Is the customer always right?

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Jo
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Is the customer always right?

Post by Jo »

I've had this job in - would you question it? Is the customer always right?!!
20230308_183459.jpg
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Re: Is the customer always right?

Post by JKX »

Is that something that the customer has printed off from an app where they add their own text? Surely not bought like that!

If the former they can try again, if either, you could mount over it, type it correctly, print that and put it in an aperture below, which would have the added benefit of not being top heavy any more.
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Re: Is the customer always right?

Post by Gesso&Bole »

I would definitely discuss the grammatical error in a tactful way with the customer prior to framing.

Perhaps asking something like "is the grammatical error part of the joke?" !!

But then tact isn't my strong suit . . . . .
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Re: Is the customer always right?

Post by Jo »

I found the seller on 'Not On The HIgh Street' and you add your own personalisation so the customer must have typed it in like that. But the text box says add your text here, for example: Home is where the heart is...
I feel like it should have been the NOTHS seller that picked it up or it is in fact correct for some bizarre reason.
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Re: Is the customer always right?

Post by fusionframer »

I think i would leave it personally. You have been asked to frame it and for all you know, that phrase may have a personal meaning. If they notice afterwards and it was wrong a they got a correct print, then offer to switch them over. That goodwill gesture will tend to be good for word of mouth referrals.

I have a load of phrases that make no sense to others from my childhood and my kids when younger. A double decker bus is still a dicker butter bus according to my son when he was 2 years old. He is 19 now and we still use his pronunciation. It may possibly be a way a child wrote it for example.

Good luck,

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Re: Is the customer always right?

Post by Jo »

That is my inclination NIck, it's certainly not my place to decide it is wrong, the customer should have checked it when they received it and I'm just doing what they have asked me to do. I do query spellings if I am asked to order an engraved plaque or print text but that is while I am still discussing the job with the customer. I didn't even notice this one when they brought it in, only when I started the job.

Yes, I would certainly replace it FOC if they got a new one. That's a much easier swap than the cross stitcher who decides they have missed some stitches or put the wrong birth date on!!

And yes, our family still call those flying things 'hettycopters' :lol:
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Re: Is the customer always right?

Post by pramsay13 »

I don't think I've ever had anything that bad but I often get pixelated photos so I normally have a conversation about print quality and where the original photo came from etc.
Once armed with the information if they still want to go ahead and get it framed I will oblige, although often I'm asked to get things printed again once they figure out they need to source the original photo, rather than a shared social media pic.
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Re: Is the customer always right?

Post by JonathanB »

I don’t understand why there is any discussion about swapping prints over later, and thereby incurring costs, when we all suspect an error has been made. It seems pretty clear that the customer has either made a mistake when ordering, or spelling isn’t their strong suit. Either way, a polite but tactful enquiry at the time of ordering the framing will save a lot of hassle later, and done properly, generate goodwill. Just leaving it and thinking it’s none of our business just seems to be poor customer care to me.
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Re: Is the customer always right?

Post by fusionframer »

Jonathan,

I think my viewpoint has changed as my experience is that it has become much easier to offend people now than it used to be. You point out a persons glaring error ( tactfully) to save them additional cost and you get an earful for your troubles.

Take this example, the person is either meaning this for some reason or is really dense especially given that they typed it into a computer and have not noticed the error when it arrived.

Pointing out a persons stupidity to them never tends to end well for me hence why i would just frame it as is.

This is only my opinion of course.

Cheers

Nick
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Re: Is the customer always right?

Post by JKX »

I would have to sort this out before even getting mount/frame samples out and there are many ways to do that beyond laughing your head off and shouting "HEY FOLKS - come look at this creative spelling"

Realisation may happen after half an hour of deliberation at the counter, or worse still, once hung at home.

Here's one tactful scenario....

I always did the choosing of the mount/frame/whatever and then opened the software to take details/get the price, starting with price, so I'd measure it blah blah. All good? Yes - hooray - let's give it a description "Print - house shaped map" ... would do if not for the spelling

So - and assuming I've spotted this straightaway, I would do the description first with it correct-way-round to the customer and I would call it "Home is we're the heart his" I'd say it out loud as it's written, not how it should sound, and I'd pause at "we're" for reaction and if none, again at "his" and if still none I'd ask "Is that right"?

If anyone takes offence at that,well it's just tough - and I'm back in the workshop or taking the next order.

To me this is like not saying "You have seen that cigarette burn, haven't you"? Or something.
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Re: Is the customer always right?

Post by Justintime »

I didn't even notice the typos! :lol:
I was upset by it being wonky though...which I realise is just your photo.
So much strange "art" comes across the table these days, this may well have escaped my notice tbh.
The goodwill replacing the image that's mentioned. It doesn't work for me. My goodwill is calling them up and sorting it before fitting. If you sandwich and tape up the package, then do a proper job finishing the frame, it's not a 2 minute job to replace it, is it? It's an unfit and refit charge from me every time.
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