OK- situation from the other side

dougk

b00b
I have a 'customer'. I use this word lightly because he ordered a Daylighter JR in 2012. Yes. 4 years ago.

Then he dropped off the face of the earth. After a year of repeated attempts to contact, he finally answered an email with "yeah something came up and I can't afford it. I need my money back."

I pointed to his invoice and our website that says custom orders are non-refundable after 30 days (down to 7 now). We had all the parts machined, it was sitting in the rack for color (a custom blend based on a screen shot he sent me- later). I told him we'd be happy to sit on it till he was ready again for a few months.

TWO YEARS later he appears out of no where and makes another 600 dollar payment and sends over a few shades of orange he wants me to match. None of my prepackaged orange colors are quite right in his mind. So being a nice guy, I get back to work and match it best I can.

Of course then he disappears again. Again.

Fast forward to around beginning of this year when he finally reappears and says "ok I'm ready for the guitar. Please ship it out immediately". Now we've been busy, with people who actually pay their bills and I warn him that he's at the back of the line and we're 6- 9 months out. "But I'm already painted!". Yeah but I have months of assembly work ahead of him already in the schedule, we'll sneak it in when we can.

Then that started on the weekly, then daily messages: is it done yet, when will it ship, why are you ignoring me ect ect (ignoring being I didn't get back to him in 15 minutes). We finished the final fretwork, everything is here to assemble it and today I start getting messages "I'm going to post these conversations for everyone to see!! When are you shipping my guitar" ect ect.

Now, it's clearly outlined here: http://www.kauerguitars.com/frequently-asked-questions/ our policies for this. We don't have to do shit, neither assemble nor give money back. Frankly, I can't even afford to right this week (yay, taxes!) but I'm so annoyed that I'm ready to just cut him loose.

Ugh.

So yeah. There's something from the otherside of the coin.
 
It sucks that people are assholes. I know if I was in his position, I would not expect you to drop everything and finish my guitar when I dicked you around forever.
 
And that is why I've not taken my guitar building (or even my art skills) to the point where I want to make a profession from them. There is something to be said for "I do this to make money and I do this over here because I'm passionate about it". Grrrr.... much mojo Doug. :facepalm:
 
You clearly have more patience than me. I would have told him to stick it where the sun don't shine a long time ago :lol:
 
I expect he'll post on TGP about how unhappy he is with your service.

EXACTLY.

This is exactly what's going to happen. It won't matter that I can show 2 payments in 4 years, a lack of communication on his end ect ect. Half where ever he posts will think I'm a crook, the other half will take my side if I'm lucky.
 
You already have an outstanding reputation and enough people who've experienced your product and service at this point that you don't need to try and defend yourself in a situation like that. You simply can't please everyone and most people realize that.
 
EXACTLY.

This is exactly what's going to happen. It won't matter that I can show 2 payments in 4 years, a lack of communication on his end ect ect. Half where ever he posts will think I'm a crook, the other half will take my side if I'm lucky.
I'm sure your reputation at TGP and elsewhere will carry a lot of weight.

This is an unfortunate scenario that vendors of all types are grappling with. I hear similar stories from photographers and restaurants who get slammed online by a single loud, crazy person. Scary times.
 
This is an unfortunate scenario that vendors of all types are grappling with. I hear similar stories from photographers and restaurants who get slammed online by a single loud, crazy person. Scary times.

I have a friend that got into a little personal squabble with a competitor. The other guy enlisted dozens of people to leave negative reviews of his business on yelp, google, forums, etc. It took a tremendous amount of effort on my friend's part to get most of those bogus reviews removed. I'm sure it did some damage too.
 
Can you afford to refund his money (minus a hefty restocking fee) and tell him to pound sand and go somewhere else?

Some customers you don't want.

This sounds like one of them.
 
Mojo Doug.

I think way more than half the people will take your side if it comes down to the asshat posting about it on a music forum. You have been doing this for awhile and have a long standing reputation of excellence both in product and customer service. That will serve you well should the situation arise. AND we will have your back here. Just let us know.

But it is sad that businesses have had to be created whose 'product' is protecting online reputations from naysayers.
 
Alright Doug, here's what you do:

1st, remember that even though you are in the right, this assclown is willing to throw you under the bus in public. Sure, some people will read his story (however he embellishes it) and think he's just an assclown. Others will unfortunately take his side and before you know it, your reputation takes a hit that while completely unwarranted, is still impactful.

Fuck that.

2nd. Finish the guys guitar straight away. Clear the path to getting his precious plank of wood ready to ship ASAP. Make it the best example of the model yet to leave your shop. Make it above reproach.

Let him know that he has been moved to the front of the list, and that you are making every effort to get his guitar out for delivery as soon as is possible given the assembly time etc.

He will chill out. He will think he has "won". He will stop pestering you. He will stop talking shit.

Finish the guitar as described above. Upon shipping the guitar, put the MONOBAG in a larger cardboard box. Surround the bag so that it is "protected" from damage with the best packing filler known to man... several bags of Gummi Dicks. Leave a note that reads "congratulations on the purchase of your Kauer guitar. Each one of our instruments is a representation of the fine people who play them. So, before opening the case to see your new guitar, we ask that you allow it to adjust to climate and altitude changes incurred during the shipping process. Please allow 24 hours before exposing your new Kauer to the air and elements at its new home. We understand the anticipation is difficult, so we invite you to eat a bag of dicks or two while you wait. Thank you again from all of us at Kauer Guitars."

Win/Win
 
Seems like OGG has the best approach.
This is a good representation why I never want to work with the public again.
 
Alright Doug, here's what you do:

1st, remember that even though you are in the right, this assclown is willing to throw you under the bus in public. Sure, some people will read his story (however he embellishes it) and think he's just an assclown. Others will unfortunately take his side and before you know it, your reputation takes a hit that while completely unwarranted, is still impactful.

Fuck that.

2nd. Finish the guys guitar straight away. Clear the path to getting his precious plank of wood ready to ship ASAP. Make it the best example of the model yet to leave your shop. Make it above reproach.

Let him know that he has been moved to the front of the list, and that you are making every effort to get his guitar out for delivery as soon as is possible given the assembly time etc.

He will chill out. He will think he has "won". He will stop pestering you. He will stop talking shit.

Finish the guitar as described above. Upon shipping the guitar, put the MONOBAG in a larger cardboard box. Surround the bag so that it is "protected" from damage with the best packing filler known to man... several bags of Gummi Dicks. Leave a note that reads "congratulations on the purchase of your Kauer guitar. Each one of our instruments is a representation of the fine people who play them. So, before opening the case to see your new guitar, we ask that you allow it to adjust to climate and altitude changes incurred during the shipping process. Please allow 24 hours before exposing your new Kauer to the air and elements at its new home. We understand the anticipation is difficult, so we invite you to eat a bag of dicks or two while you wait. Thank you again from all of us at Kauer Guitars."

Win/Win

Oh, that's good......that's really good.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OGG
Can you afford to refund his money (minus a hefty restocking fee) and tell him to pound sand and go somewhere else?

Some customers you don't want.

This sounds like one of them.

That's what I did. I ended up selling it to a buddy who could really use it today for a steal, sent him his refund PayPal NOT gift and hit him with a restocking fee. Fuck him.

OGG that's my standard treatment for Facebook trolls! We tell them to send us their address so we can send them some swag to show no hard feelings then 4 months later we send them a bag of gummy dicks.
 
Back
Top