dilemma

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R

Reynard

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Nov 30, 2001
Posts
559
Loc
Ayr,Ayrshire,Scotland
I had a clown(customer) in the other day.I had done a couple of silly wee frames for birthday cards that his wife picked up on holiday.Ispent ages with the biddy choosing the right frame and we eventually settled on an oil gilded copper leaf effort which was to be slightly distressed.Fine...did the job.Husband picks it up likes them,takes them home.Next day phones up to complain about the fact they are distressed....I put the phone on to secrecy.Call him a couple of very bad words then agree to look at them.

I explain to him its what his wife chose blah blah its what its meant to look like yawn yawn.Eventually to pacify the fool I decide to remake the frames.They are not big frames and can be rattled off fast.He seems pleased with this decision.We decide that it will not be distressed.It will be a bright solid band of copper leaf.Fine.

He picked them up on friday there.Looked them over with the ridiculous manner of one of those customers that need taken outside and issued with a severe beating(joke)and agreed they were fine.

.....so there I was today in my workshop happily working away when in comes the happy shopper again with two frames.One completely scratched to **** with dents in it.The other one he has managed to rub the leaf off it.He complains to me that there was a thumb mark on the leaf (no there wasn,t you ignorant git)and what am I going to do with it.Fortunately my wife was there and it prevented me from doing something I would regret.But I am now in a my word versus his word situation.I reckon I will have to remake the frames once again and not charge him.I just wonder if you get nutters like this coming into your shops and if so what do you do?I have logged this guys face if he ever comes back in for a framing job and I will hit him with the mother of all bills but I,m depressed about his idiocy.It was not a big job at all and to be honest its not worth fighting about but he got to me today.Normally I am placid but I felt like doing something pretty bad to him.

help... :(
 
Stay calm, it will get worse as you grow older. Eventually you will not be able to restrain yourself and suggest that the customer go elsewhere for framing. Since I have reached the age of total honesty, I can be excused for suggesting that a customer find another place to do business-she left in a huff but my but it felt good. If you count on return customers, you may not want to try this method, bit your cheek and do them again and have a tall glass of whisky when you go home.

Jack Cee
 
Even if there had been a thumb mark in the leaf - and we all know there wasn't -why would he try and do anything about it himself? I simply do not understand people.

Don't stay depressed about it. Just be glad you're not him.
 
If at all possible, take Jack's advice and stay calm. I'm sure at one time or another everyone has had an encounter similar to yours. Sooner or later this will happen when dealing with the public. I had a woman nearly scream at me and then ask me how I can stay in business after I simply gave her a quote for a frame job. Needless to say I did not get her business, but I could tell it was the best job that I never got. I've learned to smile through clenched teeth and remind myself that there are Heinekens in the fridge when the day is over.

-Mike.
 
Years ago (I was too young to be cranky then) I suggested to a customer that she may be happier doing business elsewhere. I assured her that - at the very least - I would be happier if she did business elsewhere.

I was fully aware that she would probably tell all her friends how abusive I had been. I also assumed all her friends would be just like her.

You're right, Reynard. You have to give the customer the benefit of the doubt - up to a point. Once you reach that point, you have to be firm and cut your losses.

Only you can decide where that point is. ;)
 
Who needs customers like this?
Fire him immediately.
Unframe the ditsies and hand them back to him.
Do it nicely.
Imho, you've already gone above and beyond what is truly gracious. He'll never "get it."

edie the drunkonputtyfumes goddess
 
thanks for the moral support.I console myself with the fact he is just a moron.

he is also "new" money and probably thinks he can trample his way over anyone to get his way.

He will be in here this morning probably and I will be sweetness and light with him.I decided to just do what he wants and get him out my hair.I know I have already done two jobs for him perfectly so a third won,t kill me.

May the curse of a thousand ants infest his underpants.
 
Many years ago when I was a young and thrusting salesman, an old Swedish paper mill owner gave me some good advice.

"When you can refuse an order, you have proved yourself to be a businessman"

The Swede was so right, and thanks to his advice I have reached the more mature years, and am still so relaxed that I make Perry Como look like a fidget.
 
Makes me think of the time I got a call from a colleague down the street. "Would you mind if I recommended your shop to a customer? I just can't seem to work with her." "Sure" "Her name is Polly Painintheneck" "Oh, don't bother to send her to me. She has already been here and we couldn't please her either." Isn't it amazing? I, who occasionally forget my own name, can summon hers up in an instant, even though that has been at least 7 years ago.
 
I have an experience similar to Ron's. Actually, I suggested to a customer that she do business elsewhere, that I would provide her with names of qualified businesses and I would be willing to provide her with a formal referral...we had just completed a photo restoration for her. Old cracked and faded picture of her parents wedding. Looked great when it was done but she thought the wedding dress shouldn't be "so white." Re-did it three times, gradually toning the print until it looked almost as bland as the original (without cracks). Just figured it wouldn't be worth the hours she would consume working with her on a frame. I don't like to turn away work but I am thankful we finally reached the point where we can!
 
Oh, so that's where that lady went! I had one of those customers that I had to tell to go try another shop. She pick up her order, which was a gold with antiquing on it(not gilded, just a cheap gold painted one). She took it home, thought the antiquing was dirt, tried to clean it, (while it was laying on her white carpet! :eek: ) then got mad at me because she ruined both the finish on the frame and the carpet. She was actually very abusive toward me. And to make matters worse, the day I was suppose to meet with her, my mom took very ill and wound up in intensive care. I had to cancel my appointment with this lady to be with my mom. Was this woman at all caring or sympahtetic? NO!! She yelled at me because I had to cancel! That was the point where I lost it. I replaced her frame with a plain wood one and asked her to go elsewhere. :mad: I still avoid her at all costs when I see her at the store.

[ 02-26-2003, 08:53 AM: Message edited by: AnneL ]
 
I think it's very worthwhile to have some business cards from another area framer - under the counter, of course, to hand to a customer you just have to get rid of. It seems much more professional that spraying them with the fire extinguisher, for example.

The ones I use look kinda like this:

<center>
the_frame_workshop_logo2.jpg
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I do the same thing to help out some of the other framers in the area.

Case in point, a customer came in the other day with a whole herd of little animals made out of Jello that she wanted to frame to hang in her daughter's room.

I said, "Hey, I am all booked up right now but there IS another framer that I would trust to do an excellant job with this."

I know he will appreciate this and all the other referrals I have given him in the past. (Most of which have shown up here on the Grumble as a problem with no logical solution.)

Framerguy
 
Ron, the fire extinguisher sounds real good but since I'm a closet enviro I think I'll get a plant mister and fill it with some nasty stuff like the juice from Mr. LeCompte's anchovie stuffed martini onions.
 
I agree with the Goddess, when he comes in, remove the work from the frames, return his money and don't worry about it. I rather doubt his friends are the same and they will probably understand.
 
Lyoncat and I had a customer that needed to take a few frame samples home to make up their minds as to what would suit there decor. When they came back they had chosen a knotty pine frame. Okay,so we did the job, the customer picked it up, and then complained that they didn't like the knots. We called LaMarche moulding and had them send out a set on new rails from "clear" knotty pine. They were a retired couple and never had framing before don'nt think they will again, but as Ron suggested I should have given them the competitions business card.
 
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