Have to have by Christmas but still here

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Nada...I was on the phone on Christmas Eve and got the last two stragglers in by noon.
 
None. I had one left and called to remind her that we were closing. She was home sick with the flu so I delivered it on my way home. Happy customer! Happier me....with everything cleared out of the shop.
 
All picked up, paid for and/or delivered, by December 23rd.

Whew! How'd that happen??
 
One order - four pieces: antique citrus lables.

They were a Christmas present for her husband, "have to have them before Christmas." - No problem. 50% down payment.

Well the moulding was backordered, but promissed to me by the 20th. I told her and she was fine with that, "As long as I get them by Christmas." - No problem.

Then I got the news - on the 19th, the moulding will not be in until January! So "I" select a similar moulding as a temporary replacement so they can still be done "for Christmas," then I will replace the frames, at MY expense after the 1st. - keep the customer happy!

I got them done on the 21st and called - message left.

I called again on the 22nd - "Oh, I'm out of town right now and wont be back until after the 1st." But I thought you wanted them for Christmas? - "I did, but that didnt work out."

Thanks for telling me - now I get to eat $100 in moulding for "trying" to be helpful and to get it done for Christmas.

At least they look good.....
 
Robert Kellum said:
Thanks for telling me - now I get to eat $100 in moulding for "trying" to be helpful and to get it done for Christmas.

At least they look good.....
Click to expand...

It will always work out that way - don't ask me why. 18 years of doing it and I never did learn. A friend with a couch and a degree told me I was a "people pleaser" and to disconnect a little if I wanted to stay healthy and in business. I couldn't do it but I'll pass along the advice. :shrug:
 
still have 2 -- getting in the road/underfoot...then there's the 2 from 2 weeks before that, then there's the BIG one that wouldnt fit into their car(by almost 1 foot!!!) that the'd be right back for...figure to be rid of all them about jan 25?????:shrug:
 
3. And we made reminder calls on Christmas Eve. One customer has contacted us, one I'm not worried about, and the other is probably abandoned but 1/2 paid for.
 
I had two not picked up for Christmas......one a shadowbox that must have by 20th (it was done), the other was not guaranteed, but if possible. We made it before noon on the 24th, they never came in and haven't yet.

I also have one left from September. The phone number is the strangest message I have ever heard. You get into some kind of loop and none of the number selections work, it just keeps looping. The oddest part, it is a Judy Larson that she was excited to own and she paid in full.
 
I have nothing left that customers "had to have" by Christmas but I do have 4 still here. One is from a couple weeks ago, one is from Aug that we got half down on and we dont think he is who he says he is cuz no one from that church ever heard of him, one that the number is no longer in service and one that I am "holding" til May. That one is an Eagle Scout present for her son and he doesn't get it til May. Paid in full (over 400 dollars) and she told me if he doesn't make Eagle Scout, I can keep the whole thing and forget about refunding any money...hmmm makes ya wonder about people.
 
1: The more important the "rush", the greater the chance of it not being picked up on the agreed date.

2: The bigger the job, guarantees it will be picked up with the smallest car ever built, and that will be full of groceries and nursery plants.

3: A five by seven mat only order will be picked up by an empty Hummer or some other type of truck.

4: An order placed without a deposit guarantees it will never be picked up, even if it's your own family.

5: Anger a customer, over any issue, it will pass around town faster than a lightening strike.

6: Go the extra mile, just to see the happy face on your customer, it might be mentioned as an afterthought during a phone conversation to someone on the opposite side of the country.

7: The more expensive the moulding, the greater the chance you will screw it up.

I could go on. thought I would let some others have a turn.

John
 
I don't have any money on me for the downpayment, comes in weeks later expecting it to be competed, shocked that it isn't started, finally leaves downpayment, and doesn't come in for months. However, customer drives away in a Ferrari.............and there is no money for downpayment?
 
I had the opposite problem. Guy drops off an ugly scratched mirror. Needs a new frame for his $10 worth of glass. Comes in THE NEXT DAY and was irritated that I wasn't done.

His job?

Well....

He owns his own very large business....

AS A HOME BUILDER! What's his turnaround?

Oh, and I'm still sitting on a set of diplomas. I called 3 times...i'm sure it will be my fault she didn't get them before Christmas.
 
Despite the requisite reminder calls, I was left with more uncollected "Christmas" jobs than I care to mention. It was completely the opposite last year, when people were coming in earlier than the promise date to collect their work! I'd imagine that many of the uncollected jobs will not get picked up until people get paid at the end of January. From chats with friends, it seems that many retail businesses in Ireland have not had a good time over the holiday period. It's still very frustrating when I think of the all the extra hours I put in to make sure all the work was ready on time. Ironically, the people who were the latest to book work were the ones who came in to collect...
 
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