Wrong kind of customer?

[lonepine]

Recently I was at a craft show,and a potentail customer asked about my items.The one question that threw me was... Where did you get your wood? Not thinking I said from a manfacturing plant cast away. He then said, since I didn't pay for the wood, I shouldn't charge him either... :confused: for the wood. Am I missing something here?
Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks Bob

[JoeScroller]

What about the work you put into it, what about your saw, your blades, the plans, your electricity, your heat/A.C., your late nights finishing projects before the show, are those worth nothing????????????????

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Bob

I am sure the veteran craters that do shows will weigh in here but you will hear things like this. The more shows you do the more you get to know what to say and what not to say and to whom. You will be able to read people. You mentioned potential customer, they were never a customer probably someone trying to pick your brain for info. They may also be into scrolling. You will also learn to think quick on your feet because you will run into people such as this. What your reply should have been "I am not charging you for the wood, but the man hours to make it and as Joe said the rental of my electricity and tools" You do get some idiots like that but for the most part a person that goes to a craft show realizes the work and time not only to make the item but to stand there and sell it plus the unpacking and packing. Now some will not realize the amount of time as a whole and think the price is too much but then again no price would be good for them so you ignore them.

[Deanna]

you should supply this "customer" with the address of the plant where you got the wood.... he can go pick up a slab and hang THAT on his wall

Deanna

[Woodbutcher68]

I did a show last December and a woman asked me where I "imported" my things from. I told her Hammond and she was confused. I told her that I live in Hammond and made it all myself. She couldn't believe it.
As far as where I get my materials, I tell them that I buy from different vendors, both local and around the country.
My Bethlehem Olive wood comes from Bethlehem, my African Blackwood comes from Africa. The fact that there are distributors in the United States is none of their business. If I bought a 2"X2"X12" piece of Olive Wood directly from Bethlehem, the shipping would cost more than the wood and put the final item price out of reach.
Take a couple of pieces of wood to your next show, when somebody gives you the same line, hand them a piece and tell them that's the "Do-it-yourself" kit.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Hey Woodbutcher, that is a good one. You can add couple scrollsaw blades and a couple pieces of sandpaper. Here is your do it yourself kit. You will have two kinds of customers that ask questions like that. Ones that want to pick your brain because they probably do it also or want to try. Then you have the ones that are just nosey and trying to make conversation. I usually try to strike up conversations with people to loosen them up. Some people are intimidated when you walk over. Some people want to be left alone while others want to be serenaded. Your job is to figure out which they are.

[ndtroll]

I like the "do it yourself" kit idea... I may make up a kit just to put on display at the next shows coming up. One on Mother's Day weekend and another a month later... I'll let you know the response

[William Young]

I agree with woodbutcher. It's none of their business where we get our wood. If they ask me a question like that I tell them I use both local woods and exotic woods from all over the world and some cost me almost the price of what I am selling the product for. That's all they need to know.

But in reality, I have found that since I started turning, I very seldom buy any woods. Just an occasional dozen or so exotic pen blanks here and there or on ebay.
The rest of the wood for 95% of my lathe turnings is free . I had now idea when I started turning that people would be so interested in giving me a bunch of free wood and I always make them a gift of a pen or a little bowl or vase etc in appreciation and that results in more free wood donations. I have more free wood now than I know what to do with . Which reminds me . . someone called me the other day and asked if I wanted to pick up a cherry log covered with big burls. I must get over there and get that one.
When I was doing all scrolling the wood used to cost me a lot. Now I am finding that I can turn out turnings in 1/4 of the time that scrollsawed items took to make in the same price range and out of free wood.
Except for on a rare occassion nobody ever wanted to give me free wood when I was doing nothing but scrolling.
I am still scrolling but only my fastest moving items and it is getting to the point now that my sales have increased dramatically at craft sales and my turnings account for about 75% of my sales.
You need to act like a politician and when they ask about where you get your wood give them an indirect answer. :D
W.Y.

[TimD]

There are those question askers for sure. A lot of my potential customers & customers ask the "where did you get that wood?" Most of mine are wanting to know I think how did someone like me in Alabama wind up with so many exotic woods from all around the world. I think the best answer is just to tell them "various lumber importers".

