Customer Service?????

Last week I fired a customer! Yes really, I actually fired a customer! I have never done this before. I work in a sail loft/industrial sewing loft and I work in sales (as opposed to sails which is what I used to do) and customer service. I like customer service because I get off on helping people feel important, happy and satisfied.

OK, do you think I'm basically a good person and not a raging witch? Good, because here's the story of the firing...

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by a guy who had worked with us while he was an industrial design student. He said he wanted to work with us in his new capacity as CEO of Trendy Furniture Design Company because we had been so helpful before. So far so good. He sent me drawings of a really cool chair that he wanted us to make out of neoprene. I wish I could show you a photo of the very cool chair, however I signed a non-disclosure agreement and cannot reveal the product. Neoprene is a PAIN IN THE ASS to sew and I told him that, but if he wanted to give it a go we would do our best. I wrote up a contract, he signed it, paid a deposit and we were off.

First problem: the drawings had incomplete measurements. When I asked him for full specs he said he could do one step better, he would actually bring a sample chair that he made out of canvas, stapled together and we could pattern from that. He brought it by, along with his partner...

Second problem: the partner who shall be known as BP (Bad Partner), was tightly wound and was a "hand waver." In other words, every detail is clear in his mind and he assumes it should be clear to everyody else, meanwhile he is unable to verbalize what he means and engages in hand-waving instead of clear, concise directions. Hand wavers get very peeved when asked to elucidate, and this guy was the king of peeve.

Third problem: they kept adding details outside the original scope of the job and I tried to keep track of all of this by taking copious notes. I pointed out to them that this would be a FIRST ARTICLE prototype and would invariably need tweaking so not to expect perfection with the first chair. Such is the way with prototyping. They agreed that a second chair would be made after working out problems in the first.

Fourth problem: they gave me info on the "special" neoprene they wanted and a contact at the company. When I called the rep she didn't know who these guys were or where they got their product info because no such neoprene existed. BP was mad at me for not being able to make his special neoprene magically appear, GP (Good Partner) was cool and asked me what I recommended...

Fifth problem: I recommended something we already had, 2mm neoprene, inexpensive and easy to sew. BP wanted 3mm neoprene, thicker and harder to sew. They decided they wanted the chair lined and asked what I recommended. "Lycra," I said, "it stretches like the neoprene and is breatheable." "Nylon would be better" said BP. OK, have it your way jackass.

We made the chair and I'll be damned if it didn't look pretty darn good. Frankly I was surprised at how good it looked. The thing needed to be stuffed so we called GP and asked him how much to stuff it...

Sixth problem: "Whatever seems right to you, just go ahead" he said. So we did.

He picked it up to take back to work to show BP and review it for changes, etc. We met a few days later and BP was NOT happy. His complaints were:

1) Chair too stuffed. When I told him GP told us to use our discretion he said very snottily "Well I thought it would have been obvious!" So it took them like 3 minutes to unstuff it and why didn't they do this before? Because BP had to bring it to prove to me we're not mind readers?

2) Front of chair was straight but was supposed to be curved. "Ummm...your sample is straight," I said, "we copied it exactly." He must have stood there measuring it 15 times before conceding I was right. "But what about the drawing we sent to you? It shows a curve." When I showed him the drawing the curve was barely visible; this was one of the measurements that had been missing. When I pointed that out to him he snapped "Well I thought it would have been obvious!" Again with the obvious.

3) I had forgotten to include two of the numerous details that they added after the original quote. I told them my bad, we could add them very easily after the fact. BP seemed annoyed that it would be an easy fix.

4) BP did not like the stitching and said it was not perfectly straight. I told them I had warned them about this and that we at the shop felt the stitching was quite good. They brought along a sample of a 1.5mm wesuit and said "We want it to look like this." "No can do," I replied. "This is two layers of 1.5mm neoprene and you instructed us to sew through FOUR layers of 3mm neoprene, big difference."

5) BP wanted to know why chair poofed up whenever he sat on it. I said "Because it is lined with an unbreathable nylon as per your instructions instead of breathable lycra." He was pissed.

BP delivered a few more sarcastic comments my way but I wasn't about to react to his rudeness. I told BP and GP I would try to think of some other solutions that would make their chair work and get back to them the following day. In reality, I was CRUSHED! We tried so hard and the chair looked so cool but they, well BP anyway, treated me like I was scum.

I couldn't sleep that night and obsessed about it for hours. No matter how I considered it I kept coming back to the same conclusion...I knew whatever we did they (BP) would not be happy. I knew what I had to do. Better to end it now.

I called GP and broke the news to him; based on our meeting I didn't think we could produce a chair that would satisfy his company. They would have to find another company to make their chair. He was pretty bummed out. We negotiated that he would come and get the chair and we would keep the deposit. He said, "I should probably come alone, shouldn't I?" Aha! So he knew his partner was a jerk.

It was weird when he came in. He seemed kind of sad and embarrassed. I was absolutely elated to be rid of this job from hell that could have been so much worse. But I kept a straight face out of respect for GP and waited until he left before doing the happy dance.

I don't know why, but this whole thing reminded me of one time when I was crabby to a young waitress at Chili's. She was trying hard but kind of screwing up in very minor ways. It would have been easier to be nice and understanding, but I must have been in a bad mood or something because I was a total bitch. I think the look on her face must have been like the look on my face when BP kept reaming me out over minor stuff. What goes around comes around.

Still, it felt GREAT to fire that customer. Hoorah!!!! I love it when I make the right decision.

This rant felt good.