no enthusiasm

[JDUpholstery]

I recently finished a couch, love seat and chair...the customer spent over 2400 to have it all recovered...I got called down to repair a tufting button that came loose, only to see my beautiful work covered up by sheets! I should be glad because when they have company over it will still look good, but was kinda depressing!

[baileyuph]

When engaging taking a job, one thing that turns me off is to see dog hair or just unclean situations.

I suppose my vigor to pursue the job, sort of like June's reaction, wanes considerably.

JD, at least they aren't letting your work go to the dogs!

Doyle

[limey]

Hello June, thanks for the response. I am in the auto restoration bizz, and have the same issues occasionally with clients wanting to " just repair this part, as this part seems to be ok!" usually, once I have explained to the client that it will degrade the rest of the interior they are left to make their own judgement, and I will do whatever I think is the sensible approach. Explaining that you are not particularly happy doing such, and making sure your customer understands that once you start the project you are not interested in "change orders"  i.e. can we just do this as well?  I explain to them that having to order more materials, re think your approach and organize your schedule around additional work will mean considerably more expense and difficulty. Try working with those in construction, once they start, getting them to do "extra" work is considered a huge problem, however, in our line it is "no problem" or so our customers seem to think. Hope this makes sense, these are difficult times, as far as the " food chain" goes we are last in line, whether it is a boat car or furniture, mechanical, paint, body, usually get first bite. Good luck, thanks again.

[kodydog]

June, If you have no pride you have nothing. I've turned down more than one job because of my pride.

[sofadoc]

Money buys a lot of pride. As long as I'm getting MY price, I'm proud as a peacock to fix the cheapo furniture that other upholsterers are too proud to work on.

It's nice when the mailman brings me a check every few days for repair work that took almost none of my time.

[sofadoc]

What helps keep me going is an appreciative comment from a customer.

I get  comments of appreciation all the time, such as "It looks beautiful" .........or "I love your work".
Normally, such generic comments go in one ear and out the other. But today, I got a neat one.

I have a longtime customer that moved away years ago to the Houston area (300 miles from me). She continued to bring pieces to me from time to time. I always assumed it was because she still had family in town, and brought work to me when she was here for a visit.

What I didn't know until today was........ she tried several upholstery shops in the Houston area, and was unhappy with them.  She doesn't just bring stuff to me because of familiarity. She has shopped the competition, and prefers my work over theirs. I had previously assumed that some of the pieces came from a thrift store. I didn't know that she  had them recovered at other shops.

Most customers just grab & go. They'll say that it looks nice, but I don't really sense a lot of sincerity. I get the impression that the only thing they would truly appreciate, is if I had charged them about half as much.  So as long as their check clears, that's fine with me. But an appreciative comment like this one today is one that even a surly old bastard like me can appreciate. 

[JDUpholstery]

I say there are two types of happy customers...ones who are sincerely happy..... and the ones that are unhappy, but do not like confrontation so put on a smile and pay then talk bad about it afterwards....

[Mojo]

I believe that one of my greatest appreciation and motivational moments came when one of my customers told my competitor who owns a very large RV dealer and who also installed an upholstery shop to do awnings and toppers  " I do not want your toppers, I want Chris's ". It was a warranty job and the customer went ballistic and bitched till the owner of the dealership agreed to let me do the job.

The owner of the RV Dealer and I cannot stand each other. While we are cordial and very professional to each other, neither of us would piss in the others ear if our brains were on fire.

I professionaly accepted the job, gave the dealer a discount like I always do with dealerships and then later when I was alone pee'ed my pants laughing.

I get orders now and then where the customer tells me " I have been told your toppers are the best in the business so I want to place an order". That always makes me feel great. It is a motivator for sure.

Chris

[Grebo]

Oh, I find it's getting more difficult as I get older/worn out/burned out/jaded.  Used to be that I could take a weekend off, do something for myself, and get back to work all ready to get stuff done.  Anymore, I hit the burnout phase more frequently and it takes longer to get out of it - and I don't have any strokes (that I know of) to blame.   I find that good money is no longer a great motivator, though I'm not independently wealthy.  What helps keep me going is an appreciative comment from a customer.  More and more I feel like I need a new gig - or a new twist on the old one. 

June

Me two.
I am hoping a move of premises will be a spur to get into it again, new area still covering old one but incorporating other fields of stitching in the country. Horses, farm machinery ( always need new seats ! ) garden furniture etc..

Suzi

[Mojo]

I am sure you will be making horse blankets, covers, repairing harnesses, etc. Some of the leather harnesses are real expensive so they like to re-stitch when they can.

I am sure some of these tractor seats can be a real PITA. Especially the molded ones.

BTW, Merry Christmas Suzi. :)

Chris

[Grebo]

 ;D  Merry Christmas Chris.  :-*

Suzi   ( surrounded by packing boxes)