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Venting About Unhappy Customer


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Please don't let this customer bully you. As other's have said don't contact her nor respond to her in any way ever again. If she does contact you take all the information to your business insurance agent, yes that's right. He will advise you. They have a team of lawyers and it won't cost you a penny or very little to use their services. Will probably be settled after one letter and you will never hear from her again. Don't ask me how I know this, but don't be afraid to use your insurance lawyers as that is part of what you are paying for...a piece of mind. They know how to handle con-artists so you don't have to.

I know this is very mind draining but don't let this "one" woman spoil your passion, vision and dream. Wishing you the best New Year.

Terry

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Contact an attorney, I don't think so....It's an idle threat ---- Attorney at $250/hour for $500 worth of quilting ---- Nope the math doesn't add up.

Given that She needed to make payments & then found something with every quilt, She probably is financially strapped & is just trying to get something for nothing. She didn't take you up on sending them back so it's really not about the quilting, it's about the money, in my opinion. Otherwise She would've said that She would not be sending them back because of the quilting job that was done and that She'd have someone else re-quilt them.

Reading between the lines here, that because She didn't say that, it sounds like She really wants you to say that you will refund part or all of the quilting cost, not actually re-quilt them. If you let her take advantage She will & I'd bet that if you do She will ask you to quilt again & do try the same thing.

Dump this customer quick & never look back, except for the following: Keep the correspondence that you have & add one more letter to your list to send to Her stating that She has 30 days to return the quilts for re-quilting, or you will consider the matter closed & accept no further correspondence after that date. She pushes, you push back & take the upper hand in a firm but fair & professional manner. This will give you a timeline for the matter to be closed, so that you can put it & this customer behind you. You won't have it hanging over your head wondering when She's going to decide that She needs money & wants to rattle your tree again.

Take care & Happy Holidays,

Jessica

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the nerve of some people! Ug. It's stories like this that make me never want to quilt for anyone else.

dittos what Bonnie and some others said about making sure that you have a 'file' on her ~ just in case. It is probably going to just go away....but in the event that it doesn't, that paperwork, dates, and records of conversations (even a note jotted on a phone call register is proof in court) is going to CYA! :P

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Hello Fellow Nebraska Quilter,

I'm from PA (and please don't send her to me), but I had a similar situation. This was about the fifth or sixth quilt I had done for this customer. She was always happy. She picked up this quilt, paid me by check and left. She later called me and said she did not like the quilting at all. I asked that she bring the quilt with her and we would talk about the problems she saw. [Prior to this I had argued with her that the pattern was not something that should be put in a border. I didn't like that part of it myself.] She declined and made several phone calls. She said she wanted her check back and I told her that it had already been deposited. She called again and said that to save me from any trouble (HA-HA), she would put a stop on the check. I said I'd mail her a check since it had been deposited. Then she admitted she had already put a stop payment on the check.

When my bank charged me an additional $10 for their paperwork, I called and got that taken care of. The bank employee was appauled that his person had gotten a free quilt job and kindly refunded by account the $10.

I don't do the really fancy quilting that many of you do. However, my customers have praised what I have done. Besides I spent hours and hours on her quilt. It also felt like someone punched me right in the stomach. I hurt for days.

I have now resolved to not take quilts that I have not fully discussed with my customer. AND, when they want something that I think is wrong for the quilt, I'll either refuse to quilt it OR have them sign off on my comments. I don't EVER want to go through that again.

I feel your pain Nebraska.

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If she were my customer and wanted her quilts “fixed,” I would seriously think about "skinning" them a la Bonnie Botts--removing every stitch. Note that I said I would "think about it”! But that’s what she deserves, to get her quilt tops back undone!

Such wise advice from Sylvia Blissett.

Of course, your first mistake was to return all five quilts without having any money in hand. Never release a quilt without payment. I doubt you’ll do that again. You do say you got paid, so that’s good, but surprising! If a similar situation arises, you can always try to get the entire amount in several post-dated checks. The only way one can’t honor them would be if the account gets closed, but that would be a big deal (a felony maybe), purposely writing checks that aren’t any good.

Libby G. has an interesting point.

I think I recall the case Bonnie Botts mentions.

It sounds like the situation is resolved, so I’ll just pass on this advice; I don’t know who said it first, “Don’t let the negative few outweigh the positive many.”

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I just read our post and wanted to tell you that in my opinion that your customer is the one in the wrong. you said that you have been quilting for sometime and have done about 3000 quilts.