[pops-shop]

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of the "do it yourself kit".

This redneck is definitely going to do that one :D ;) :cool: :rolleyes: :D

[TimD]

That's about what I did Saturday, I had all my assembled pens and then the turned barrels laid out on the table. Off to the side was 2 squares of wood with the hole drilled thru the center and a pen kit still in the bag. A few people wanted to know if that was the way they started out. Answer, "Yes" of course.
I finally had one to bite, he had picked up every pen and key chain that was laid out and then he tried to tell his wife how I made them. He was only off a couple of miles with what he told her. When he said "I can do that" his wife told him that she doubted it. When he got biligerent with her and me as he was picking out the pen that she was to get him for his birthday I grabbed the 2 blocks and a pen kit and bagged it up and handed it to him. Then I told him that it would be $20.00 or $25.00 with instructions. Hehe, he turned about as red as a deep colored peice of bloodwood.
He stomped away from my booth telling his wife to pick what she __ __ wanted to, the mower races were about to start. With him out of the way she did go ahead and buy one. While I was giving her her change she tried to apologize for him saying that he'd had a few beers already. I told her that I could tell and that was why some idiots don't need to drink.
Then bless his soul he went right in behind the steering wheel when they left. Wrong answer, I'm a corrections officer and there was the police there and right up the road was a state trooper and all 6 candidates for sheriff. Bottom line when I went to work yesterday morning he was behind my bars so I got to serve him his grits and coffee. When his wife finally went on his bail yesterday afternoon she signed his bond papers with the pen that she'd got.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Now there is a story you just can't make up. I guess JUSTICE was served all around. Nice going. I know people like that, that think they know all and can do all. :)

[William Young]

What a hoot Tim. Good for you. Best one I have heard in a while. Talk about being in the right place at the right time. :D
I have met a few something like that at craft sales but was not in a position to do much about it .
Still grinnin' ;)
W.Y.

[pops-shop]

TimD - I'm LMAO
Way to go

[TimD]

I thought you guys might get a kick out of that. He was just one of those people who need an "A. A." as we call it: that's Attitude Adjustment. Today I had to deal with Mt. Attitude, a guy who got locked up last night. Boy did he have a lousy attitude when I got there at 6:30 this morning. It took five people to bring him in last night, he refused to put a jail uniform on, he kicked and beat and cussed all night, he thratened everyone in there.
Must be my magnetic personality, when I left at 2:30 he was in a uniform, was apologizing and saying thank you when I asked him if he wanted to make a phone call. The jailer who relieved me asked what did I do, so I told him that the next time he should try my method, mind over matter. If Mr. Attitude don't mind it don't matter to me. Oh gee, I just remembered that I forgot to tell him that he couldn't make bond until he was fingerprinred. You know I think that I FORGOT and locked the fingerprint computer up when I left today. Guess that means the other guys can't get in there to fingerprint him. Maybe I'll get his prints tomorrow if it's not too busy but court will start tomorrow so who knows.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Gee Tim I think I will go around your town if I am ever in that state. He got what he deserved. Like you say hope he did learn a lesson. Keep up the fine work. :)

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Now before this gets out of hand and it has taken a step in that direction let me inform you all this is a family oriented site so we have all sorts of people looking in. You may not realize it by the amount of people that post but trust me it is. So to take this or any other discussion to this level PLEASE PLEASE do it by private messaging or email. I and no one else here wants to read things like this. Difference of opinions are human nature but if they can not be conversed in a civil manner then steps will have to be taken. This site is sort of a self-goverened site and we can operate it very welll as it is but it will disappear if things like this happen believe me. I ask of you all PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING FOUL LANGUAGE OR CONTENT!!!! THANK YOU!!!!

There was definitely irony in the story but the big picture or big message in the story is NO ONE and that means NO ONE has the right to drive DRUNK!!!!!!

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

CTROTTER, you have a private message. Please read. Top right corner.

