Glum about Refund

joe

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
Joined
Nov 19, 1998
Posts
399
Loc
whitewater,wi.53190 usa
Today I had to give a refund to a customer because I couldn't cut a mat with eight openings to satisfy her. This is the first refund I have had to give in over two years of being in business. This a long story but I will only say that I cut several template and several mats to satisfy her needs. I could not meet her demands concerning the mat. MY fault...OK. I did a good job and accept responsibility for this. I refunded her the money for the mat. There were no angry words.

I am very concerned that I was unable to fullfill this job to satisfy the customer. She was very demanding and I used the refund as away to close the deal.... You can link this to the other recent topics about buying a CMC. If I had bought one after Christmas I wold not have lost this sale.
 
Joe,
Sometimes you just can't win. I have had customers complain about the "unaceptable quality" of mats that were cut by a CMC. I'll tell you these mats were perfect. Yet, stil not good enough. Don't take it too hard. One in two years is not bad. How many satisfied customers have you had? Focus on them.


"It's only picture framing. Not life and death"
 
Joe, what were the customer's objections to the mats you cut?

After I got my CMC, I remember cutting a collage mat for a customer about eight times before she was happy. "Oh, I think it should be a lighter color." "You know, I think this opening should be 1/2" to the left." "Do you think we could could swap these two openings?"

It was never a quality issue and I was blinded by the fact that they were photos of her recently deceased son. I could not bring myself to say, "Nope, it's perfect right now." or "You're kidding, right?" It became a sympathy/charity case.

In retrospect, I would have been way ahead if I had cut my losses and refunded her money after the first try.

Good framers (and I imagine you're one of those) like picky customers 'cause they keep coming back instead of settling for less. (Oops, sorry, Less.) But there are people with unreasonable expectations who will never be happy, or aren't even sure what they expect.

Maybe you had one of those.
 
Joe-

If you don't have a CMC, you should become active in your PPFA chapter, or get to know framers in your area who have a CMC and in the future, subcontract to them to have the mat cut. Rumor has it that Larson Juhl will also cut mats for you
.
 
Ouch, Joe, I know what it feels like.
If it is any consolation, it still smarts just as much to disappoint a customer (for any reason) even after 18 years of being in business.
You did your best and I will bet that tommorrow your 'best' will be even better.

edie the customersareourbestteacherssometimes goddess
 
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