ffq-lar Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 A couple of weeks ago I posted a mild rant about customers not getting their tops to me in time--i.e. a customer who called to drop off her May quilt on June second. Without batting an eye, I declined to accept her quilt and let her know my next opening was in October if she wanted to get back in the queue. Her: Hem...haw...unacceptable...er..gee..I guess I'll make other arrangements. Me: Thanks for thinking of me and maybe some other time. On my answering machine this afternoon. "Hi, this is Clueless Carrie. I want to apologize to you about not getting my quilt to you on time. It's completely my fault and I'm so sorry. I saw the quilting you did on XYZ's Jacobean quilt and it was beautiful. I want you to quilt mine and I am willing to wait for your next opening--October, November, it doesn't matter. Please call me back to let me know if this is OK." I had such a smirk when I heard the message! Am I bad? Well, yes I am! But I think I'll quilt it for her. Maybe there's hope for the rude and clueless?:P:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenie123 Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 All good things will come to thee who wait.................and make her wait until October ,she will appreciate it more ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda G. Craig Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Woohoo! A score for the quilters of the world! I would have burst out laughing listening to that message, but she now knows a quilter extraordinaire when she sees one and understands due process! I can see you smiling all the way from Canada! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heritage Keepsakes Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Oh sweet justice! I'm guessing she had a rather large serving of humble pie, when she saw the other persons quilt that you did. I'm glad she apologized. She needed too. You are an artist and obviously she recognized that you are a very skilled and popular one. :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 You are such a bad-a$$ quilter, Linda!! LOL I'm so pleased for you. It's nice when a customer finally comes round and recognizes your talent and the value of your time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie H Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Ha, good for you!! See, just like i said, one should never stand up an excellent quilter. Not too smart of her there, but at least she attempted a recover and is now educated and eating crow :P:D BTW, can we see pictures of Jacobean? It's kinda mean of you to throw that out there and not show us pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judy Bland Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Oh Linda, you so deserve a good smirk, she has learnt a very valuable lesson and will most likely encourage others to respect your timetable, good stuff, you encourage us all to be better operators, thankyou! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Good for you, Linda! I really enjoyed reading your post this morning. That is a lesson for all of us, I think. We don't have to take every customer at their convenience and screw up our schedules and family time ( or "me" time) just to please these people. Don't get me wrong, I really do bend over backwards for my customers, but there are times where I need to say "no" or " not right now," or "back in the queue.". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mswings Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Well, she finally gets it! I don't think you will have anymore problems with her. Yea:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandmaLKB Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 That's great ! People need to learn THEY aren't the only people int he world and everything doesn't revolve around them and their schedules. I don't quilt as a business, but I do quilt for others from time to time (if I have time). A lady called me a couple months ago wanting a King Size quilt done and I got the impression she was heading for the door to bring it to me! I told her I was too busy right then as I was getting my own quilts ready for fair time and our quilt show, etc, as well as some for my guild friends. Well, she seemed a bit miffed, but I didn't back down and told her I would call as soon as I had time. I called a week ago and she already had someone else do it for her. That's just fine by me ! Her attitude when I wouldn't quilt for her right then ticked me off and I wasn't too eager to quilt for her EVER. She also wanted a price quote over the phone and I wouldn't give one to her without seeing the quilt. Ask me how I learned my lesson on that ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFQuilts Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Linda, Thank you for sharing this update! If clueless carrie is capable of learning - as indicated by the phone message - then there is hope that she might turn into a good customer. I'd say to put her on the calendar for whenever you are currently booking and see how this first quilt goes. Best wishes, Lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 ...... all I can say is... Perfection is certainly worth waiting for.... even if you have to wait until October. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyAboutQuilting Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Love it! Linda, once again, you always know just the right thing to say or do! You are such a wonderful teacher to all of us. And I can totally understand why you couldn't help but smirk when you heard her message. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Priceless and enjoy the satisfaction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibbyG Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Wow, isn't it nice to know that sticking up for yourself worked out! See, your quilting speaks for itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestieMom Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Well how about that...glad she apologized. What is the expression? ...good things come to those who wait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterfly Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Tee hee....don't forget to include the PITA charge....just for fun. Jess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tevera Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Good for you Linda, sounds like she ate one heck of a piece of humble-pie during her message to you, bet she won't be late again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie Quilter Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Great story! Next time she'll think twice before assuming her busy life is more important than your busy life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraJ Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Linda, I think you can put together a "Quilters Booklet" of all your experiences, how you handle them and the wisdom you always share on the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delld Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Originally posted by queenie123 All good things will come to thee who wait.................and make her wait until October ,she will appreciate it more ! I agree! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Originally posted by LauraJ Linda, I think you can put together a "Quilters Booklet" of all your experiences, how you handle them and the wisdom you always share on the forum! :P:P Here is the secret--the absolute best thing I have learned in my thousands of years of retail work... Are you ready? SAY NOTHING. When someone makes an outlandish request, unwarranted statement, untrue observation, etc----don't say anything. Don't react. Don't make excuses. Don't get flustered and jump into confrontational mode. Just stare at them. Let the silence continue while you stare. They will jump in to fill the vacuum with more explanations of their point of view. They will dig a big deep hole and finally realize, as they get flustered, how terrible they sound or how unreasonable their request is. If they ask you what your opinion is, just say you are having trouble digesting what they just said. Example: Guild Queen Bee Goldy says to you in front of a group "I can't believe how much you longarm quilters charge! It's highway robbery!" Longarm Liz: She just stares--no change in expression. No reaction. Goldy: "Well, you know what I mean! I had a queen-size quilt done and she held it for ransom for $150. Outrageous! And the quilting was simple--a monkey could have done it." Liz: Keeps staring maybe with a slight head tilt added since she can't quite believe what she's hearing. And maybe a little "frown-y eyebrows" added for subtle emphasis. (Notice Liz doesn't jump in to defend her longarm sisters--Goldy wouldn't listen anyway--she just lets it all marinate a bit and watch Goldy dig a deeper hole.) Now the group is really involved--watching like it's a tennis match! One person finally can't take it any more a jumps in with a comment defending longarming--talking about a great job ABC Quilting did and how it really wasn't too much to pay. The others nod a bit in agreement. Now Goldy sees which way the wind is blowing and backs down, saying that maybe, perhaps, sometimes, rarely, of course, in some instances, some longarmers do fabulous quilting so maybe IF you can afford it and IF the work is good, longarmers have a place in the quilty world. Liz said nothing throughout this exchange. She remained classy, didn't complain or explain, and was respectful. This is a true story--the names have been changed to protect the guilty!! I have used this technique so many times in the last few years and it always gives me a sly tickle when I use it. People who are used to getting their way through bullying tactics HATE this since they are all about getting a rise out of their victims and proving their mis-guided point. Passive/aggressives of the world--UNITE!!!!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carol rubeck Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 SCORE!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BunkHouseQuilts Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Love your advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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