Rant-a-licious! They're thinking all the time!

[ffq-lar 3,574]

It happened again. My wonderful customers manipulated my schedule without consulting me.

Two customers swapped spots without asking me. One has two spots this month but no quilts ready. She hopes to have her custom ready and swapped her E2E lap-size spot with a friend scheduled in January. Unfortunately I put on the brakes on that deal because the swapped quilt is a monster-sized custom.

Very nicely, I let Piecer#1 know that first of all, permission is needed first so even if she had already made the arrangements she should have kept that to herself until I said it was OK. Why? Because I don't have time for a third custom quilt this month.

So she was given the choices of--her having her quilt done and not #2. Or of #2 being done and not hers --which means she would lose both her spots this month. Did I mention that none of these quilts has been dropped off yet? And Piecer#1's second quilt is only in the block stage?

I told her I will be gone all next week for MQX so I will have 9 days when I get back to actually quilt--around the day job, of course. And her custom monster will take all 9 days....

Oh. She never thought of that.

Piecer #2 dropped her quilt off last night.

So #1, due to a busy life, lost her spot for a custom quilt and a lap quilt. She's in #2's spot in January for the custom and in the queue for the lap quilt if I have a cancellation.

But you should see the pretty quilt!

[Georgene 150]

I admire how organized you are to keep track of all this.

I just let my customers drop off whenever it's convenient for both of us and quilt them as I get to them or as I choose. Sometimes I do all the little ones first, or all the pantos, or all the CL template ones, especially if they are the same template or panto, that saves me setup time.

I do a few customs, not too many. I have a 124" square semi-custom on Tutu now, more than half way done. They do take a lot of time.

And you have a day job too. I'm impressed.

[Guest Linda S]

You should have a stipulation on your order form that communication between customers is not allowable! The nerve!

[Primitive1 801]

Do they think we are a sweat shop? You did good!

[Beachside Quilter 704]

Looks like another chapter for the book, Linda! "Scheduling 101" :D

[Joyce 22]

darn your good!

[sewhappy 88]

You CANNOT "swap" Dr's appointments either!!!

Same reasoning-We book appointment times based on what they are seeing the DR. for.

Patients are like quilts-Some take longer than others!

[JustSewSimple 596]

Some are more like breads - they are taken out of the oven before they are done!

[GrandmaLKB 222]

Why Linda, don't you just have all the time in the world to accomodate their whims???? They at the very least should have ASKED you first if that was possible before going ahead and making the date swap. Good grief.

[RoseCity Quilter 570]

Some just don't get it.....

[RitaR 645]

Reported

[klwheeler 89]

I'm now just taking the quilts when they drop them off to be quilted. These folks that want a spot will be told to make an appointment for drop off when the top and back is finished. That way there is no scheduling except as I get the quilt.

[Oma 1,064]

A "non-quilter" would never think of these things.  She probably thought she was helping keeping you busy since she didn't have hers done.  Appreciate the thought process, but teach the rules.  I would think you have a line of quilter's going around your block waiting to drop off their quilts to be done. You really are that good. 

[Enchanted Quilting 885]

Once again, Linda...you handled like a pro!!  It takes a lot of "education" to have our customers that we run our quilting business as a business!!  Wow..big concept!

[RitaR 645]

You should have charged a PITA  fee.  To #1 at least.. or do it when she drops off in Jan. 

 

Rita