holiday season, Flora seeks candidates who are fully fluent in Gorgias, Shopify, Aircall, and ShipStation. Ideal candidates should have experience with high-touch E-Commerce businesses, preferably within the luxury food space. Because the team culture is tight-knit, Flora places a strong emphasis on personality. She explains, “We’re very, very close. We’re like a little family, so we need someone who has a spark and can vibe with us.”

Guest Care Team Success Factors

Metrics and KPIS Flora is Tracking‍

Unlike most e-commerce companies, Dandelion Chocolate doesn’t rely on CSAT surveys. Instead, they gather direct customer feedback and evaluate recorded customer calls to assess CX performance. “We have a very, very strong brand voice,” Flora says. “So, there’s a lot of training - not just on our processes, but on how we speak to customers.” The goal is to make every customer feel like a VIP and completely at ease. “I always say it’s like talking to your favorite aunt - that’s how comfortable you should be when speaking with our customers,” she adds. “Respectful but casual and like you know them.”

How Dandelion Chocolate Deals with Escalations‍

Dandelion Chocolate’s generous policies help resolve customer issues before they escalate. Team members are empowered to assess situations and independently make decisions on refunds or compensation. Flora personally handles the rare cases that escalate, typically reaching out to customers by phone. “It’s always easier to deescalate situations over the phone,” she explains, noting that tone and intention can be easily misinterpreted in text or email.

‍Marketing and the Importance of Storytelling‍

Chocolate Dandelion uses Klaviyo for marketing operations, focusing on newsletters and emails, with SMS currently under exploration. Flora attributes their high conversion rates to a thoughtful and engaging content strategy. “We like to tell a story – it captures people, makes people open and read them,” she explains. The company also runs ads on Facebook and Instagram and is considering expanding to TikTok for 2026.

Improving the Post-Purchase Experience‍

Dandelion Chocolate partnered with ParcelLab to enhance the post-purchase phase of the customer experience journey. By monitoring key touchpoints during shipping and delivery, the team can now proactively trigger communications in cases of delays or returns. Flora praises the post-sales platform, noting, “Prior to this, neither we nor our customers knew about an issue until the order showed up back at our warehouse.”

‍What’s Ahead for CX at Dandelion Chocolate‍

The recent partnership with Order Protection has significantly reduced the guest care team’s workload related to “code red situations.” Flora explains, “A code red for us refers to any scenario requiring a resolution, such as a refund or replacement, due to issues like melted or damaged orders during transit. These tickets used to consume a large portion of our team’s time, but Order Protection now handles all of that.” The impact of this shift is expected to grow further in Q4, when order volume spikes. With the continued integration of AI and automation into the company’s CX strategies, Flora anticipates no need to hire additional seasonal agents, even as ticket volume increases by 40–60%.

AI & Topics of Interest

Flora’s View on AI in CX‍

Flora was first introduced to AI, specifically Siena AI, while consulting for other brands. At Dandelion Chocolate, AI has been integrated into customer experience operations with a deliberate and cautious approach. “It has to be done very intentionally and carefully,” Flora emphasizes, adding that “it needs a human to check it over, especially in the initial phases.” She is currently in the process of onboarding with Siena AI, believing the automation platform aligns well with the company’s values and goals.

‍Flora’s Thoughts on the Future of CX in E-Commerce‍

After years of experience in E-Commerce, Flora’s watched tech stacks formerly used in other departments, become a significant part of CX. She doesn’t see technology as a threat to CX, but rather a useful tool. “I think it’s going to enhance and help our jobs, but I don’t think it’s going to get to a point where we don’t need humans to take care of customers,” she explains. “I think one of the great things about buying from a brand is knowing that they take care of you.” As AI takes care of low-touch tickets, live agents will be able to take a more personal and specialized approach to CX work. For Dandelion Chocolate, this means chocolate specialists who match flavor profiles to a customer’s interests and tastes while educating them about the ingredient’s origin story. “Dandelion’s mission is to educate people about the idea that chocolate isn’t just a candy. It’s a tasting experience.”

‍Flora’s Advice for CX Leaders‍

For CX leaders seeking guidance, Flora offers this advice: “Make friends with your team. Really get to know and build trust with them..” She emphasizes that a strong, positive team environment can’t thrive if members are afraid to speak up or share ideas. “You need to be in the trenches with them,” she concludes.