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I called a customer "wishy washy"

Mikki Kavich MCPF

Mikki Kavich MCPF

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Messages
689
Loc
Crossville, TN
Company
Mikki's Frame Shop
:livid: 40 minutes into picking out for a newspaper framing it slipped out!

Amazingly it only took him 5 minutes to leave....without framing order!

There needs to be a foot in mouth smilie on here!
 
Ok, well maybe you saying that caused him to walk, but it is just as likely he would have wasted an hour and a half of your time before walking if you hadn't. Or maybe he just realized that he really didn't know what he wanted.

So, while we all want to do our best all the time, it aint worth beating yourself up over something that slipped out. It wasn't particularly insulting in my book...unless of course you coupled it with beating on the counter with your shoe! Like the idea of a foot-in-mouth smiley though! :sneakiness:
 
My wife made me a sign "Don't slap the customers"

A while ago a customer was in man-handling some art. Picking it up by one hand and "throwing" it around the counter.
I gently took it from her and placed it on the counter and explained that she might damage it.
The next time, I asked her to please stop doing that.
The third time, I reached across the counter and slapped her hand.
Apparently, that's a bad thing??
 
Cliff, I've done that too! So far, they have all taken it pretty well. I don't know if I would try it on a guy though.:smile: It is rare for me to see a customer that is not in a good mood and happy to be here. They are usually taking a break from something far less pleasant. Those that don't have any sense of humor I give a pretty wide berth. But those folks usually aren't serious customers anyway. They usually humph off at my lowest price, headed for the nearest big box.

In my early years, I had a woman leave in tears because she couldn't make up her mind. While I'm sure there was a lot going on besides picture framing in her mind, and I told her she had no need to apologize, that I would be here when she was ready, I of course never saw her again. It made a strong impression on me and I vowed to always remind a customer that we were here to have fun and I have as much time as they need. Some of my regulars might make multiple trips for something that is important to them. So far, this has paid off for me.
 
Ormond it's called Southern Hospitality!!!! :wink:

Mikki don't feel bad, I think we have all been there.
 
Yes, human interaction and communication must inevitably lead to some mistakes. It happens to all of us.

Last month a customer wanted a small document float mounted with a double mat. I suggested floating on a recessed background and elevating the main mat to also serve as a spacer from the glass. I suggested 1/2" exposure of the recessed background color, so it could be seen, recessed in the shadow, and she said "let's have just 1/8"".

Knowing that narrow exposure would waste the recessed background color and sensing that she misunderstood what I explained, or that she didn't know what 1/8" looks like, I held up my hand with fingers spaced about 1/8" apart and said, "That's about this much. Are you sure that's what you want?" With that, she snapped up her stuff and headed for the door, saying "I'll just leave, you're making me feel stupid".

I was gobsmacked. :shocked:
 
Jim Miller said:
"I'll just leave, you're making me feel stupid".
Click to expand...
I reckon she did that herself, long before she came to your store, Jim!

It's probably best that you didn't get the job, because her interpretation of 1/8 might have been dramatically different to any measuring device!


Robin,
I would love to experience some "Southern Hospitality" myself, but I hate to think how much work a one person frame shop would get done if they had five customers like that every day! ;) ;)
 
Couldn't agree with you any more Sara. Some customers seem intent on ruining your day. Then other days you get customers who are happy to drop off their framing requirements and leave the decisions up to me. I love those customers!
 
Never called a customer "Wishy-Washy"...to their faces anyway.
Sometimes we do function as amateur therapists though. One particular customer was having such a difficult time making up their mind I asked if they really liked the art. They said they didn't but for some reason felt obliged since it was a gift. Lost a sale, but didn't feel to bad over it.
 
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