ENNYone wanna take the market back?

[Guest Key West]

I have a retail business where I sell boat parts, mostly to DIY'ers, but also some shops & people taking it to a shop.

I'll have people break stuff then try to claim it as defective (or missing from the package). What seems to work okay for me, is making it crystal clear that I know exactly what happened, but give them the opportunity to blame someone else (not me) if that makes them feel better.

Example:

A customer buys a piston w/rings and breaks a ring during installation (easy enough to do). Of course, he emails me and says the rings were missing from the box. I open & check every single box for this reason as they ship.

They don't get free rings. I reply with something like, "I personally made sure they were there when it shipped. My guess is that your mechanic broke them and doesn't want to admit it. If you tell him you know the rings were there, he'll probably make good on it."

Of course, that really mean, "LIAR!!! YOU broke the rings!" but it doesn't make them defensive. I generally get a hey-you-were-right reply, followed up with a replacement purchase.

So, in that case, I probably would have said something like, "I know I told YOU not to roll down the windows, so you need to pass that on to anyone else that gets the car, because this window has definitely been rolled down by SOMEONE." It would probably be easier for him/her to say, "I bet my dumb wife/husband did it," than to say, "Hi. I'm stupid and can't follow simple directions."

It's hard to get people to tell the truth when they know they're wrong, but it's really easy to get them to blame someone that isn't there to defend themselves... and take the focus off of you, where it didn't belong in the first place.

Doesnt that p1ss ya off tho???

[mjs]

there are 10.00 and 12.00 hamburgers out there that people are buying and yet they don't want to step up for a 200.00 tint job that will last 10n years or more???

If most of your customers are thin, you might have answered your own question. A $99 tint job frees up some cash for 8 - 10 extra burgers!

[Guest Key West]

let me think..................................TD ....................TD ..............could be a prospect!!

[mjs]

Doesnt that p1ss ya off tho???

Yup! Especially if they're trying it with something that costs $3,000--instead of the piston example I used.

The main idea behind it is to keep the same person from doing it twice, and never eating the cost of someone else's mistake. Even when it's a warranty issue, I don't feel right putting stuff through for someone when I know they wrecked it and lied to me about it.

It also cuts them off before they make it to the next level, which is "Make me happy or I'll tell everyone to shop elsewhere, bash you on the internet, etc..."

Unfortunately, it's just a part of doing business. I guess I accept it because I've had bosses that were much bigger jerks than my worst customers, so I just keep telling myself it's still better than working for someone else.

I just try to focus on being the one in control. I go out of my way for customers and that's why they keep coming back--but they don't get to set the prices, policies, or anything else. Getting over-run by customers while trying to tell yourself the customer is always right... is a great way to go out of business!

[Guest willie]

I know..... I know...shut the phuck up mom I'm not gonna spout off

Key West you've been around this business just as long or longer than almost everyone on this board. Your gonna end up back in the hospital dude if your not careful from the stress your starting.

The easiest thing for me to say without gettin in alot of troullbe is...shitt happens and you know it. If your this sick of the business turn it over to your son head to the beach and fire off them rockets

Dude cmon relax

[blade]

you can raise prices and try and dodge as many bullets as possible and there's still gonna be another jackass that'll find your shop. it's the way it is.

[running free]

These cutomers come around every now and again. I'm greatfull I don't get one eveyday. Just compare the good ones against the bad. In this case the good out weigh the bad.

[Guest Key West]

I know..... I know...shut the phuck up mom I'm not gonna spout off

Key West you've been around this business just as long or longer than almost everyone on this board. Your gonna end up back in the hospital dude if your not careful from the stress your starting.

The easiest thing for me to say without gettin in alot of troullbe is...shitt happens and you know it. If your this sick of the business turn it over to your son head to the beach and fire off them rockets

Dude cmon relax

My bad!! lighting them off now!!(!Just wish KW jr was here ) Willie, yer one of the few I will actually listen to..................

[Guest Key West]

Yup! Especially if they're trying it with something that costs $3,000--instead of the piston example I used.

The main idea behind it is to keep the same person from doing it twice, and never eating the cost of someone else's mistake. Even when it's a warranty issue, I don't feel right putting stuff through for someone when I know they wrecked it and lied to me about it.

It also cuts them off before they make it to the next level, which is "Make me happy or I'll tell everyone to shop elsewhere, bash you on the internet, etc..."

Unfortunately, it's just a part of doing business. I guess I accept it because I've had bosses that were much bigger jerks than my worst customers, so I just keep telling myself it's still better than working for someone else.

I just try to focus on being the one in control. I go out of my way for customers and that's why they keep coming back--but they don't get to set the prices, policies, or anything else. Getting over-run by customers while trying to tell yourself the customer is always right... is a great way to go out of business!

The customer is our reason for being here. BUT THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT!@!!

[southerntinting]

KW.....Did we have a bad day?