[TimD]

Tim...
I've read your comments three times. By law, did you have the legal right to infringe on the defendent's due process? [What are you referring to there?] You and your ilk are exactly why me and my ilk wouldn't piss down a cop's throat if his heart was on fire! Speed traps,[I said that I'm a corrections officer (Jailer, in plain old fashined lingo) so I'm not out there on the streets making arrests], free dougnuts, {I don't get free donuts ]stopping our daughters to ask them for dates, [oh, please, you can do better than that one] lying under oath [I have never lied under oath], abuse of the confiscation law [confiscating what?], cronyism...You name it! Most of you are lower than whale shit! By what legal right did you lock up the finger print kit[ Fingerprint computer not kit, I am the administrator of that piece of equipment]? Asshole! [Won't even respond tho this]
Now without having ever met you I will take a guess and say that you are so defensive because you either have a DUI or criminal record. You sound like all of those "Innocent" murderers, child molesters, thieves,drunks etc. that I deal with. We have never locked a drunk up for drunk driving to hear him tell it "I only had 1 or 2 beers" even though he blew a .24 or higher on the intoxilyzer machine; .08 is the limit here. I guess that you consider that illegal search and siezure.
Let's see if this makes sense to you: I have a guy in jail now awaiting trail for 2 counts of murder/reckless vehicular homicide. He was drunk and on prescription pain killers (several different ones like oxycotin, lortab, etc. that were prescribed by several different doctors at the same time); he killed a pregnant woman and a 74 year old preacher. Another one has pled guilty but hasn't been sentenced yet on an attempted murder charge: this was his 9th DUI and he has already served time in 2 states on a few occassions for DUI. 4 or more is a felony in Alabama.
This is not the place for this but you started it. Him, you or anyone else drinking and driving is a threat to me, you or anyone else. If you don't see this then you must have a problem. If our legislatures would pass tougher laws and if the judges would take back our court rooms then our highways would be much safer. If I had my way a man that has already had 3 DUI's would not be back for the 5th one because on his 4th one he would get "Life Without the Possibilty of Parole". I'm sure that this will make you even madder but that is your right. Really I should thank you because it's people with your attitude who give me job security. Yes, I know that there are some corrupt cops & jailers out there. That still don't give you the right to think that anything that you want to do is fine because of it.
To everyone on this forum I will apologize for this long-winded response but this one stung a little.

[pops-shop]

The title of this thread is "Wrong kind of customer"

You guys are delving into "Wrong kind of discussion for this board".
Please take it into Private Messaging and not on the open woodworking forum.

Thanks

Fred

[wisconsinwoodch]

CTROTTER. TAKE it elsewhare, I come here to read about woodworking things, not cop shop stuff. There is a private message thing on this site take it there. THE WISCONSIN WOOD CHUCK > : :( :( :( :(

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Ok now we all got the message we were trying to convey and out of the way let us get back to woodworking talk. I was a little disappointed the tone it took but I do understand feelings do get the best of us sometimes and it is so easy to type things we would not if we stop and think it out. So I will consider this as a shake of the hands and we move on. I thank all for understanding and know we all will continue to enjoy this site. :) :) :)

[ctrotter]

Clockman...
I sense you are one heck of a human-being. You seem to have turned a defunct site into a dynamic entity. I will assume that I dertracted from your goal...For that I apologize. May you successfully realize that to which you have focused. Again...If I ALTERED THAT EFFORT, I APOLOGIZE.

[Woodbutcher68]

WWC should make him Administrator of this site and make it worth his while for doing a great job on here!

[K&MScrollworks]

Well the last week to 10 days I have been putting my vegie garden in and have not read many posts. I see this one went the wrong direction. John I just want to say (Thank You) for stopping it and keeping us on the correct forum. I do not know what we would do with out you.............

Thanks Kris

[cranbrook2]

Three cheers for John for a job well done.

[lonepine]

I must say when I started this post, I never intented it to go in to an unfriendly direction. Thank You John for your rescue. Bob

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Gee, I have not been able to get on the site for a few days because of personel things but I see some nice things have been said about me and believe me I will get the checks in the mail soon :) Seriously I do want to thank you all for the support but may I remind you all it is not me it is you that make this such a great site and I have no problem doing what I love to do here and yes there was a bit of heated words but this is all water under the bridge and we move on. There is so much info and knowledge we all can share and we do and this is what makes this such an enjoyable site. So lets us all continue to have fun enjoy the site and respect all. Now I have to see if I can get my swelled up head through the doorway. I have to go eat diner. :D

[Ex19k]

First things first...Good Going John!!!

