Fall 2014
Handling Difficult Customers By Poornima Apte

Quick Tips

Stay positive

If a customer just bought five pendants each for $4.95 and requests that every one of them be bagged in its own box and in a store bag with a special bow on top, you know you’re not going to make much on this transaction. My response in such a case: “Absolutely, the first gift-wrapped piece is free. The rest will cost 50 cents each. How many would you like?” Invariably, the customer will remember that she has gift boxes at home.

— Sylvia Killion,
Sylvia’s By the Sea

Learn from experience

A customer recently complained that her sterling silver piece was tarnished after a year. It turns out that she hadn’t taken care of it properly. Now I think I should add a little booklet about care and maintenance so it decreases the chances of it happening again.

— Francene Pisano Dudziec,
Monogram Muse

Check out the bottom line

A regular customer had a problem with a piece of jewelry and I replaced it for her twice. I thought this was odd as I have never had a problem like that, and further discussion revealed she had polished the fashion jewelry with Tarn-x, a very harsh polish that can cause damage to soft metals. I replaced the ring for her, even though she had caused the damage. Sometimes you have to think of the value of the customer, not the value of the transaction in question. She was a steady, loyal customer and to have her continue shopping at the store was worth a lot more than the cost of the rings
I gave her.

— Linda O’Boyle,
Metro Home Style

Add a sweet nothing

I always keep small bags of packaged coffee or candy or some special treat on hand for tricky customer situations. Throwing that little extra something in the bag makes the customer feel like you care and that they’re special. It doesn’t cost a whole lot, but the goodwill you get back in turn is invaluable

— Cynthia Sutton-Stolle,
The Silver Barn