What is an Appropriate Response?

[Waxman]

Long-time customer. Obvious alcoholic (a statement of fact, not a judgement). Misses 75% of appointments she books for detailing.

Calls after missing 3 appointments a year ago. Wants a full service detail, buff, engine detail, etc. Whole 9 yards.

I say okay then book the appointment. Then........she says :" Can YOU do the car??" I pause and say: "what do you mean?". She basically requests me and not my employees. You may think I should be flattered but what I feel is that she is stating my employees will not perform a quality job (they absolutely will and can and do every day on other cars).

I said that I would be working on her car along with my other employees and she agreed. However, I doubt she will even make the appointment due to her history of no-shows.

How would you have handled her? Had her pre-pay?

 

[Jeff_L]

You could, but you'd have to do it to every customer to be fair. As a customer to other service industries I dislike paying ahead, sitting fees, etc.. Just doesn't make me feel good, but I understand why they do it.

In my opinion, it's a risk when booking appts. I personally wouldn't charge ahead, but I'm sure a lot of people here will have varying opinions and want to debate. However, you asked how I would handle it, and this is how.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

add a pita charge to her bill.

 

[robert roman]

I don’t believe there is anything you can do except maybe consider offering a pick-up and delivery service with stipulation for cancellation.

You can suggest this to customers who have a habit for missing appointments.

When customer makes an appointment, you take credit card number to confirm booking. If customer is a no show for pick-up, you can at least bill for some portion of lost sale.

 

[smokun]

Take The Business... With A Safeguard

Since she has some history, consider this: If she wants you to personally work on her car (not necessarily alone), stipulate that she will have to drop the car off at the end of the day and you'll work on it that evening, giving it your undivided attention while avoiding any distractions. You'll follow up with a phone call to her the next morning upon final inspection. Assess the scope of work and build in a premium for the Concierge treatment. As a non-negotiable condition, insist that she prepay when dropped off to keep your daily books straight with no carryover.

The result provides you with business that you might not otherwise have and guaranteed payment up front. The next-day's schedule is unaffected and you've made her feel special by accommodating her request. It is foolish to ignore special requests when profitable business is at stake. Besides, if she really has a drinking problem, feel good about keeping her safely off the road at least for a night. Rest easy... and open a fresh new upscale level of service: Concierge-Care. Fashion it around all the eccentric requests that provide extraordinary service that accommodates a myriad of elite customer attention offset by appropriate compensation.

It's ShowTime: Step Up... Or Step-Off.

 

[pitzerwm]

I find that Dr.s and Dentist offices are now calling you the day before. This probably is good idea.

 

[bigleo48]

Sounds like a good customer to inflict on your competition....

 

[borumrm]

Long-time customer. Obvious alcoholic (a statement of fact, not a judgement). Misses 75% of appointments she books for detailing.

Calls after missing 3 appointments a year ago. Wants a full service detail, buff, engine detail, etc. Whole 9 yards.

I say okay then book the appointment. Then........she says :" Can YOU do the car??" I pause and say: "what do you mean?". She basically requests me and not my employees. You may think I should be flattered but what I feel is that she is stating my employees will not perform a quality job (they absolutely will and can and do every day on other cars).

I said that I would be working on her car along with my other employees and she agreed. However, I doubt she will even make the appointment due to her history of no-shows.

How would you have handled her? Had her pre-pay?

I personally think this is a customer you just FIRE. I think you let the lady know that she has scheduled and then been a no show x times in the last 6 months. Then tell her that you no longer can accept her business.....or you could tell her that after 3 cancellations you charge a missed appt fee of $25. If she is not "on time" for the appt and shows up late she may have to reschedule or you might give away her slot.

Also....some Doctors offices now charge a minimum fee for missed appts or no shows.

 

[smokun]

They All Have An Impact

It seems foolishly indifferent to ignore potentially good revenue. You asked for suggestions on how to handle the situation of a continuously unreliable customer, and were hopefully seeking a positive result, given that ALL CUSTOMERS TALK.

Doesn't it make sense to find a way to respond with a sensible no-harm solution that provides little opportunity for the consequence of negative comments to others? Can you blow a customer off? Yes. But where is the harm in seeking to make lemonade out of a lemon? We all need positive comments and ample goodwill ambassadors out in the marketplace... and we should all guard against indifference towards potential customers. What have you really got to lose?

Give every customer a reason to say something nice about you and your operation. Pay it forward!

 

[mjwalsh]

It seems foolishly indifferent to ignore potentially good revenue. You asked for suggestions on how to handle the situation of a continuously unreliable customer, and were hopefully seeking a positive result, given that ALL CUSTOMERS TALK.

Doesn't it make sense to find a way to respond with a sensible no-harm solution that provides little opportunity for the consequence of negative comments to others? Can you blow a customer off? Yes. But where is the harm in seeking to make lemonade out of a lemon? We all need positive comments and ample goodwill ambassadors out in the marketplace... and we should all guard against indifference towards potential customers. What have you really got to lose?

Give every customer a reason to say something nice about you and your operation. Pay it forward!

Excellent Points! Hopefully, we can be firm (in a good way) & still not lose the customer or the referral from the customer.

mike

 

[Waxman]

All good suggestions; thanks!

I always seek to satisfy the customer and I intend to keep the appointment we made. I like the idea of a special whiteglove concierge treatment by the shop manager.

I will make a reminder call, too.

Thanks again.

 

[buda]

Waxman

You need to insure that every appointment made is called and spoken to the day before the appointment. Do not leave messages, make sure you call.

If they make an excuse for not keeping it, suggest you will pick up and deliver the vehicle back. If they stall and say that is not possible then make another appointment.

If they do not show up for the appointment when they said they would and call again you will have to decide what you want to do.

I wrote on article awhile back titled, "Firing Some Customers." You have to make the determination which ones you want to fire.

Maybe her drinking gets in the way of her being responsible.

Leave some brochures on AA in her car next time.

BA

 

[Waxman]

I will definitely call her ahead of time for an appointment reminder.

I admit that when the detail shop is busy, I let the reminder calls slide. Lately we are very busy (which is great). I know being busy is no excuse to fall off with good business practices like the reminder calls.

However, Bud, I must say that I disagree with your advice about leaving AA brochures in her car. That smacks of 'passive aggressive' behavior to me and it's not my style. I only do 'aggressive -aggressive'.

 

[buda]

Waxman:

Was only joking about the AA brochures. Kind of a sick joke, sorry. Her drinking is her problem no one elses.

Glad you are able to admit there is no excuse for not making the followup calls. I learned that early on to call customers and try to overcome their excuses. Saves you a lot of lost business.

Bud Abraham