TinaCollins Posted August 28, 2005 Report Share Posted August 28, 2005 Please visualize a big NOT!!!! in red letters on the end of my subject title!! Here's a good example of what *NOT* to do during a client consultation. I told a few friends earlier this evening (you know, sharing the pain...) ... and they found it hilarious! Of course this is one of those events that IS hilarious when it happens to your friends--- But NOT when it happens to you!! :mad: To be very honest, I should probably NOT tell anyone about this... due to the very large embarassment factor- But I no longer have a shred of pride left anyway, so here goes: Background info leading up to the "event"- My family was feeling quite ill most of the week, and the house had been last on my list of priorities between the hospital visits and prescription medicene costs- My house *really* looked as if a tornado had blown through leaving blankets, pillows, empty gatorade bottles and etc strewn about, therefore, my only goal for the day was to get it cleaned up again. Sooooooooo, I am right in the middle of house cleaning, donning my usual "working at home" uniform (cut off sweat pants with a t-shirt, sans bra), when I get a call from my LQS (local quilt shop). They have a customer standing in the shop who drove almost 2 hours trying to get my contact info. Knowing I was from this area, she stopped in and asked if they knew how to reach me. The LQS said sure, dialed my number, told me she wanted a quilt done, and handed her the phone.... This lady asked if she could pppllleeeaaassseee come to my house today because she wouldn't be up here again for quite a while and she was rrreeeaaalllyyy hoping I could get an heirloom red & white quilt done for her by late October for her son's wedding gift. Of course you all know what happens next- (right after I thought , "OH CRAP! Tell her No! Tell Her No!!") For some stupid reason, I hear the words, "Come on over" leaking from my mouth! Oh My Gawsh!!! I figure I have about 35 minutes at most to hide all the mess, and change into something more professional. I usually try to have my studio looking fairly well organized when I am going to tell someone that the price for my quilting is going to be over $300 minimum. I fly like the wind, throwing stuff into drawers, cabinets, the dishwasher, and the trash can. With about 5 minutes to spare, I run to the bathroom, change into more professional clothing, pull my stringy hair up in a clip, take a potty break, and my door bell rings! I spend about 45 minutes talking with her and a friend she brought with her, acting "oh so professional"... showing examples of my feathers, other client's quilts I have done, and such. She even comments on the ribbons I have strategically hanging in my studio... yadda, yadda, yadda. I see her and her friend talking quietly among themselves as I return to the room with a few quilted samples to show for inspiration purposes only- Surely they are stunned by the caliber of my quilting and telling each other how lucky they are to have been allowed to come into my home on such short notice ( insert my arrogant snort here)!!. Well, as it turns out, her quilt top is very well pieced. She has pre-washed the red fabric several times, treated it with retayne, and she signs a waiver for me to use blue pens if I need to mark the cross-hatching and feather designs. Truly a beautiful quilt, so I tell her that I will be able to squeeze her quilt into my busy schedule! I am feeling quite sure that I had, indeed, made a very good impression on her because when I told her my estimate, she doesn't even bat an eye. I walk them out to the driveway, tell them good-bye, turn around and start walking back to my house; laughing to myself and thinking I was so extremely clever to have hidden all the mess and spruced myself up in such a short time...... That is- until I notice that the zipper on my pants was all the way down with hot pink panties screaming to the world!!!! :mad::mad::mad: AWWW DAM*!! Instantly I feel like a complete dumba$$ and wonder what are they going to tell people about my "professional business demeanor"???? DOUBLE DAM*!! NOW, I *realize* what they were discussing between themselves when I came back into the room and it probably WASN'T my quilting skills!!! How *VERY* embarassing!!! Truly Mortifying!!!! And NOT a good way to win friends or influence people!!! All I can say is that I had better do an EXCELLENT quilting job on this quilt... just so I can face them again! :mad: AAAGGGHHHH!!!! Hope y'all have a good laugh on me..... One tip: check your fly zipper the next time you take a quick potty break right before a customer shows up at your door!!!:cool: LOL!!! LOL!!! LOL!!! Okay, since I have fessed up one of the (ka-zillion) dumb things I have done in this business.... Who else is ready to confess their experience of an HUA (Head up a$$) event??? Surely, I am not the only one who gets an occassional brain cramp...... Am I??? No, Really! Somebody?? Anybody?? Am I the only one??? Awwww Geez!!! Please say it isn't so...... :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraC Posted August 28, 2005 Report Share Posted August 28, 2005 Tina, what a great story-teller you are!!! At least you know you've left a lasting impression on those women! