When a customer disappears...?

[WannabeFramer]

I had someone bring in two sentimental pieces back in May. One to replace some broken glass, and another for suggestions and a price to re-frame.

After a month they emailed to say they were not going to go ahead with the re-framing, but yes please to replacing the glass. Since then I have emailed twice to say the glass is ready and asking when they would like to collect both items with no response. Is this unusual?

I don't have a phone number, just an email address. I am a bit concerned holding on this item that I know is very precious for too much longer, as it was brought in on behalf of someone else who may not know I have it.

Other than keep emailing I'm not sure what I can do. Any suggestions? Is this common for customers to just disappear?

[Justintime]

That's why I always take email, mobile, landline, address...everything. It's rare but some people do go on holiday for a long time!!

[WannabeFramer]

Yeah, my bad for going with the 'just my email is fine' comment.

I just hope nothing untoward has happened to them and they are just super busy.

[JFeig]

You should have requested all of the basic information prior to starting a custom order. Name, address, phone number. An Email address simply is not enough to go by.

If you did not have a deposit or prepaid in full order, you now know why most framers do.

[WannabeFramer]

Yeah my fault entirely, part of the learning curve… I haven’t really done any work so I’m not worried about that. (The replacement glass was just for a shop bought frame). I’m just bemused they haven’t been back for the other item that I know is very sentimental to them.

[Justintime]

It is interesting that you ask this right now. I have my first ever "off the radar" customer atm. It started with an unfortunate case of missing a deadline, which was obviously life or death for the customer and I apologised profusely. Only to receive a few passive aggressive texts demanding a full refund, having rejected my calls. Fortunately, in our terms and conditions we state that no guarantees are implied or made regarding deadlines and no refunds will be possible after materials are ordered. Due to his hostile attitude I made the questionable decision to only charge him for materials and refund the difference (he is very local in a rural area and his bad attitude could cost me in the future). The piece was completed ready for collection last Wednesday. Texts and emails are all going unanswered... Maybe he's waiting for his refund to clear, who knows??
What it has taught me is the importance of having up to date T&C's. Currently our t&c's are printed on our payment receipts (who ever actually reads their receipts??) but now I'm going to update them and have a separate page on our website, for cancellations, deadlines, collections including periods of storage and insurance cover after completion...and anything else anyone would like to add to that list?

[Rainbow]

I used to take a deposit, but because I couldn't take Visa (no signal in the building), I only asked for not much more than a token amount. Then I stopped taking a deposit from repeat customers, and I think the fact that they could see that I trusted them helped to cement the relationship. Then I stopped taking a deposit altogether, in most circumstances. I know it's a risk, but I think it's a low-level risk and to me it's worth it in order to avoid the admin involved in taking deposits. However, most of the jobs I get are relatively low value - if they were high value, I would definitely ask for a sizeable deposit.

I posted the above only a few weeks ago. Sod's Law that I had a problem soon afterwards, the first one in eight years. A lovely elderly lady, who I've framed quite a lot of pictures for over the years, gave me another 3 jobs to do. Soon afterwards she had a bad accident, went into hospital and wasn't able to go back home. Very difficult situation. She asked me to deliver the pictures back to a friend of hers, who I've also framed a number of pictures for, but I ended up having to ask a couple of times for the payment, obviously as tactfully as possible. I did get payment eventually, but it's a cautionary tale for anyone else who doesn't take a deposit or the full amount. It's all very well thinking that if jobs are relatively low value, the extra admin involved in taking a deposit isn't worth it, but when several jobs are on the same order, the value mounts up.

I always take name, address, phone and email. Very occasionally the email address has been incorrect and the phone number has been invaluable.

[WannabeFramer]

Well somebody's ears must have been burning. They arrived today to collect both items. Lesson learned for the future though!