It’s 7:45 p.m., and I just got home from the studio. No, I wasn’t working late. I went to the studio to meet with a potential client (Julie) after she got off of work. Lisa wasn’t happy that I went to the studio after hours, but she understands that I need every client I can get right now.
When I got to the studio, I prepared for Julie’s arrival. I set up a special slide show of senior guy photos (her son is the potential subject). I turned on the television and prepared the slide show for presentation. I ran the air conditioner. I cleaned the table and chair we were to use for the meeting. I made sure to get out a bottle of fresh, cold water for her and carefully centered it on a napkin. I turned on some smooth, soothing music so she would feel comfortable when she walked into the studio. I took notes from our previous phone conversation and started a special file for information about her son. I prepared questions about her son, his personality, his interests, and his unique personhood. Then I grabbed the latest issue of Photoshop Magazine and waited. I’d look up every 30 seconds from the article I was reading (about how to implant baseball stiches onto a bald-headed guy). But all I saw was condensation from Julie’s cold, unopened water dripping down past the napkin I’d laid out and re-soiling my clean glass table. After waiting for 35 minutes (that’s 70 glances at her bottle of comfort-turned bottle of offense) I locked the studio and walked to Julie’s place of work. She was gone. She’d either forgotten me or blown off our meeting. I was crushed. When I walked back into the studio, the soft piano music had turned to a doleful swing number. The combination of the music and my mood was dangerous. I felt like chaining my camera around my neck (with a 70-200mm lens!) and jumping off the nearest bridge.
My mood volatility has a little more behind it than just one missed appointment. This happens probably 40% of the times I agree to meet with a potential client. I carefully set up and eagerly await their arrival, thinking about little else than how well I’ll serve them. Then they don’t show up, and I usually don’t even get the courtesy of a call to re-schedule or apologize. I’m not a hard guy to get ahold of. I get all of my e-mail on my cell phone, and promptly return calls and e-mails, especially to potential clients. I give out my business card wantonly, spreading it like kids on a playgroud spread germs.
When you agree to meet with someone, keep your word. I lose so much respect for people when they show themselves unreliable or discourteous.
[Rant over]
I think you make a very important point in this post. I can’t believe people would be so inconsiderate as to completely blow off an appointment like that. Apparently they don’t know how much time goes into the preparation. Blowing off a small business owner is not the same “inconsequential” act as blowing off a big corporation.
Do you think that in such a small town that you should really name names?
That aside, that was incredibly rude of her. Did you call this aforementioned appointment-misser? Did she display even thie slightest bit of contrition? This is the very reason that dentists, doctors, etc. charge existing customers for missed appointments – they have proven themselves on the whole to be unreliable. You can’t really do that, and you also can’t afford to piss people off by “letting them have it.” Reputation is everything in your business, and if that means being a doormat sometimes in order to salvage your good, patient, and kind name, then I guess it comes with the territory. To quote a play and musical that is more than vaguely fitting (given your small-town, middle-America setting), “‘Ya GOTTA know the territory.”
Sorry that you had a rough day, buddy.
Darling Andrew: Now that you have gotten all that off your chest – remember – the customer is always right even when they are wrong. Sorry you had a bad day – but when we work with the public, rudeness and missed appt’s is the name of the game. Ask your grandfather about some of the situations that he “endured” and imagine an irate parent when you showed her the proofs and she hated them all. “All in a day’s work”. Always remember you are loved, adored and admired by a grandmother who does not know any better!!!!!!!
Hi I’ve been trying to locate a phone # or something. I want to pick up produce too. I tried subscribing but it told me there were no hosts in my area. I’m in Squaw Valley. but I ship Reedley and would like to join. My daughter works for Dr. Sorensen and last night (12/19) brought home a beatiful crate of assorted veggies. Please contact me. 559-332-2515. Thank you.