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thequiltqueen Posted August 28, 2005 Report Share Posted August 28, 2005 Tina, If I were one of those women I know I would have been impressed....hot pink is my FAVORITE color!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted August 28, 2005 Report Share Posted August 28, 2005 OMG Tina! I would never have made it through the cleaning up the house part, so don't worry so much about it. I rarely meet people at my house, I just can't take the stress! Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleshoes Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 This is such a wonderful story... I Just got my first customer last week. I spent the whole morning cleaning, and had the whole family in cleaning mode, and I was completely in a panic so that everthing would be so nice. My customer was elated to be getting her quilt done and I'm sure I overprepared. Look at it this way,,, with all the excitement, at least you remembered to wear underwear. Thanks for the laugh. Since I am a newbie I really needed this story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlene Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Hi Tina, Look on the bright side. At least you had underwear on. I worked with a girl who didn't, imagine that site. Anyways, I'm sure they were discussing your quilting. We all seem to get paranoid about ourselfs. Thanks for sharing the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherylUribe Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Tina!! Great story! You told it so great! Here's mine: (not nearly as well told as Tina's!) Earlier this month during one of my LA classes I nearly fell flat on my face! I tripped with so much momentum that I stumbled and ran into the adjacent wall! I'm sure it sounded like an earthquake! The students just looked up stunned and said,"are you okay?" Needless to say I was mortified. I cooly (not wanting to add to the drama) told them I was just fine and immediatly took a bathroom break. My hand where I had thrust it into the wall, (I think I strained the tendons or something) swelled up and turned black and blue. It still hurts!! I always have a story. . I constantly embarass myself! Once I gave my father-in-law his hat "back" that he left at my house. It wasn't his! It was my dad's. He thought I had bought it for him as a gift! I didn't have the heart to tell him (stupid I know) otherwise. The next time my FIL came over he wore his new hat. Of course my dad stopped by to pick up "his" hat! That's it for now! Cheryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Oh to funny! Tina this wasn't about a customer at the house but I remember I took in a little gal who is now one of my daughters only cause she has lived with us for a very long time. Anyway we were at a Hardy's and this lady came out of the bathroom and Tara and my son were cracking up laughing so hard they were almost crying. I said whats wrong they pointed at the lady in front of us who still the the toliet paper attached to back of her pants. I thouhgt I was going to wet my pants laughing so hard and then..... Tara reaches over and taps the lady on the shoulder and says mam........ here you have this hanging on your pants. Needless to say we died laughing the rest of the afternoon and can you imagine how she felt LOL! I still can't believe that Tara did that. I would of never had the nerve LOL!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Patten Posted November 16, 2005 Report Share Posted November 16, 2005 Hay Tina You are such a great story teller!!!! I couldn't wait to get to the end to see what happened... Actually I am still laughing... with you not at you of course. So I have to share my very short embarassing story with you so you to can have a good laugh. All of my clients are by appt. only so I am free to quilt in what ever is most comfortable... for me this is usually a summer T-back shirt and boxers... OK not pretty but comfy. So you have to close your eyes and picture me quilting away and groven to the sound track of 9 and 1/2 Weeks.... you know the song... You can leave your hat on. Of course my music was blasting to drown out the sound of my machine (not my APQS) and I am singing at the top of my voice, when suddenly I glance up and see the reflection of a dozen people in the window in front of my machine, I jumped and screamed of course and turned around to find that a BUS LOAD of quilters where standing behind me. Yes that right A BUS LOAD. my local quilt shop had mentioned me and my address in the shop hop add and the tour bus thought it would be nice to visit a real longarm studio.... Of course it was the talk of the local area for some months after that... you know jokes at the guild meeting... my local shop even high lighted my fliers where it says Please Call To Book An Apt. OK so there it is, I hope you are laughing... I'm laughing just remember the looks on those poor womens faces... :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingwithlove Posted November 16, 2005 Report Share Posted November 16, 2005 Tina, All I can add is that at least you were wearing undies!! Susie Q Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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