Len in Maryland

nodog:

Yea, I'm feeling better today. I just see so many archery shops getting bashed on various forums that I thought it might be good to let people know what might cause some ot the attitude problems.

ukbuck:

First, welcome to the forums.

Based on what you posted, there's no doubt that you work in retail.

I've had them call me while I've got 6 customers standing in front of me. They want to 'pump' me for information and I haven't got any idea of who I'm talking to. I tell them that they'll have to come into the shop to talk to me because I've got customers in the shop waiting for service. I can't tell you how many times I've had them hang up. I can't ignore customers in the shop for an unknown on the phone.[:@]

I've also had them ask me directly if they can get something cheaper on the web or from another store. I politely tell them that they probably can and leave it at that.

After I spent half an hour or more working with one customer to find the right stabilizer, he was going to drive to Lancaster to get it to save $5. His wife talked him out of it, fortunately.

I could go on and on but people here will think I'm making this crap up. NOT!

Straightarrow

I've run my own business for twenty years and I've learned that problamatic customers are the nature of the game. All businesses have them. We've got to handle it with grace or go the way of the pasenger pigeon. I know how tempting it is to tell them how we feel, but to do so, serves no purpose. They are guaranteed not to come back if we do. It might make us feel good to display an "attitude", but it won't make us money. We're not in business to feel good. We're in business to make money.

Remember, the customer is always right - at least in their minds. A happy customer will tell a few people how nice your shop is. An unhappy one will go out of their way to tell 20 or 30 how terrible it is. It pays big dividends to be sure you have as few unhappy customers as possible.

nodog

I have personal experience with this. I did some work for a very difficult woman and was able to complete the work and meet all of her demands even though it cost me considerably. I have because of this received well over $100,000 worth of business from people she knows. You never know who you are talking too.

Dealing with the public:

Never complain about them and always be sympathetic about their troubles to everyone and I mean everyone and people will seek you out. I don't even talk negatively about customers to people who are close to me. I've learned that the hard way.

Swamp Dawg

Man, this is so true. I own a flooring/carpet cleaning business and I had a customer that was a real PITA. She made us replace part of a hard wood floor b.c of a VERY MINOR scratch on one of the planks and she was very ugly about it. I bit my tongue and did it and lost money. She has since sent me 4 referrals that will be worth over $40, 000 in revenue when it is all said and done. And I'm sure their will be more to come. Sometimes the hardest customers to please will sing your praise the highest if you cater to them. The old saying is true, "TAKE GOOD CARE OF THE CUSTOMER, OR SOMEONE ELSE WILL!", no matter how painful it is at times. It has worked for me.

Len in Maryland

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Straightarrow

Remember, the customer is always right - at least in their minds. A happy customer will tell a few people how nice your shop is. An unhappy one will go out of their way to tell 20 or 30 how terrible it is. It pays big dividends to be sure you have as few unhappy customers as possible.

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Nodog

Never complain about them and always be sympathetic about their troubles to everyone and I mean everyone and people will seek you out. I don't even talk negatively about customers to people who are close to me. I've learned that the hard way.

Both are very good lessons to learn. The problem is that most learn it the hard way. As I said, I made many mistakes when I first started this retail business. It is a lot different from my engineering profession.

Another problem is that you can't correct most of those mistakes. I've had some customers come back, after getting an 'attitude', due to wanting to get some of my expertise or just wanting to give my shop another chance. It worked out better this time for both of us.

The old adage 'Live and Learn' is definitely appropriate in every profession and life in general.