First, take stock of the way you do business with this customer. Either it's you or it's him or it's both of you or you just are perplexed by the whole thing. If it's you, then he's actually helping you, although the way he said it leaves a lot to be desired. If you are doing what you can and not meeting his expectations then you will lose this customer - price is not an issue here - its your ability to deliver. It could be that your company simply can't deliver and he needs someone else that can. Usually, the answer is simple.
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Advise on horrible customer
- Thread starter rydods
- Start date
Vinyl slayer
New Member
I've been waiting a long time for some one else to point that out. TY Andy
Vinyl slayer
New Member
That's what he wants you to think.
rydods
Member for quite some time.
His Grandfather is the head of the company. He's 90 and I've seen and heard from him less and less. The grandson is the future of the company for sure. There are people within the company that I deal with on a daily basis but the grandson oversees most everything. He can be a decent guy but he can be a tyrant sometimes.
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
Andy, it's way too early to be drinking already.
2B
Active Member
Best of luck.....
In the end, if you are not comfortable with how they act, then do not be a part of the situation
Create an order of operations, what is done in each step/stage, and listing what is needed at each step to move to the next stage (from both parties)
ask them if they have suggestions to improve the efficiency that allows ALL parties a good relationship
A good rule to implement from Tim Ferriss
The Customer is Not Always Right — “Fire” High-Maintenance Customers:
Not all customers are created equal. Apply the 80/20 principle to time consumption: What 20% of people (customers) are consuming 80% of your time? Put high-maintenance, low-profit customers on auto-pilot–process orders but don’t pursue them or check up on them–and “fire” high-maintenance, high-profit customers by sending a memo detailing how a change in the business model requires a few new policies: how often and how to communicate, standardized pricing and order process, etc. Indicate that, for those clients whose needs are incompatible with these new policies, you are happy to introduce other providers. “But what if my largest customer consumes all of my time?” Recognize that 1) without time, you cannot scale your company (and, oftentimes, life) beyond that customer, and 2) people, even good people, will unknowingly abuse your time to the extent that you let them. Set good rules for all involved to minimize back-and-forth and meaningless communication.
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
It seems to me that the biggest time wasters always seem to be the lower volume customers which makes them that much worse.
mfatty500
New Member
Ya can't drink all day, if ya don't start in the morning
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
True story
Johnny Best
Active Member
Inks
New Member
This is true. Many of the low volume, low margin and slow paying customers are the most demanding.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Looks like he swallowed someone's balls. Same difference.
Texas_Signmaker
Very Active Signmaker
Yea, and I thought we were supposed to have an adult conversation......
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
Some people's heads are always in the gutter.
Vinyl slayer
New Member
pictures of squirrels, eating nuts and seeds
Johnny Best
Active Member
Andy will be chasing squirrels with his pants down.
rydods
Member for quite some time.
I would say the deadlines are reasonable and doesn't necessarily expect me to drop everything but he does feel he should get a bit more attention. I would say his expectations is to have a proof for just about anything within 24 hours. Be on point with the design he was expecting. (This is where we fell off the tracks) His communication of things is not very direct. It's like he likes to try to talk with dialect that is beyond what he was taught in school because it's supposed to be professional or something. Most of the time, I have my entire staff reading his emails to make sure I understand it correctly. He also clearly doesn't communicate things to his workers or they just don't care but by the time I get the message or finally get the design right, now we're behind.
