I want to share an expience I had at a stamping show

I had that experience once. I looked at the woman who had said a similar thing and responded "well I guess if I didn't own all your items already I would purchase something new. maybe I should buy you manners and better salesmanship."

How rude of the owner to do that to you and your friend. Just remember the famous scene in Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts' character walks into the boutique where she was rudely treated and suddenly was being treated better. It was Julia's line that always stuck with me "you work on commission right?" "yes" "you didn't wait on me yesterday" "oh I didn't" "no you didn't and I have to go shopping now" as she leaves the store with lots of bags.

It is we, the consumer, that makes or breaks a company and that woman really needs a break (called out-of-business).

Kate

Well, that is not very nice and certainly no way to win customers. But, being that I have been through the selling of things at shows I can tell you there is a great deal of stress and it isn't cheap either.

I used to sell computer hardware and software at computer shows that were held at our local fair grounds every month. The cost for a single folding table (3 x 6) was $900. That means out of what I could fit on the table and keep it so that customers could get to stuff without having to off-load the table 3/4 of that went to just cover the cost of the table. Of course a second and third table were less after the first one, but when three tables cost you over $1500 there is a lot of stress to do more than just break even.

Add to that that if I didn't go each month I would loose my spot which meant the next time I went it was much harder for my regular customers to find me which meant I would probably make less.

So I am not asking you to forgive this person. She was rude and she certainly doesn't deserve any brownie points. But, consider that she was probably under stress, should could have been going through other things in her life. Probably what I would have done was point out that there was no need to be rude and that you always do a walk through and then go back for the things that interest you. Then wait for an apology and then if you didn't get one walk away.

BTW I do the walk through myself. I am usually working within a budget and want to make sure that I am not buying one thing when there was something I wanted more further on. So I go through, look at everything make notes, pick what I want that fits my budget and then go back and buy. This is even more important when you have a lot of vendors. You can easily spend your money at one table if your not careful.

Robert

Whether it was my parents doing antique shows or me doing craft fairs, I have never ever treated my customers badly.

Yes certa> Well, that is not very nice and certainly no way to win customers. But,

How rude can you get! Surely they'd prefer you to look THEN buy rather than grab everything that looks interesting and then have to put it back because you found something else you needed more further along the booth? High pressure sales tactics like that only tend to alienate the customers...

True, but people can have bad days. For all we know her mother could have died or her cat got hit by a car or she was just told she has cancer or any number of things. My point is that we really don't know.

Myself I find it odd that a seller would act this way. Surly if they are doing well then they know this is going to hurt sales so unless the person is a complete ass all of the time then I have to believe this was something else.

I am not saying ignore what she did I am saying cut her a little slack and give her the benefit of the doubt. And, then by-pass he stand at the next show!

Robert

As someone who has been in customer service most of my professional life, and as someone who takes great pride in good customer service - I'd have to say this is a good example of what not to do.

Not to mention I am a firm beleiver in the more flies with honey paradigm.

I think what a lor of folks forget is that customer service is about a long term relationship. Even if someone isn't buying that day, or that visit, it's better to let them leave with a good experience, than with a bad one. They will come back if it's a good experience. Not only will most people choose never to go back if it's bad, but they are far more likely to tell their friends, as you have here, and many of those people will then choose not to shop there then, and tell more people.

So - it is far more damaging to her business to have treated you that way, in the long run, than to let you leave empty handed in the short run.

As far as a bad day - I generally try to cut people slack/give them the benifit of the doubt, but as the owner, that was just really really bad form.

My 2 cents - thanks for sharing the story.

Oh, and I live in the Seattle area too....so I am familiar with Puyallup! :)

Jessica

lh wrote:

I am sorry that you had a bad experience with that vendor! I work in customer service everyday, and I think that was very bad behavior directed at a potential customer! Everyone has bad days, but I was always taught at my jobs to "leave your problems at the door", when you have a job to do. What makes it bad (to me) is that it was the owner herself!? too bad for her she lost sales! I think I would also have just walked away from her booth and not bought anything!

