This one takes the cake. Decorator, schmecorator.

[cajunpedaler]

I am in a tiny, tiny rural location.  We are in the poorest, least populated, least educated parish in the state.  There is a huge chasm between the types of people that live here.  Some of the locals are so poor and uneducated that upholstery in not even in their realm of doing....ever.  Then there are those who have relocated here (like me and my husband) to be out in a rural setting and soak up the ambience of the country.  Neighboring my little town is another little town that is the hoidy toidy rich community.  It is 5 miles away, but almost like a different culture. (It is) Baton Rouge is 20-30 miles away. There is a shop there that has always been the "gold standard" of namedropping. "I had my wingback re-done at Denicolas".  I have worked for the last couple of years with a decorator who has thrown work my way.  Because she does the leg work with the customer usually picks fabric (and make the mark up, no doubt) I've enjoyed the clientele that she has referred as they have appreciated my quality and labor pricing.
Didn't hear from the decorator over the holidays.  Till today.  I get a message from her, pre-empting a call from a customer that she is referring.  The decorator asks me to either GIVE HER a 15% kickback on my price.  I told her that my prices are low enough, I don't want to give up any percentage.  Then she asked if I could go up 15% on my price and give it to her.  
In the middle of all this, I get a call from the customer, wanting a ball park estimate.  I say I need photos of chairs and fabric first before I throw out any numbers.

In past locations, other cities, any time I worked with decorators, I never met the customer.  I just dealt with the decorator...I've always gotten the impression that they (decorators) consider us upholsterers peons.  I just ignored the condescending crap.
There are 2 other upholsterers in my rural area.  They are long time and established and their work, although I haven't seen a lot of their work, is adequate.
This decorator has said that she's worked with them in the past.
I sent her a message and asked if she had requested a kickback from them as well....(by this time, this is all not sitting well with me)
Her reply...No I could but just don't know them as well as I do you and not as happy with their quality.
Her next text to me...Plus I recommend you first!

My reply to her....I need to think about this.

Bottom line is this, the more I think about this, I'm really pissed.  These f*cking decorators can't do crap without us making them look good. And every single one of them has some kind of attitude, holier than thou.

The only thing I'm really thinking about is how to tell her NO. HELL NO.

My overhead is low.  My prices are low.  I am less than half of Baton Rouge pricing.  I am 25% lower that the other two guys local.  I'm happy with what I make.  (However I will go up on my prices, I think)

Input?

Perry

[sofadoc]

My policy with decorators has always been:

If they want me to remain anonymous, I will. But that means that THEY handle ALL interactions with the client. I'm just a nameless faceless blob who picks up their couch and brings it back recovered. If the customer tries to ask me anything........I'm like Sgt. Schultz..........."I know NUZZING".

BUT.......if they want me to deal with the customer directly regarding labor and yardage costs, pick-up/delivery scheduling, and all the "particulars" of the job, then that customer is fair game for all. If that customer wants to contact me directly next time and cut the decorator out of the equation........fine with me. Some decorators think they have permanent "dibbs" on a customer.

If a decorator wants to mark up my labor, then they have to do all the legwork.  If they want a "kickback", then they'd better figure it into the job beforehand.

[kodydog]

Sofadoc is right. Sounds like you are really PO'd at this decorator but if you want to continue working for her think of a congenial way to tell her no. She needs to do her own markups. Shes trying to pull a fast one and chances are she'll still use you if you let her save face.

Your prices are a bargain and she should appreciate that.

[gene]

My input: take what you like and leave the rest.

My overhead is low.  My prices are low.  I am less than half of Baton Rouge pricing.  I am 25% lower that the other two guys local.  I'm happy with what I make.

What 's the problem? Raise all your prices by 15%.

You're still around half of Baton Rouge pricing. You're now 10% lower than the other two local guys who don't have the same quality as you do, by the way.

Then ask the designer what do you get if you give her a 15% discount. If what she can give you floats your boat, you've got a win/win.

Your biggest problem will be how to remain happy making 15% more on your upholstery work.  :)

What I like about this forum is that it's a great place to vent our emotions so we keep them out of our business decisions. I am convinced that allowing our emotions to get in to business decisions always costs us money. We may feel better about the end results, but it always cost us money.

Let us know how it goes.

gene

PS: And don't forget to buy a cake for this Designer for helping you to get your prices up 15%.

[Darren Henry]

Bottom line is this, the more I think about this, I'm really pissed.  These f*cking decorators can't do crap without us making them look good. And every single one of them has some kind of attitude, holier than thou.

The only thing I'm really thinking about is how to tell her NO. HELL NO.

My overhead is low.  My prices are low.  I am less than half of Baton Rouge pricing.  I am 25% lower that the other two guys local.  I'm happy with what I make.

