When to say enough is enough?

prototype · October 1, 2012, 1:44pm

Re: When to say enough is enough?

So there are a lot of threads that suggests how bad most of the designers/suppliers/vendors are because they delay the order, are not communicative enough, charge too much, charge too little so it must be fake etc etc and since they all are doing it on purpose. There is no learning curve for them. Since they planned to open an online store, they should know everything first up.

I have been dealing with international clients (mostly goras but occasionally Pakistanis and Indians as well) for IT and ITES for over 9 years now and it has its ups and downs but at the end of the day its about mutual understanding and there is always a solution to any problem that they have with me or vice versa.

Unfortunately I cannot say the same about my retail customers (from Eastern Dresses)

They don’t know what customer services means. (And I think that can become a very controversial topic here which isn’t my intention) Here is their version of Customer Service and their experience with online vendors in general (i have phrased it as they are talking to a vendor about their expectations)

Before payment is made.

Convince me that you are an excellent vendor, that you will process the order as per my specs, you cannot have any emergency, you will pick up my calls at 1 AM if you have to because I am going to pay you 10k for a dress.

The prices you posted must be a place holder so this is where my bargaining would start. So if it says PKR 15,000 it means I should be able to get it from you in PKR 10,000.

I saw this lawn print for PKR 500 in the market and you are selling it for 1500. How unfair of you. The plain fabric that is used on the shirt comes for free, also you got your own tailor so that expense is minus as well. Buttons or accessories you would have spare anyway and any profit margin, what are you talking about. You are going to actually think about making profit selling a lawn shirt? No way, that should be sold at the actual price you know.

I will delay the payment but since I already said its done, it means you should start processing the order. Oh and by the way, I can call any time to tell you that I changed my mind and now the color should be blue not green. But wait it would be too simple of change that way, I changed my mind and I want to order another dress altogether now and mind you, don’t delay it because I have a sister’s wedding to attend and I need your dress.

After payment is made

OMG, I have made the payment and I have started my count down. So now, I am going to call you day and night, keep on sending you texts and emails.

I can use whatever language I want but remember you are a vendor and you should be respectful. I can call you a fraud but you should be tactful in replying to that. When I yell at you, you should apologize and say, won’t happen again. I will call your stuff trashy and to that, you can just look away and not notice that I said anything like that. Alternatively you can tell me its a nice trash but don’t you dare contradict with me because I am your client.

After product is received. I was bashing you for a while about how bad you are, on a public forum so I will write a quick note telling everyone that you did an alright or good job. A one liner should be enough for your reputation you know because everyone who comes on the page or the thread has the time to read all of the posts, starting from where I started cursing you to the end one liner where it says, it was all fine in the end.

Oh and by the way, all those potential customers that I scared away with all the (beautiful) things I said about you in public are all your fault you know. You should not be processing any other orders since you have mine and that should be your priority.

You are already rich enough since you are managing an online store with customers like me who don’t want to pay much since money doesn’t go on trees for us, but want excellent customer support because this is what I get here.

P.s. This post isn’t based on a particular incident. Its the general attitude of most of the clients I have come across so far. I sincerely hope things will be better in future though.

If anyone else has any points to add, please feel free.

Must be difficult for you !! My experience as compared to yours: I have yet to deal with such a customer Alhamdulillah.

-If they call at odd hours, I politely tell them the local time and the timings suitable for me to talk to them and never had a problem thereafter.

-I let them know I would start working their order when I get the payment and will complete by 3 or 4 or 5 weeks (depending on my prior commitments,etc) and usually keep them updated with pictures after the dyeing/kaam/embroidery is done and keep telling the approximate time when the order will be completed so there is no haunting from them with numerous emails/texts.

-this might sound strange but I hardly have people haggling or asking to bring prices down or confronting by telling that they saw a particular thing for 500rs which I am selling for 1500rs Alhamdulillah..not even for bridals ! So I think this solely depends on having justified and legit profit margins since in this era of internet,etc, most of the people are well aware of what a particular thing costs and know we,vendors need to keep a commission/profit margins for all the running as well so they hardly negotiate unless they feel the need to do it.

-about bad reviews/remarks, I have seen them them only when vendors make a blunder with the order and hide away the response can be exaggerated at times but then,no one complains pointlessly. They only get on to public bashing when we ignore their PMs,emails or FB msgs, no ?

-about the payment,not good for business but I am not particular about getting the payment before I start with the work with my regular/old customers. My aim is to complete it in time for the event and except for once or twice, NO one ran away with the money so far Alhamdulillah X infinity. But that’s me !! For all vendors,if you tell the customers in the beginning upfront and clearly that you wont change the order once finalise and wont start working on it unless you get full/half of the payment (whatever your policy is)and make it clear that the time you committed to complete the order will start AFTER the money is sent, that should make you justified if you refuse to go ahead with the order if the policies specified are not followed.

SO, I think all the mishaps and hiccups in the ordering process can be sorted by proper approach.