It is my opinion and I awork in retail and quilt ing as well that this individual is trying to justify her actions by blaming you. please dont take this personally she feels guilty about not following through on her part of the bargain and is just being ugly.

I hope this helps you feel better as I am sure that it is her stuff your dealing with and not yours.

have a great day or evening.

merry

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Small business brings the weirdos of the world to your door. Be like a "closer" in baseball. Thick skin, a slight case of amnesia, and move on. She isn't going to hire a lawyer to beat anyone over $500. If she does, she could plead insanity on her own behalf. Think about all the satisfied customers you've had over the past 25 years, forget about this nut case.:cool:

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Someone sends FIVE?!?!?!! quilts to you when she doesn't know your work? Sounds like she's playing a scam. What a shame. In general, I find quilters to be some of the nicest, most honest folks to deal with. I work in a shop for one of the long arm quilters in PA. You have done all that you could. Keep your records and let it go. May you be blessed with a wonderful new year and appreciative clients!!!:cool:

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Wow I hope this never happens to me. I feel for you. This sounds like an ugly unhappy person long before you quilted anything for her. You are probably an avenue for her to just express it. I wouldn't take to threats very well. No reason for anyone to behave that way over a quilt which is in no way more important than another person.

I wish you the best. I wouldn't even conceive of doing business with this person again. Just keep your records and move on and enjoy all the customers who appreciate you and the service you provide them.

All the best

Grammie Tammie

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As a fellow Nebraska LAQ . . . if I get any requests from Pennsylvania I'll be getting in touch with you for a reference check! I've quilted for quite a few out of state customers, most of them more than once and never had any problems. I've never had one ship me 5 at the same time when I hadn't ever quilted for them. Sounds pretty scammy to me.

My current frustration is from a local customer who can't seem to find the money to pick up her 2 quilts that have been done for 3 weeks. $350

Come to think of it this has happened to me in December before. Different customer. Maybe it's the time of year....

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 8 months later...

Hmmm - PA is a big state, but wonder if it's the one that gave me a hard time because she didn't think I knew what I was doing. After all her borders were off by 1 1/2 - 2 inches all around and then she wondered why I called them a bit wonky - but she quilted for 15 years and no other long armer ever said anything about her work.

Lesson learned here by me - big time.

Don't worry about it and don't sweat it! it's not worth it ! if you did what you could the best that you could - it's not you fault!

:o:o

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  • 2 months later...

The fact you have been quilting 25 years and done 3000+ quilts, is testimony to how good you are at running a quilting business. Keep in mind the many hundreds of happy customers, and remember the special moments of seeing their faces, when they saw your work on their quilt. The scales are definitely tipped in your favour. You rock!!!:cool:

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I received some very good advise about lawyers. People who go to laywer's don't threaten they go. She is just trying to get something for nothing. Tell her as nicely (I know it is hard) as possible that you have offered to correct the issues she has. Also tell her that in the future to find another long arm quilter to abuse. JMTCW

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I believe all the advise here is wonderful. I do believe she was hoping that you would feel bad and just refund her money....DO NOT DO IT.

There are people out there that will take advantage of us.

The only advise I can give you is.....DO NOT let this one person, devalue how you feel about your talent. Take her voice and lock it away. If you have done over 3000 quilts you obviously are talented and she is.......well she just is. Try to forget about her and move on....far far far away from her.

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  • 11 months later...

She probably thought you would offer her a refund and she would get those quilts done for nothing or next to nothing..........actually, she already did ! Be glad she is not local to you and cannot badmouth you around town. As others have stated, she probably can't find anyone to work for her in her own area and is shipping them out to unsuspecting quilters. As many longarmers there are out there now, I don't understand WHY anyone would have to ship across the country to get a project done. She has just run off all her local people !

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She could find someone closer to quilt her quilts, so I'm thinking she's pulled this on a number of quilters and they gave her her money back. If she calls again tell her to give you the name of her lawyer and you'll have yours call her.

That was my first thought - some people have become very good at scamming others and getting things for nothing or close to nothing - she was probably hoping that you would return some or all of the monies paid so she could be happy with her "great deal". It is no different than those who have learned to play the unemployment scam - work just long enough to go on unemployment, enjoy the benefits until they run out and repeat the process. She has also probably learned that once she mentions the word "lawyer" - many will cower and do whatever she wants. You were very wise to only offer to redo the quilts and not return the money!!!! She has most likely gone through all her local LA'ers and now is trying to pull the scam on a broader circle of LA'ers.

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