As kody said: Pass the last paragraph off to her and also mention that because you run such tight margins you cannot afford to discount your rate.Tell her that to work at 15% below already discounted is not cost effective for you---maybe she should find someone in Baton Rouge who doesn't need an income. She'll come round once she realizes that you aren't desperate for work and will not be bullied about. She probably thinks you're working so cheap because you are in tough and she wants to leverage that to up her greedy mark-up. [Do I hear an amen from someplace that grows corn?].

Being that small a community; be as pleasant and friendly as you can ----but stand your ground. And do not tell her how much you'd like to staple her boobs to the outhouse door and pass out free beer. Not very lady-like or professional LOL.

Gene and I were typing at the same time. Yes you do need to raise your rates (see previous rants on that subject!!!), but I'm not sure that you have to pass that profit off to her.

[mike802]

In my experience working with decorators usually ended up with me building the business and reputation of the decorator while I just got a pay check.  I told my last decorator to come and get all their furniture and hit the road.  It was really hard to do but I got tired of not getting all the information needed to give an estimate, or do the job properly and then getting blamed if something went wrong.  The straw that broke the camels back was when they wanted me to eat the cost of a cushion that they messed up the dimensions on, plus eat the cost of an upgrade.  Luckily I did not need their business to survive and life has been so much better without them.  I am considering starting a marketing campaign in their area just to rub it in.

[cajunpedaler]

Here is a rough draft of my response.

Caroline, Since I have made initial contact with this customer, I am not willing to give up any percentage.  In the future, you are welcome to mark my work up all you want, provided you are the only contact with the customer.  This includes pick up and delivery.  I will be more than happy to work in the background, anonymously.
I understand the tradition that decorators often mark up upholstery charges, I have worked with quite a few decorators.  The decorator/upholstery relationship is all about balance. I do appreciate referrals you have sent my way.
Perry

Added note..the fact that I said pickup and delivery will certainly get her attention. She is consistently late (very late) for  every meeting.

[sofadoc]

Perry, Sounds pretty good.

Back in the day, decorators were much more professional. They handled everything. And when they marked up fabric and labor, they basically earned that profit for all the legwork they did.

Then all the discount outlets began popping up, and the public began bypassing the decorator.

Now, they just want to set up a meeting between the upholsterer and client, and collect a "referral fee" (or kickback).

They just want to get paid without getting up off their own couch.

I still have a few good ones around here. But they aren't doing much. It's more of a "hobby for fun and profit" to them now.

[kodydog]

Being late once in a while happens to the best of us. Being late "consistently" is rude. Being very late is unacceptable. I generally wait an extra 15 minutes then I'm off to the next appointment.

Here's what you could do. Add a line to the invoice and label it, 15% markup for decorator. Ruffle some feathers.  ;)

Your letter is straight and to the point.

[byhammerandhand]

Very nice, Perry.   You might also spell out that it includes fabric selection, photos of piece and dimensions so you can estimate yardage before giving a final estimate.  (any other time-wasters?)

RE: Late to appointments

I had an interesting discussion with a customer yesterday.   She appreciated that I arrived exactly when I said I would.   We both were of the opinion that every gets the same 24 hours in a day and my time is as valuable as yours.  The words she used were "Mutual Respect."    She also appreciated that I had texted her a re-confirmation last weekend as we made the appointment six weeks ago, while she was a Florida sunbird.

I have found that people tend to respond better to text messages than voice messages.   They are more time consuming for me (because rather than a short conversation, they end up putting individual thoughts in 3 or 4 messages), but more timely responses, rather than wondering if they ever got my voicemail.

[cajunpedaler]

This is revision of my reply...

Caroline, Since I have made initial contact with this customer, I am not willing to give up any percentage.  In the future, you are welcome to mark my work up all you want, provided you are the only contact with the customer.  This includes pick up and delivery, as well as yardage estimating and structure, padding and spring assessment.  I will be more than happy to work in the background, anonymously.  I will continue to deliver the  high quality that I always have.
I understand the tradition that decorators often mark up upholstery charges, I have worked with quite a few decorators.  The decorator/upholsterer relationship is all about mutual respect and balance. I do appreciate referrals you have sent my way.
Perry

I think what makes me the maddest about all of this is just the attitude that upholsterers are just worker bees and the decorator is the shiznet.  Somehow, they get this sense of entitlement and it's almost a bullying thing..

[sofadoc]

I think what makes me the maddest about all of this is just the attitude that upholsterers are just worker bees and the decorator is the shiznet.  Somehow, they get this sense of entitlement and it's almost a bullying thing..

I believe that decorators act on behalf of the best interest of themselves first, and their client second.

The upholsterer comes in third (sometimes, a distant third).

[byhammerandhand]

mutual respect, baby

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

This decorator sounds like a piece of work who is very impressed with herself.  You're exactly correct that she needs to remember where she would be at without your high quality work.

Having said all of that, I think your draft is perfect.  Short, concise and to the point!  I say go for it!

Virginia

[cajunpedaler]

I snitched the term "mutual respect" from one of the responders...
Just to give editorial and creative credit where it's due.