I wish i could please everyone...
I had a client at our offices today that literally threw a dizzy fit due to the fact that i did not have a particular item available for audition as advertised on a promotional booklet distributed by the importers and which names us as authorized reseller. However the particular item, and all those we did not have on display, was on display at an alternative (importers) showroom, albeit around 25km away.
No matter how much i tried to explain to him that despite our best intentions we are simply not in a position to display EVERY SINGLE ITEM on our books, he remained disgruntelled. I tried to explain to him that doing so would not only take more than the R150sqm of office space i can afford, cost more than the R7000 insurance i already pay but could effectively put me R2 Mill plus out of pocket (considering that it amounts to more than 400 different item), which i would have to constantly rotate as models change. But he did not seem to fathom that and stated in no uncertain terms that not displaying all the items "must be the worst customer experience ever".
Now for those of you that have been to our offices, you will comprehend and agree that it would be totally out of the question and logistically (considering it's only Hubby and me) impossible.
As such our choice of what to and what not to display would be a strategic one, based on what sells and what is on demand and that i have little motivation to display items that hardly sell, or carries more risk in doing so than what i foresee to make selling that particular item in the next six months.
Now I TOTALLY understand that is extremely important for some to touch and feel before they buy (although we all know the experience may be different once you take it home), it may not always be possible - and that is life. And so we win some, and loose some and in the greater scope i am perfectly fine with that. But just like a multi million/billion rand motor vehicle supplier does not have EVERY single vehicle in every different configuration and colour available for a test drive, or every cellular shop have every single smart/cell phone on display which they can offer on order, neither do we. Sometimes you would just buy things on merit.
So there... My rant for the day
... But please understand that we sooo pride ourselves in customer service and as instances like these are far and few between, it REALLY, REALLY gets to me. :-[
Please tell me I am not wrong?
I had a client at our offices today that literally threw a dizzy fit due to the fact that i did not have a particular item available for audition as advertised on a promotional booklet distributed by the importers and which names us as authorized reseller. However the particular item, and all those we did not have on display, was on display at an alternative (importers) showroom, albeit around 25km away.
No matter how much i tried to explain to him that despite our best intentions we are simply not in a position to display EVERY SINGLE ITEM on our books, he remained disgruntelled. I tried to explain to him that doing so would not only take more than the R150sqm of office space i can afford, cost more than the R7000 insurance i already pay but could effectively put me R2 Mill plus out of pocket (considering that it amounts to more than 400 different item), which i would have to constantly rotate as models change. But he did not seem to fathom that and stated in no uncertain terms that not displaying all the items "must be the worst customer experience ever".
Now for those of you that have been to our offices, you will comprehend and agree that it would be totally out of the question and logistically (considering it's only Hubby and me) impossible.
As such our choice of what to and what not to display would be a strategic one, based on what sells and what is on demand and that i have little motivation to display items that hardly sell, or carries more risk in doing so than what i foresee to make selling that particular item in the next six months.
Now I TOTALLY understand that is extremely important for some to touch and feel before they buy (although we all know the experience may be different once you take it home), it may not always be possible - and that is life. And so we win some, and loose some and in the greater scope i am perfectly fine with that. But just like a multi million/billion rand motor vehicle supplier does not have EVERY single vehicle in every different configuration and colour available for a test drive, or every cellular shop have every single smart/cell phone on display which they can offer on order, neither do we. Sometimes you would just buy things on merit.
So there... My rant for the day
... But please understand that we sooo pride ourselves in customer service and as instances like these are far and few between, it REALLY, REALLY gets to me. :-[ Please tell me I am not wrong?
