Customer education

[maggienoella]

How do you gently educate your customers without going too far?

I don't want to say too much. I tend to talk too much because there is so much wrong.

All the clients I get are beginners who have taken a class & learned to piece something together but don't have a clue about bias & & squaring & don't own a beginner quilting book.

I need the clients to grow. I guess this is just part of earning my stripes.

Thank you,

Joan

[Peggy (SewAsylum)]

As a newbie myself, I think that I would be very happy to get any input from an experienced quilter.  I would listen to everything you would say and suck in the information!  Isn't that how we share our skills with others?  That is why I am on this forum.  I think maybe you could watch them and if they are eagerly listening to you, keep talking.  If they look like they have stopped listening, I would just tell them the minimum.  Perhaps you could ask them if they have any questions.  It sounds like a rather touchy situation, but as for me, I would want to learn as much as possible. 

[LucyPrairie]

What if you created a little pamphlet you sent out with every quilt?  It could have what your requirements are of a quilt top and backing and offer friendly helpful hints that would educate your customers. 

[ffq-lar]

I'd scour the internet for free tutorials that you can print and then hand out to your customers. Try to keep them one-page and sorted into stacks or files. When you find that a customer has a problem in a certain area, causally mention at pick-up that "there was some fullness in your borders" or "I noticed that your blocks weren't squared up before you sewed them together". Then talk about the easy solutions to those problems and offer them a hand-out. Have the particular instructions ready with their invoice. Don't go over the instructions with them, and allow them to decline the offer if they want. I'm sure most will be thrilled to have a notebook of problem-solving hints. This entails a bit of work on your part but will be worth in in easier-to-quilt tops you'll get back.

 

Issues to look for solutions to---

  Squaring up blocks.

  Quarter inch seams.

  Border application.

  Seam bulk. (Solutions for pressing correctly and reducing bulk by grading the seams)

  Clipping threads and why.

  Building longarm-friendly backers.

  Batting choices.

  Questions to ask your longarm quilter.

 

  

 

There is no shame in declining to take in a top that is a nightmare. It's not your fault and sometimes not your problem. 

[delld]

I guess it is the "teacher" in me. I share info with the ladies I quilt for.

 

The magic is: HOW you offer help, info or instruction not WHAT you say. 

[shirleyl]

I have been getting a lot of new quilters lately. The first thing they say is I'm sorry I'm a beginner. I then say why are you sorry for your first quilt it looks good and you will improve with practice. Would you like some tips when you pick your quilt up I would be happy to offer advice, you can even call me with a question. They look like really I can ask questions. It us kind of nice. It might cost me a little time now, but they will continue to sew and be repeat customers in the future. I think it is how you approach it. Some just don't care tho.

Shirley

[maggienoella]

I agree with what you've said.  I'm going to think about this for a while because the couple of times I've mentioned something, the client reported back to the teacher and she really gave me a hard time. 

In the end I'll either get more clients and I can turn away the worst or I won't quilt for others.  I thought this would be a good source of additional income but now I'm wondering if is and if it's worth it.

Joan

[shirleyl]

Don't get discouraged, it takes a while to get a reputation that you know what your doing. Some teachers teaching classes, think only their way is the right way and for people just starting out they don't know any different. Maybe just not give any suggestions, just state the facts. You had fullness in a block or borders, etc. just do the best you can do on their quilt. I have taken in many a quilt and only had one or two that are perfect. The one I did for a gal who is an instructor and knows everything, I had to fix it for her. She later told me she knew it had problems, but in classes her way is the only way. You just have to do the best you can do. No one is ever done learning, but those who think they know it all are a pain. If stress out weighs the enjoyment don't do it!

Shirley

[LindaSteller]

I think you have to gauge your clients.  Sometimes, people will tell you the trouble spots in their quilts (as if you can't see them).  Other times, they'll say -- I'm a newbie, this is my first quilt, etc.  If they have specified that they have trouble with mitered corners, bias edges, etc., I will include a little instruction sheet for them when I return the quilt.  I've taught quilting classes (piecing, appliqué, and long arm quilting) for several years, so I have lots of handouts I make available to my students.  I won't generally provide these unless the client has indicated they have trouble with an aspect of quilting.  I've sewn with a couple of groups long enough to know that some quilters just don't care, and they can take exception when you try to help with something.  Several of them laugh at me when they see me feeding my pieces through a machine with a stiletto, but hey -- points are really important to me.  To them, close is good enough (until I get the quilt on my machine and have to deal with the wonk!).  If a quilt has been fairly problematic, you might say - "I noticed your mitered corners were a bit stretchy - would you like some tips on how to do them a different way?"  Just tread lightly, and you should be okay.