Second..Love the idea of the DYI bag..Alot of ppl Don't know about the exotic woods..esp here in the sticks of NE GA..

I think the funniest "wrong customer" thing that ever happened to me was in a flea market in luisville ky about 15 years ago..sounded right out of Jeff Foxworthy.

My Dad and I used to make hand made Spinner baits. I actually had a young lady (she was about 12) ask me If she could wear them as ear rings..well off came the hooks and grabbed a couple of loops from the person across from me making beeded earrings. put them to gether with the lures of her choice and tadah!! now there were really small and light, and I think I sold about 12 pairs to her little friends too... but every time I hear Jeff doing his bit about "If you have ear rings that double as fishing lures" I still chuckle about that girl in ky....

Sorry JT but had to put that "off topic" post in......j/k

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Nice story and it goes to show you what the mind can come up with. We all at some time taken an idea and added our touch here and there or mixed a few plans together and came up with a whole new idea. Always keep an open mind. Also listen to customers for they may lead you down a path that maybe worth taking. Good luck with the earrings.

[TimD]

Friday and Saturday I was at what was billed as a big event, they even had 3 big name celebrities there yesterday afternoon. Well it was sort od poorly laid out. Why schedule 3 or 4 main attractions all over town or seveal miles at one time. But I did find the wrong customers, a couple that had ordered special made pens without my stupid self taking a deposit. I think I NOW require 50% deposit for special orders such as pens with initials, very exotic woods or deer antler with a speicial logo, etc. Bottom line here was I was my worst customer this weekend.
But the worst actual customer that I did encounter was one lady who made a very nice spectacle out of telling me that the _ _ pen that I'd sold her had changed colors. Every pen that I sell I put a paper in the case stating that some pens will change colors over a period of time especially when left out in the open under bright light. I offered to look at it and either shine it up or replace it if it was unsightly. WHEW what a relief when she pulled it out and I saw the center band. As I've never sold one with that particular design I knew at once that it was not mine.
Still she ranted and raved. All she wanted was a refund. She made no bones about letting me see the little tape recorder that she had sticking out of the top of her purse while she called me a cheat and a few other nice words. I knew the pen because I knew whose signature was on it so to speak from the shape of the barrels. She didn't realize that the guy who did make it has a brand that he puts into the wood. When I removed the pocket clip and finial cap there was a little burned in design that her "nephew" uses; I had told her that we'd find it under it but she had still insisted that it was me who had sold her that piece of junk. One of her main complaints had been that the tip stuck out of the pen too far. Have you ever seen a crawfish peddle backwards when something gets after him! I would have paid good money if I had carried my digital video with me; the look on her face was priceless. She did buy 4 pens from me after the crowd thinned out.

[lonepine]

TIM; Nice story, I am happy that customer seen the light, not all turn out well, 4 pens...good going. Bob

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Glad things did work out for you. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet. I had an incident similar but with a solid band watch. The lady saw I sold them and told me she bought one from me and the insert stoped working. She showed it to me and I picked up one of mine and clearly you can see the difference but I did sell her another insert and as I tell all my customers if an insert or movement does not work for any reason bring it back and I will replace them free of charge. I only had a few ever returned over the many years I have been doing this. Sometimes it is all too comical out there in the craft show circuit.

[pops-shop]

JT - I have the same policy regarding inserts - however - I had one come back a year later. the gal said it "just stopped working". I asked her if she had changed the AA battery. She said "It has a battery?" Just happened to have a spare which I gladly gave to her. She said I was so nice that she bought another clock. :)

[wisconsinwoodch]

I have the same policy, If it quits working I give them a new one but they must give me the old one . If I feel like it I send it back to steebar as that is where I buy all my inserts. I have never been turned down on a refund from steebar, great people to do bussness with . You wont beleave it when people see me treat former custermers like that. usualley makes another sale right there. good luck CHUCK. :p :p :p

[Ex19k]

How do you get a brand under the clip? Would like to get one made up that small if possible. Well
guss I am the king of off topic here...and as for the earings..quit the lure business years ago.

thanks all