Another crazy client...what would you do?

[jlee0101]

Thanks everyone for the advice in the clipper irritation situation. I have another situation that also happened just this weekend and I kind of put it on the back burner since I'm unsure how I want to deal with it.

Last February 2009, a regular client that brings two Yorkies to us had some complaints. I'm the owner and I am also a groomer. I am not the only groomer and I am not always at the shop everyday. Anyway, she called on a Saturday and wanted us to fit her in. Our Saturdays are usually booked but the receptionist found a way to fit her in for two Bath & Brushes. On Monday she calls me with a bunch of complaints. She complained that our receptionist (who is the sweetest girl ever) was rude to her. She complained that the groomer brushed the hair backwards and that the dogs had an Afro???? She complained that the groomer didn't shave the rectum area wide enough and that the dogs did not smell clean and that she didn't like how the groomer handed the dogs back to her.

I had a feeling she was being a wacko. Regardless, I asked the client to bring the dogs in so I could have a look at them as I had a hard time imagining the Afro. I also told her we could shave the rectum area more if she wanted. I also offered her a discount on the next groom but we never discussed the exact details.

When I got off the phone with her, I asked the receptionist and the groomer about the situation. I'm satisfied that they were not rude to her, which would have been a big problem. As for the complaints about the rear end and the Afro and the dogs not being clean, I had no opportunity to see this firsthand since the client never brought the dogs in and we haven't heard from her since...until this past Friday.

She called for a Saturday appointment. We were booked and the same receptionist put her on the waiting list. But in the end we were not able to fit her in. She instructed the receptionist to have me call her to set up appointments for her dogs because "she knows about the discount she offered me from the last grooming."

Is it just me or is this lady out of her mind??? I plan on letting her know that (1) we made the offer almost a year ago and she should have come back in a reasonable amount of time and (2) that she forfeited the discount when she did not come back as we requested so that we could see what she was complaining about. It's almost one year later!!! What is this lady thinking??? I don't even know if I want her to come back to us. Her dogs pee everywhere and one of the dogs is crazy difficult to work on.

I am tempted to not even bother calling this lady back. But of course I probably will.

What are your thoughts?

[ferretlov]

I certainly think she is a nut and that unfortuately you are booked for the next 6 months and that there is no way you could fit her in . but you will send her the $ 5.00 off coupon through the mail for another time.

[petpalswi]

yuk

you sound like you already know what to do, she probably burned her bridge with other groomers and now wants to come back to you. dont know how regular she was befor, but she sounds like a hopper trying to get something for nothing. set her straight on the discount, there is none, and dont squeeze her in anywhere, if she wants an appointment in your shop she will wait til you have the approprate time to fit her in. I hate when people call, want an appointment now, I tell them I can do next week, and instead of taking it they say theyll call back then. I dont hold appointments, if they call back, they still usually have to wait at least a week for an appointment. the fact the dogs are kind of naughty should only make it easier to nudge her to the curb.

[HOTW]

I would not take her I would call her back and say the discount is ntno available as she did not bring the dogs in as requested. Advise her as to the booking policies of the shop and then tell her about the extra ost due to the excessive urination and ask her if the dog has had that checed out. Be real sweet and nice and concerned and then hang up and write DNA(Do Not Accept) on her chart

[SiberianLover]

*looks around*

*does not see SmartNPretty*

[KANK] Straight to the curb!!


*runs off giggling*

[doggydivas]

I would do as the others have said. Politely call her back, tell her you are booked out for a few months. Also remind her of the conversation a year back and that she didn't follow up. That you were not able to see the complaints she had therefore can not give any discounts. You could also tell her that since your last conversation some of the pricing has changed. You have started enforcing your "hard to handle" fee for dogs that are hard to handle and that her dogs would fall under that category. Quote her a price that you think will be reasonable yet scare her away and voila. Problem solved. I have done this with a couple clients that I would rather not see again. One of them actually still comes in and pays the extra fees. so even though I didn't get rid of her I am at least getting paid more for my hassle of dealing with her and her dog.

[kats_melody]

Not much more to add than what has already been said. I wouldn't go out of my way to try and placate a PITA client whom you will never please, and who seems to think she deserves special treatment.

I treat ALL of my customers and their pets with fairness and kindness. I provide a good service at what I (and most of my customers) believe is a fair price. Beyond that, I owe them nothing and they owe me nothing.

Sorry, I would not bend over backwards to try to make a OAY customer happy to the expense of my valued customers who book regularly.

Move on, nothing more to see here... :-)

[Jadenlea]

Wait a year and call her back.

hehe just kidding... sort of..

I probably wouldn't bother calling back. Let her call me. When she called I would explain that the discount is nul and void since it has been a year and she never brought the dogs for you to check.

How does she even expect you to remember her??

[Yorkie_Gal]

I would call her back, tell her that the dogs were to be inspected and THEN she would've received the discount if indeed the complaints were valid. Then I would politely tell her that she would be happy with another grooming shop. I've done this with one person, the lady ALWAYS complained about the last groomer, then ALWAYS complained about the way I groomed the dog. She called to make an appointment, and I said "You've NEVER been happy with the way I groom him and you ALWAYS complain, so I think it's best if you find a groomer whom you'll be happy with"..............she fought tooth and nail that she didn't complain, I siad "YES you always do"...............she yells "FINE good luck to you" and hung up on me................I was fairly new at the time, so losing a customer was a big deal, but to be honest, I've never lost a second's sleep over it................

[Topknot]

If she were my customer I would not call her back at all. If she calls and you have call display, don't answer it. I agree with all the above posts. Good luck to you and I hope she goes away. Do you think she even had her dogs groomed since last year? She sounds like a pita.

[odette]

*looks around*

*does not see SmartNPretty*

[KANK] Straight to the curb!!


*runs off giggling*

I'm telin! lol, what she said.

[Pawshpooch]

is the $$ for grooming the dogs worth it with this crazy customer?


N-O!!

along will come an appreciative CLIENT (hence i said customer earlier as in a customer comes once, but a client comes more often then normal) to make up the $$.

i wouldn't bother calling her. waste of my time!

[gonegrooming]

Is that a KURB I see???