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I just had a customer cancel an appointment with me for this week. She called me at about 10:30am and asked if someone from my company had left for her place yet. I politely asked her for her name and she told me with a kind of an attitude, but I stayed professional as I remembered her call from just the day before. I also distinctly remember my wife confirming the date of the 6th at least twice to this lady on the phone. My wife also distinctly finished the phone call with “We’ll see you on the 6th at 9:30 in the morning Mrs. ‘ ‘.” I was sitting right there with my schedule book open to that date and nodding in approval as we penned her in for the morning of the 6th. I handled the conversation well and apologized for the confusion, but she did everything but call my wife a liar even though I begrudgingly stated that it must have been a misunderstanding on our part. This is definitely one customer that I’ll pen down for future refusal of service. I don’t need customers like that when there are plenty of good ones out there that won’t waste my time. I’m sure that a lot of you have had similar experiences like this one, but I’d like to hear them anyways. Thanks.
We service a lot of apartments in our area. They are famous for this same thing. They will call and say that they need it done on the tenth and on the ninth call asking when we are going to show up. I have taken the bullet many times and apologized for the misunderstanding. I try to accommodate them the best we can. The true story is that we all make mistakes even me as I know that I have put down the wrong date or time before. The true test is how you handle it after. I think you did a great job to try to accommodate the customer. I would not put her on the list just yet though. Sometimes it is how you handle it after the misunderstanding that sets us apart. Remember that she in her mind is right and that your staff(wife) made the error. She thought that she told you the correct day. Even though it was her mistake it is also her money and referrals that help keep us in business. I hope that things work out for you, but you definitely are not alone in this.
One thing that I would like to ask is has there ever been a time where you have thought that you were right, but later found out that it was your mistake. I just had something like this happen to me. I needed to send some documents FedEx and it never showed up. I started to blame FEDEX and was looking for the tracking number to find out how they could have done this to me. These are some of the most important documents that I ever sent. As I was searching for the tracking number I ran across a FedEx envelope sitting on the counter. It turned out that this was not a FedEx issue, but rather it was ME. I would have swore and did swear that this was sent out last week. Some times even when you think that you are 100% right you are dead wrong.
You’re absolutely right Greg. I believe that I’ll just keep an open mind about the situation. I guess that it feels a lot more personal when it’s your very own business. I cooled down a lot about the situation not more than 5 minutes after I posted about it. That’s one thing that I love about the forums! I can share my experiences and vent a little with people that have been there and done that without the customer ever knowing that I was in the least bit insulted. Anyways, thanks for the advice! I guess it’s better to go ahead and get these kinds of experiences out of the way while I’m still learning so that I can appreciate all of my great return customers in the future. Later.
I always love it when people say that they want to own there own business so that they can be there own boss. Nothing could be farther from the truth. My employees only have one boss, but I have everyone else. That is why we have to do things like take the blame and apologize for things that we do not do.
You never said what the end result was. Did she call someone else or are you going to still get the job. If so I might suggest offering a FREE Spotter bottle for the misunderstanding. This way she will be sure to remember the company that came and made things right.
Well, I actually called her back taking the blame for the entire ‘misunderstanding’. She wasn’t too receptive, but she was a lot less accusatory although she didn’t want our services as of this time. She was too blunt for me to even begin trying to offer any incentive, but I think that I won half the battle by calling back and apologizing for our mistake anyways. I was very professional and although you can’t please them all maybe the worst press I’ll get from her is that I screwed up an appointment time. If that’s the worst thing that’s ever said about me than I guess I won’t be doing that badly even though I would like to be absolutely spotless. Wouldn’t we all though? 😉
I find as Greg has stated, perspective is the key. It helps me to know two things, 1. I am not perfect, and 2. Some people are right no matter how wrong they are. Some people get something stuck in there heads and there is no changing it, even with the evidence staring right at them. (The #’s clocked on the radar gun) “Maybe the speedometer couldn’t go as fast as your turbo”. Reguardless of the case, I can choose to be upset or not. You also have the choice to except or reject anger. (My kids thought me that) Being a dad has thought me allot, and I’m still learning.
You’re absolutely right Gordon. I chose not to let it bother me almost as soon as I initially posted (vented) it on the forum. Don’t get me wrong, it does bother me that a potential customer thinks I stood them up even if I didn’t. I think that I handled it pretty well even though she may not think so. Who knows? In time she may gain a little perspective of her own and remember how I remained apologetic and pleasant despite the situation. I don’t know yet what kind of patience it takes to be a father, but I’ll soon know as my wife and I are expecting our first one in late July. I’ll need as much patience and understanding as I can muster with a new business and baby boy during the same time of my life. Later.
Thanks Gordon. She’s trying to stay as cool and relaxed as she can. I know that it’s a lot of stress for her right now with the baby and our new business. She’s also still interviewing for possible teaching positions in our business territory. Of course, if things work out the way we hope she’ll be able to stay home with our son from now on. Later.
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