5 Ways to Handle Difficult Customers

[TheHogRing]

Here's one:

Charge more

Time is money - and difficult customers often waste a lot of both. Which is why you should consider charging them an aggravation surcharge. Of course, you shouldn't call it that or tell a difficult customer that's what you're doing (it might make him more difficult).

But let's be honest, some customers' business isn't worth the headache it entails. For the really difficult, I'd rather charge more and put up with the fuss, than charge my usual and feel like I'm getting the shaft.

Still, keep in mind that a higher price could drive difficult customers away. Depending on how well your auto trim shop is doing, that may or may not be okay.

Check out the rest: http://tinyurl.com/5vwkzhs

[gene]

Setting boundaries is very important. Policies, pricing, terms: these are all boundaries.

One of my favorite stories: I had a guy who wanted a price. I started to ask questions to get details so I could give him a price. He interrupted me and said he just wanted a price. I started to explain that I need details of his furniture in order to give him a price. He interrupted me again and was started raising his voice. He said there was no reason I could not give him a price.

I said, "Twenty-five dollars." He said "Twenty-five dollars for what?" I said, "I don't know. You won't tell me."

He left and I hope he tells all his like minded family and friends how unreasonable I was.

gene

[sofadoc]

My favorite way to handle difficult customers is a 3 step process.
Step 1 Print off list of 5 ways to handle difficult customers
Step 2 Forward list to my competitor
Step 3 Send difficult customers to my competitor

[TheHogRing]

Haha - great story Gene. It also irks me when customers think we can just give them prices over the phone, no questions asked. What do they think, we're selling hamburgers?

Sofadoc - if you really want to rub it in competitor's faces, say to your difficult customers:

"Sorry, I'm booked solid. But take the job to ____ and tell them the sofadoc sent you. You might even get a discount."

[scarab29]

When it comes to the  "i just want a price guy" Sometimes I'll say   "A million" then I get the " Just to fix a zipper? " No zippers are much cheaper than that. Gets them to tell me what they really want without me asking !! Aggrivation fees built in to a job are a good way not to feel "burnt" on a P I A job for sure.

Ever have a customer that was just too expensive to have. A couple times in my 25 years in retail I have had to tell a customer I'd prefer they shop somewhere else. Basically this is the guy that wants the personal serviceat a bargain basement price , returns more than he bought , wastestoo much of your time and never will sign the deal.

[sofadoc]

I really liked #4 on the list : Set boundries, don't let the "Customer is always right" mantra turn you into a pushover.
I think that "The customer is always right" policy is fine for retail stores. All they have to do is take the merchandise back, give you a refund, and put the merchandise back on the shelf (or send it back to the manufacturer for credit).
You can't put your labor back on the shelf.
My policy is "The customer is always right......unless they're wrong".   

[alge]

Haha - great story Gene. It also irks me when customers think we can just give them prices over the phone, no questions asked. What do they think, we're selling hamburgers?

Sofadoc - if you really want to rub it in competitor's faces, say to your difficult customers:

"Sorry, I'm booked solid. But take the job to ____ and tell them the sofadoc sent you. You might even get a discount."

:P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P

Ha Ha Ha I love it, last night on the bus home i was thinking exactly this but thought it was a bit of a silly answer to put into the mix, nice one guys.

[Joys Shop]

Customer called yesterday
Said he had some bar stools
started to describe their design ( I rarely listen to descriptions)
Then he asked what I would charge to cover them---Told him I wouldn't know without seeing them
so he said
Have you covered bar stools before?
Said "yes"
then he says
Well, what did you charge to do those?

Like I have all past charges stored in a little file cabinet in my brain
I can't even tell you what I'm charging for the piece of furniture I'm working on now!

[byhammerandhand]

I used to listen to a call in show (Bruce Williams) and he said many times, "The customer is not always right, but he is  always the customer."    I would mentally add, "Unless you fire them."

There have been a couple of customers that I have refused to do work for.   Too much frustration and too little compensation.

My policy is "The customer is always right......unless they're wrong".  

I have a late uncle that was a folksy sort of guy (a dairy farmer).   He had an expression, "How much water does it take to fill a leaky barrel?"   Only when I got into calculus, did I really realize there is no simple answer to that question without knowing a lot of things.     How big is the barrel?   How fast are you adding water? Where and how big are the leak(s)?  What does "full" mean?

[sofadoc]

started to describe their design ( I rarely listen to descriptions)

Right there with ya!
When they start describing their furniture over the phone, all I hear is "blah blah blah blah".
I like the ones who start rattling off EVERY EXACT measurement for EVERY SQUARE INCH of the frame, and expect me to instantly give them a yardage estimate.
When they insist on an instant estimate, I simply over-shoot. 
I've gotten pretty good at giving a quote from an e-mail pic.

[slodat]

A good portion of my business comes from local people in to the same style cars. A good portion of these guys are notorious for being super cheap. Like waste a dollar to save a penny kinda thing. I finally realized that I simply can't make money off of the cheapskate people. They have no interest in quality or craftsmanship.

I can't hear anyone when they start describing and I won't give a quote on the phone ever again. Not even a ballpark estimate.

[jojo]

How's this for annoying: I have my ad on Craigslist, and somebody texted me for a quote. Yep, texted. If they can't pick up the phone, then I think I already know I don't want to work with them.