I was curious to see if they had a website and googled ...is this the > I have been lurking around this site for several years. Thought some of you

I'm kind just jumping in on the tail-end of the thread but I totally agree that there are times when you have to cut people some slack and give them the benefit of the doubt. She could have just had a really bad day. We all do. I also agree that she should have been able to control her comments for her own good because, as others have mentioned, she's just spiting herself now that you don't want to do business with her anymore.

By the way, if that website is the one for the woman that you met, she looks just like a lady that used to be one of the employees at the dining hall where I worked in college. Before I started working there, I used to think, "Boy is she a B*" but after I started working with her, I saw that she was just frustrated by the slackers that worked with her. She was always nice to me because she knew I was a hard worker and would keep my area clean and she could put me where ever they need someone to fill in for that shift even if I wasn't scheduled for that particular job.

I say, if you see her again, confront her about her remark or make some sort of smart comment yourself and see what she says.

Alida

That's the site. The year before we visited with the same woman. She was telling us about the cost of running a booth at the fair grounds. This year she just couldn't leave us alone. And it was the first day of the show. I guess she was worried about paying for the space.

I think she was having an off day.

I met Judith and her daughter at a scrapbook convention in Madison last spring. I remember I bought some stickers at her booth (for like a dollar), my sister and her friend were along and bought nothing. They weren't hassled or treated badly. Quite the contrary, as both Judith and her daughter were doing demos and having fun. I've also ordered from her website and was surprised at how quickly (I am talking like 2 days) I received the product in the mail. She's even included free product, like a small stamp or stickers with the order, and I didn't order much. I just wanted to counter the bad experience with a good one. Having just had an off day myself-it can and does happen. Sorry it happened to you, but I guess I would say give Judith another chance.

My 2-cents. Kathy

I would also like to say that none of this "slack cutting" that we are suggesting should nor does it invalidate the original posters feelings about be treated that way.

You had every right to be upset and I would have walked away as well. Now I would also stop by her booth the next time I can and see if she has improved. If not then I would right her off.

While humans are complex and emotional beings people that sell things and expect people to do business with them need to do better in mitigating the things happening in their lives so that they don't put a negative spin on their business. I don't think you can get any more negative than what happened.

Robert

Yes, customer service is about long term relationships. But, customer service over the last decade or so (I think it started with the coming of the internet) has really went down the drain. It has become so cut throat and so much about making money, not just a nice profit but getting filthy rich that most business large or small don't see customer service really worth the investment. Shame really, I tend to do as little business as possible that have bad customer service. Some times you just have to but it doesn't have to be any more often then the law allows.

Another option would have been to confront her. Tell her she has a lot of nerve treating you like that and that that is not a good way to get you to do business with her. Wait for an apology for a few seconds and then turn and leave. I don't know there are a lot options for when this happens, we just don't think of them until later and we decide how outraged we are.

Robert

Next time, hand her a full shoebox and tell her you changed your mind.

I have had similar experiences too, not only at stores myself, but with others and in my job (a truckdriver) imagine that!!

I am usually one not to say anything, but couple years in Indiana on way to my HS reunion I had to stop for gas. I had this like company prepaid card. I went in to pay and the clerk told me she could not take it first without authorization. I asked her what did she mean.

By this time couple others were behind me. She told me then that I HAD to call the company to verify the card and authorize her to accept it? I said I did not understand she stated it a bit more loudly. i told her I thought she was confused or something and she said, Sir you need to move aside and pay when you get the information. The others behind me I think were as confused as I was.

I asked her could I use her phone as it was a 1-800 number. She then said No, the customers phone is outside. I could use it and tell them to call her on the station phone.

Someone beside me asked who was the customer here s obviously she was not being helpful and was confused. She told that customer that it was not his business.

That made me mad and I told her I will -pay for my gas another way and that I wanted to know who her boss was. She said He would not care. I called the company (Conoco) if I remember correctly and got the cold shoulder form them too.

But as you say Robert, customer service really has went the way o the since especially the up coming time of the internet.

So sad!!! I remember that kind of stuff and then will not go back. walmart is that way with me.

OKC Dave

Check out my pix and crafts!

Wow thats no way to do business! I wouldn't go there again either...how rude!

Michelle P

lh wrote: