Anniquilter Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 Mary Beth, Bonnie and everyone else.... Why is it so hard for us to be tough with our customers? I put on my flier that I would charge $25 per hour min for any straightening up, repairs etc I had to do on customers quilts, backings. It took me ages before I dared to charge that much. When I did I was trembling while the customer checked the invoice. She paid tho' and told me since she has no space at home it was worth paying me to straighten her backings! So now, at least I don't feel bad about charging her the full rate. I have another customer tho', who is just a bully. She is my only customer who lives here in the village and I deal with her in my other business (I manage a few 2nd home properties some of which get rented out thru' her Rental business). Before Christmas she brought me 3 pieces for quilting. 2 are only approx 36" square, the 3rd is a large lap quilt. The 2 smaller ones will be my minimum charge $45 each. She hit the roof. " I've got someone in ......(a distant upper mid-west state) who will do them for $25 each inc p&p. You can't charge that much ! I've sent you lots of business, you can't do this to me" etc.... I said I've got my overheads to cover & understand if she wants to send them elsewhere. She left them with me. Also, I've only ever had 1 referral from her. Later, she dropped off the batting for the 3rd, larger quilt. She practically threw it at me in passing and said "It's pieced. I want to use up my scraps!" I'm working on her quilts this week and it's not 2 pieces but many, all cotton batting, some only 10" x 6". Some butted together with 'Steam a Seam" or similar. Some actually overlapped and stuck with some kind of adhesive. I don't intend to put this on my machine and risk messing it up with the adhesive and the lumps. I also don't want a quilt done by me to look lumpy etc. I'm dreading calling her because she always yells and I hate confrontation but I'm going to have to. I think I'll do the 1st 2 then call her. I think we quilters are caring and compassionate people and we want to help people and do a good job for them but some will always try and take advantage. We have to stand tough and after a while the customers get used to us being professionals and treating them like real 'customers'. Ah, now I have a New year's resolution! Anne H In very cold & getting colder Stowe, VT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BagLadyQuilting Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Thanks for sharing your experience Mary Beth. Compare to most of you girls I'm new, but I've notice that the favorite saying is "oh, just SID it, that easy enough". I get so boiled over until I'm having problems trying to control myself while explaining that SID is no easy task and then when I finish the SID explanation I just get that look and the conversation changes like nothing happened and/or oh, she must be mistaken. or did I just vent . . . Marilynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Thank you all for your comments and your shared stories. I didn't mean for this to become a gripe session. I do love to quilt....and....okay, I'm going to say it....dang it...I'm pretty good at it! I didn't want to stop my business because I do love the people I have met along the way. I wish it was as wonderful as it looks. It is very hard work. There are a lot of sacrifices to make along the way. I'm just not willing to make them. I started back to a 9-5 job with benefits and to tell you the truth, I love it. I get to talk to people all day - I miss human contact. I think this is a better fit for me. I know some of you would not go back to a 9-5 for any amount of money, but I gotta tell you, it was a good thing. I find that I actually want to make a piece of clothing....maybe I have a fever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirabelle Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Hi everyone I have just this minute got off the phone from an "acquaintance" you know the ones that think they are your friends when they want something. Anyway she has asked me if she can come around and pin her quilt out on my frame as it is too big for her to do on the floor. :( I told her that I had one of my quilts on the frame and she said "can't you take it off I really need to do this today. A long story short, she is NOT going to pin her quilt on my frame. Don't think she will be calling me for coffee any time soon. I even surprised myself at how nice I was on the phone as I explained to her that she wouldn't ask to borrow my sewing machine so why presume she could use other equipment of mine. That is my vent for 2009, take a deep breath and lets enjoy our craft whether we do it as a business or just for ourselves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Mary Beth, I have been in the mood to sew clothing again also...what's with that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenslug Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Being "firm" with people just takes time. The more often you do it, the easier it becomes. Ask me how I know? Took me a long time to learn to not let people take advantage. And I like myself much better. Also, you find out who are the "true" friends. Marilyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenni Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 There seems to be a few common themes among the issues you have. At my 9-5 job if there are chronic issues, you reevaluate the process to see what you can be changed to prevent these issues. We are all about consistency and process improvement. Many of your issues center on surprises when you open the quilt up to quilt it. Maybe time well spent would be to open each quilt with the customer standing in front of you and have a check off sheet before you take each and every quilt. If you consistently do this, for friends too, no one can complain they are getting special treatment. True friends won't mind at all following the processes you put in place. You have home based businesses and that is great but you need to make room when you receive the quilt to evaluate them. You need to evaluate them immediately, not three months later. Many of your issues deal with people getting pushy. Treat your friends like your other customers right out of the gate. Carry pamphlets with you at all times and if someone starts trying to bully you, stop the madness, hand them a pamphlet and tell them here are your guidelines and to call if they have any questions or a card to point them to your website for detailed info. Many of you seem to have problems saying no. At my first job my boss sent me to assertiveness training. The book we used was 'When I say no, I feel guilty'. My former boss says he regrets ever sending me to this class! Because you are in business for yourselves, the marketing is all on you. It is not like you get a kit in a box with everything you need. You need to constantly feel out the local market so that you aren't surprised and you have ready answers when you get outrageous comments about cheaper here there. You are artists, not just arms that move a machine. I wish you all luck in your businesses. You are all so very talented and I am very grateful you are willing to share your talents and insight on this forum. Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Mary, You are right, and I have admitted that I am the cause for all of this. I stated before that I did make up a list of services and fees, but i was the one that didn't enforce those fees. I just wanted to post this message to all of the newbies, not to be a Debbie Downer, but to tell them, you have to stand your ground when it comes to your services/business/customers/etc. And know your tax laws of your state, county and city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyLee Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 All of this talk makes me laugh. I guess you could say that I have been there and done that. However, I remember the one and only quilt I had quilted by someone else. I gave her the top and backing. She had to call me because the backing wasn't big enough. She pieced more fabric on to the backing and returned a beautiful quilt to me. I think about this every time I do a quilt for someone else and something is not quite right on it. I thought I was giving this lady something finished and ready to go because at that time I had no idea what was needed. The backing looked big enough to me, LOL. But it wasn't and she was very gracious. I have one customer now who my husband and I call the problem child. She doesn't mean to be, but her quilts have voodoo on them. Something always seems to happen to them. One had funky backing and was a problem with thread and needle. One had large stitches and needed seams repaired on the frame. On and on I could talk about her quilts. But she was my first real customer and never fails to promote me wherever she is. We have become good friends. I do believe she is getting better or the voodoo is getting better. The last quilts I did for her (last week) were fine. My point is, be upfront and do what you need to do to be happy. I was once the uneducated piecer and now that I know better, I will pass on my knowledge. And I have learned it's better to sometimes say no. It's liberating. Hugs to all, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Mary and Judy, you both have good points in your concerns, but even with all the ammunition available to you, you will still have the one that will need an emergency and fast. But unless you have gone though an extensive "Leadership" course...you don't know that you can say "No" and not feel guilty....at least I didn't. I was one of the biggest "Push Overs" that lived on this earth. And I can say honestly...it doesn't happen often now...and you don't want to cross me, because I do have the moxy to tell you where to get off and how far to go. There are several people now who wish to all the Heavens that I hadn't gone to a "Leadership" class...I have to admit, I did let someone who I grew up with "Rule" me, she was a friend of well over 45 years, and now we talk, but I honestly don't call her friend anymore. It was because I grew some moxy and after letting her rule my world, I decided to take back my life and make me the "Ruler of my Kingdom" and not her. Its the same way with our quilting businesses...we are so scared for whatever reason we give our control away. Maybe its the sob story that we fall for, and feel pissed off afterwards, because we realize we had the "Sucker" stamped on our foreheads once again...or we fell for some other dramatic thing.... Or maybe you want to turn down a quilt, but are scared to, because that just might be our last quilt EVER. We are the ones letting our control go, and we get flustered with ourselves for not standing our grounds. Does this mean we are stupid....NO, it means we are human, and have faults, but by venting and airing our dirty laundry so to speak we get feed back and this feed back does make us stronger. We realize we aren't the only ones out there that have this problem, and we learn how to fix it. And on the flip side "Pushy People" often don't even realize they have pushed....OH, don't get me wrong, some do and they thrive on it, but most don't. It's a feeling we have after they leave and we reailze we had the option of saying no and failed to do so and then we feel guilty. We then paint ourselves into corners and beat ourselves up because we let someone push us, and we don't know how to deal with it. I agree taking out the elements of surprise would be the best thing for all of us, but there are times no matter how well you look over a quilt at the time of intake, do you see all the problems. I can't tell you how many I have taken in that looked great on general inspection, but seams started to pop or the wonky started to show after it was loaded and I was half way done quilting. I also agree that by us training our customers they will learn, hopefully, that there are certain things we need to make their quilts better, and if we don't catch them at the time its a problem...and learning how to deal with those things takes time and energy, and sometimes a ton of venting. Being as upfront as possible is the best answer, but not always do we see the totally problem, and how we each handle those is of our own making. Also by passing on your knowledge and short comings is a good thing....if you see something don't be afraid of hurting someones feelings...sometimes they just don't know any better. Problem Children, we all have had or have...and with time we get their Voodo's cleaned up. (I loved that one.... Voodoo.... I will steal that one thank you.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuiltFaerie Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Originally posted by anniquilter Mary Beth, Bonnie and everyone else.... I'm dreading calling her because she always yells and I hate confrontation but I'm going to have to. I think I'll do the 1st 2 then call her. Anne H In very cold & getting colder Stowe, VT Anne, if ever there was a customer to stop quilting for, it sounds like this one is. You do not have to put up with her bullying. If someone ever yelled at me, that would be it. I am too old to be treated like a child by anyone. I had a client go off on me royally at work, completely undeserved. I told my manager that I didn't care who took care of her going forward but it wasn't going to be me. I refused to work with someone so verbally abusive. Do yourself a favor and make this the last top you ever quilt for her. Life is too short to put up with that crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judi Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Wow! Lots of good info here - thanks for posting Mary Beth - hope you will still show us photos of your work, you are a great quilter!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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