Bad and Boorish Customer Behavoir

Seen those Rob Lowe commercials for DirectTV? Where he has Good Rob and Bad Rob with the tagline 'Don't be this guy' at the end? Well here's two examples in the past two weeks where you don't want to be this customer.....

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A woman is in my store today. This is her third visit - the prior two she took an hour of my time each visit to explain to her all about a Bradington Young recliner she wants to buy, and I spent quite a bit of time with her. Today she asks me to determine specifically where the power actuation button/lever will be located on a particular recliner with the power feature added. She wants the exact location of the button and if its going to be a rocker switch or a push/pull handle. This is information I don't have as a dealer, nor do the customer service staff at Bradington Young. For that I have to track down the recliner plant foreman and give him the specific model number so he can pull the build spec sheet. They place these switches in different spots on various models and use different actuators as well. I tell her "I can find out, but its going to take some time and about four layers of phone calls to get to the right person. On a Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. the production plant is likely already gone today for the weekend, I'd probably have to work on this next week".

The she says "I'd really appreciate it you would do that, but I should tell you first that I won't be buying the chair from you, because I've decided to get it through my decorator as she has earned my business. So I want to tell you that up front". Now I am speechless for a moment. Three visits to the store, she has taken up more than two hours of my time with dozens and dozens of questions as well as using my facility / samples / expertise and has the nerve to ask me to chase down this request? So I tell her "Since you are not going to be buying from my store, I have other work I will be doing while you look through those leathers. You will have to excuse me now." And as I walk to the back she says "I hope you don't mind, but I'll be returning with my husband tomorrow to show him all the leathers and try out the recliners".

It's one thing to come into a store and look around on your own with the intent to buy elsewhere, another entirely to take up a couple hours of someone's time and then inform them that someone else has 'earned' the sale. it's an insult and rude.

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One of our forum members abused the deal on the McKinley Leather Beta Tester offer I did in December, so I will be unlikely to do another offer like that in the future.

If you recall the terms of that deal, there were to be no changes once the order was placed. This customer waited until two weeks had past since placing their order and then called McKinley Leather direct on the phone to see if they had leather in stock that was different than the one they had ordered, without disclosing they had an order in production from my store. More calls were made by this customer to McKinley without my knowledge and eventually that customer got to the owner of the company and persuaded them to say it was OK to change the leather on the order. Then I get an email from that customer telling me of the contact, that the owner of McKinley OK'ed it and wants to make the change. I was not pleased they did this without going through my store but submitted the change via fax the next day I was open (Tuesday).

On Wednesday the owner of McKinley called me up and said "I'm embarrassed to say this but we already have the original order completed and I OK'ed the change because I was confused by your customer. His sofa is done and on the shipping dock all boxed up. How are we going to handle this?"

An hour of my day went by getting the story, calling the customer then calling back McKinley on it. Here I don't even have my floor stock order in yet and I have a situation with a new supplier getting off on the wrong foot and i'm totally embarrassed and not happy about it. Normally I would have to take this sofa and put it into my floor inventory as that's the way the industry works. However in this instance McKinley messed up by engaging directly with my customer in phone conversations and since they agreed to it, they have to figure out what to do with this extra sofa and likely it will go to their April High Point Market Showroom. In short, we were gamed and taken advantage of. I know it, McKinley Leather knows it and the customer knows it.

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So what's the point in disclosing this? Most people in the industry would be horrified to post this and would say "I can't believe you did that - it's bad for business" while secretly nodding their head glad to see it put out there. But you see, I'm not all about business...there are moral and ethical lines you don't cross as a consumer. Why? Because if it happens enough times it creates an adversarial relationship, where merchants set policies and don't trust their customers, and that results in customers not trusting their selling dealer, either. I prefer to look at my customers as clients where we work together to get you the best product for your needs at the best possible price and I'll do all I know how to do to try to make that happen. I may be Old School, but common courtesy and respect go a long ways in my store.

I have zero argument with your posting these experiences as they are valuable to all. I would take exception with the notion that due to the one bad apple you would consider not offering such an opportunity in the future. I thought that method of introducing a new manufacturer's line in your store was a great idea and certainly all the slots were filled quite quickly showing other forum members and guests that such offers don't last long.

With regard to the woman who plans to buy through her decorator, I think her eventual speaking up about her intentions was a stroke of luck. At least you had the opportunity to understand what some folks see as fair disclosure even as though she apparently doesn't understand the value-you were investing in her purchase process.

Bottom-line, keep up the good work and continue to spread your ethics and values as those of us on the forum are greatly appreciative.

Duane,
I'm sure you have had many other customers who have crossed the line so to speak. Like other problems or disruptions they need to be considered part of the business you are in. I do find it curious that the Mc Kinley promotion customer did not call you first seeking a leather change and if the normal industry protocol is that you are the McKinley customer why would they deal directly with your customer? It sounds like you may need to reinforce your position as the customer with
McKinley for clear understanding going forward, otherwise you may find unwanted new stories in your future dealings with them.

I don't think it matters if you post about situations, like this one.

The people that act that way will still act that way, and those that would never do it get to be entertained by your story..

Thanks!