Two weeks ago a woman at my regular craft market ordered two sets of pillowcases from me, with a particular placement of leaves in a particular colour. She drew the design in my notebook and also wrote down her first name and cell number.
A few days later, when it was leaf-printing time, I looked at her sketch and realised she’d sketched 3 leaves on one side and 2 on the other, which didn’t correspond with what she’d said she wanted. So I sent her an sms. No reply. Two days later, another sms. Still no reply. Tried calling, left voicemail, no response. I received no failed-sms message either. She hadn’t given me her surname so I also couldn’t look up her landline in the phone directory.
I figured that, if I’d gone ahead and printed three leaves, the chances are she would only have wanted two, and vice versa. So when she arrived to collect her pillow cases, I explained. She instantly became really really angry and starting yelling about “already having confirmed the order” and clearly I made a mistake with her cell number. Well. I do not like being shouted at and never ever treat anybody that way myself, so I expect civility from others in return – or at the very least not a raised voice. I showed her the page in the notebook where she had done her stupid drawing and scribbled a cell number that bore little relation to the correct one (as it turned out), gave her a long stony look and then bit down really really hard on my tongue… She stomped off, with my strong wish in hot pursuit that her jeans would suddenly split open at the back.
[hashtag: customer_not_always_right!]
Nice piece of work 
I really hope you’ve had some lovely customers to balance out the couple of rubbish ones!
Oh I do! As Donald would say, I have the BEST customers!!!
Ugh I try not to think about what he might say. Our PM is utterly awful, but at least she doesn’t offend 3 different demographics every time she opens her mouth.
Anyway I’m glad you have lovely customers too! There is hope for humanity yet ;)
Utterly awful? We DREAM of someone like Theresa May over here. We have Mr Corrupt-and-Criminal. :(
What a doom brain! How do you get your OWN cellphone number wrong? I mean, isn’t it about the *only* number that people have to remember these days? I think jeans splitting over her lardy arse is really the mildest of possible karmic revenges, and actually, waking up the next morning with her micro-brain spilling out of her left nostril onto her boringly unadorned pillowcase seems quite fitting. Or is that just me being a tiny bit spiteful? She didn’t ultimately confirm that leaf order, I’m guessing…
oh you made me laugh out loud!!! Thanks for that. No, no leaves for her (a la the soup man in Seinfeld…)
I hope the laughter stopped the tongue bleeding! Honestly, though, some people are too stupid to breed…
more, please, more……. I’m loving this :)
I’m sure if she’d thought for one fraction of a second before going off like a cow’s fart she’d have extracted at least one of the boots she’d stuff in her mouth. But no, too much to ask. I think you’re far too patient and saintly. Bring on the badass within you. Say NO to rudeness, yelling and unwarranted flouncing! Artisans of the world unite against Wrong customers! (Can I stop now…?)
Some days I am really glad I only make for myself or as gifts – If I misunderstand my own instructions Iam both the biter and the bit!
Oh, my word! I’ll bet she wonders why everything in her life turns to sh*t and hasn’t a clue it’s her own doing, They always think it’s other people causing the problem when they should be looking in the mirror, Glad you didn’t make it ahead and let her do without.
Stupid woman – she doesn’t deserve your work. I am intrigued, though, what the person who received all the texts and voice mail is thinking… perhaps you should message them and explain and ask if they’d be interested in buying some beautiful pillow cases…!
And while I’m thinking about it – did the man who ordered the big throw pay up in the end?
He did, after I had sent him a very polite but clear letter about how the Small Claims Court would be able to help me if he didn’t collect and pay for his order within the following 2 weeks. I said I understood that problems arose, but that a very small business like mine cannot survive if I spend a week making something particular that does not get paid for. By the time I got home from putting the letter in his letterbox, my phone was ringing :) We did the hand-over the very next day! But I’ve learned my lesson – ALWAYS take a deposit in future!!!!!
Yay!
WELL REALLY!
:(
I’m not sure I would have wanted to be the one viewing her stroppy backside! She was obviously talkimg out of it (sorry Mum.)
hahahahahaha
Yikes, what a nightmare. I can’t imagine what having a person like that in my life everyday would be like, just think of the people that have to deal with her everyday. Some people just like being mean I guess. She should be happy she had a talented artists to make something for her.
You’re right, she should be treating me with great respect! hahahahaa!
Pretty appalling behaviour, I say! That’s one thing about custom work, isn’t it? But then, if you make things and then try to sell them, the process has its own challenges. But not rudeness on that scale! I’m glad you followed your instincts and didn’t complete the order. And I’m even more glad that most of your customers deserve you and your work! All the best to you. ~ Linne
Well, you get them, as they say. I’ve heard some real horror stories this last week while I’ve been working at the Cavendish market – some of the other traders have had me in stitches!!!!
Very nice work