Rush jobs

[gene]

A new customer called me last week. They had a salon chair that they needed recovered. They were off work Monday and Tuesday so I cut into my work schedule and did it Monday so they could pick it up Tuesday. Here it is Wednesday evening and they still haven't picked it up.

It does seem that every time I go an extra mile for a new customer they never need it when they said they needed it.

I am thinking of having a 2 or 3 week minimum on everything, except for IDs who I know are only trying to get something done because the home owner is going to Europe for 3 months or something like that.

Does anyone refuse to give fast turn-a-round to strangers who come to their door?

gene

[MinUph]

Yes Gene,
  If the schedule does not allow for a rush job I wont promise it in a rushed time frame. Rules are meant to be broken but this is my general rule. And I don't have a problem going by it.

[sofadoc]

I generally stop everything and do rush jobs based on the understanding that the customer will pick up and pay immediately. This is usually the case with beauty shops that are normally closed on Mondays.

Like Gene, I would be PO'ed if I did a rush job and they didn't pick it up the same day. I'm sure that it's happened to me a few times. But I can't recall any lately. And it's usually repeat customers that ask for a rush job. I don't remember the last time a new customer did.

I guess the best safeguard is to get ALL the money in advance on a rush job.

[kodydog]

Okay, so I'm not saying we never drop things to do a rush job and expecting everlasting gratitude. We have. But Rose recently read something along the lines of, make them wait, make them understand you do not do certain jobs. Certain fabrics we will not work with. Don't ask me why but somehow this makes them want you more. I guess the whole being honest thing.

I wrote a story several months ago about a decorator who wanted us to do a slip cover for a sofa and two chairs. Short story is she wanted us to use fabric that was not preshrunk. We knew the client washed these covers weekly. So we refused the job. She was pissed. Soon after that she retired and turned the business over to her daughter. Her daughter has given us three jobs and we are now negotiating another. Its a hard lesson learned but point is, stick to your guns. Experience shows you the best way to run your business. 

[65Buick]

Kody - Just curious, a customer washed their slipcovers weekly?!

That's a lot of washing.

[Mojo]

We have a standing 2 week shipping date once an order is placed. This goes to 4 weeks in the spring when we are slammed. When dealers place orders we always move their order to the front of the line and shoot for a 48 hour turn around. They are on a tight schedule and typically have a customers coach clogging their lots. In some cases their customers are living in their buses and waiting on our product.

For the average customer we say 2 weeks but most of the time turn it around in 5 days. Then we look like heroes when they get their awnings early. :)

We have a customer right now who has screwed around for 6 weeks on color choice and then got PO'ed when we told him 2 weeks to shipping. Customers can really be a PITA sometimes. My wife fired a customer the other day who was complaining about price and everything else under the sun. She sent them to one of our competitors.

Several of you have said this and I believe Dennis might have been one of the first to say " If a customer is a PITA before they order, they will be a royal PITA after the sale ". Sometimes you just have to fire a customer because any profit you could make off them will be eaten up in time once they nit pick and complain after the sale.

Chris

[gene]

My customer send someone over on Friday to pick up the chair seat. They did pay their bill.

gene

[kodydog]

Kody - Just curious, a customer washed their slipcovers weekly?!

That's a lot of washing.

I agree. She has dogs. It was a sofa and two chairs. 30 yds of fabric. After we negotiated the price and set our schedule the decorator called us and asked if we could preshrink the fabric. We told her no and suggested she send it off to have it done. She told us she would. Later, when it got close to pick up time Rose called her and asked if she was ready. She said her machine isn't big enough to wash 30 yards of fabric. Duh. So she told us to just allow for shrinkage when we pattern the slipcover. Rose told her it is impossible to calculate fabric shrinkage and we turned the job down. She she was pissed and she told us about it. A few months later her daughter called about another job so Rose asked her about the slipcovers. The daughter said her mother was in the hospital and decided to retire. Yikes!

[gene]

All the slipcovers I make I tell the customers to only dry clean them. I know of several customers that did wash their chair slipcovers and they came out OK.

I've never had someone pre wash the fabric before I used it.

I would never pre wash someone else's fabric.

I also know someone who will use someone's pre washed fabric but adds a charge to iron the fabric after it's been washed.

Also, I use tissue welt cord and mono thread for my slipcovers just in case someone does wash them.

gene

[Darren Henry]

I guess the best safeguard is to get ALL the money in advance on a rush job.

I can't speak for Gene---but when this happens to me, it isn't about the money as much as it is about the respect. I can't guarantee that the guy I put off for a day will postpone pick up/payment on  his order. I very seldom let the boss force me to  postpone a completion.

That said; if you ask me to stay and work late/skip my lunch/etc... because you just have to have it and then you don't appreciate what I have done for you enough to come get your rush order when you "need it by" --- you are a lying SOB and have taken advantage of me! The next time you darken my door your material will mysteriously get back ordered ---right after I strip your unit.

I've got some Irish in me , but being Canadian---I do it politely,eh.

[brmax]

One should have a "special area" called Rush Storage  :) With signage of course
I learned long ago ( weather i follow it or not ) this agreement 90% of the time never pays and its always me with the extra work, worry and bustin my butt to complete. Many questions prior can? sometimes help.
It can run consistent with types thinking it only takes the time they consider. And there is the problem!
And be it relative or customer, i found talking about the production works pretty good.


Floyd