I lost my temper with a customer today

[DanielDudley]

You will figure it out.

[DonDavis]

Congrats on being smoke free! That's GREAT news! I agree with Dudley, you'll get there. Press on.

[LakeCleElum]

Fred - I recall when you threw your cell phone away out the car window...Hope you can get a handle on the stress....It's not healthy for your body or your business.......

You've admitted you were wrong....No need from a lecture from me. Best of luck... (Loved the Mormon comment too!)

[McLovin]

your customer may have been a bit peeved himself, understandably, having taken the time to drive to your shop, at 3:30 in the afternoon on a weekday, only to be told to "go away."

It's not an unreasonable expectation that someone will be there to do business with you at 3:30 on a weekday. To be told to go away (and that you've wasted your time coming) could be annoying. You can see that, no?

[Evans, Marv]

Maybe, since you are truly a one man operation, you should just post a change in business hours, maybe 11:00 to 3:00, or something convenient that would allow you (and them) a set time to deal with customers & still have time to get work done. Post for them to leave messages & try to handle that during your "business hours period." Exclusivity has its appeal to customers, when they have the impression you have so much work to do you have to make a special schedule to make time for them. Might be a decent solution.

[Baz]

A lot of good suggestions here.....a sign on the door being the best:

"Sorry I am unavailable to speak to anyone until after 6PM. Please call XXX-XXXX and leave a message if you'd like and I will call you back as soon as possible. THANK YOU!" ~ The Fredster

The only other thing of course, which you already know, if you could go back and do it over again, would be to answer the door and ask the customer to "please come back in an hour (or X hours) because you are under the gun to get this car finished by X PM."

We all make mistakes, including customer relation mistakes. Lord knows, although I consider myself to be a relaxed and structured kind of fellow - over the years I have developed negativity toward certain customers and have let this impact our relationship - no shouting matches thankfully but just not handling things better. So don't be hard on yourself - these things happen. The important thing is you learn and move forward.

I really believe each person in business is wired a certain way which differs from anyone else. So it is up to each person to deal with their pressure in their own way and at their own pace.

FWIW - your customer no doubt knows he stirred up a bees nest when he didn't just walk away when the door knocks weren't answered. Which means he also is taking some responsibility for this internally, whether or not he knows it or admits it publicly.


My 2 cents anyway....good luck!

[mikester]

Dude, tough day man. Blowing up happens and the feelings afterward suck.

I know it happens once in a while with my kids; Frustrated by something entirely not them and then also frustrated by them --> BOOM!

It sucks.

It would suck worse if this had a negative impact on your business. It sounds like you're busier than you want to be but it would be a shame if that all dried up because of the way you have been handling your schedule.

I would most certainly consider communicating better with your customers.

1) Post hours that you are available at the front desk and publish that to your outgoing voice mail message. Post a sign in your office behind you for customers to see as you write them up and put it on your door for them to see when they walk up and find the locked door.
2) Explain the need for these hours: 'In an effort to speed up your repair - during X - Y hours I am asking you to leave a message. I will return your call during my scheduled office time which is during A - B hours each day.'
3) Consider and appointment type business model but that does not mean you have to turn potential customers away when they drive onto your lot. It just means that their future business with you should mostly be by appointment.
4) Be prompt and courteous when following the rules you're laying out for yourself.

These are just thoughts I had regarding your situation. If you like - cool - if you don't ignore them.

[vash]

i think sitting down and typing this out..even on this forum is a great first step.

i admit, i used to be a HOT-head. i would blow up, much like you did. that feeling you are having afterwards? you know it. that sheepish, foolish feeling..like you know you overreacted. that is a warning. 2 weeks from now, you probably wont even really remember the details of the dispute.

me, i signed up for anger management. i was gonna give myself a stroke. i calmed the eff down. i just got done with another "group" thing..this one was more geared towards depression. i am not depressed but could see myself heading that way. hearing others with real depression helped.

help is out there..find it. now even a guy blaring his horn at me, flipping me off will rarely get a reaction from me. (i think deep deep down inside..it infuriates them more )

[vash]

i heard a good one:

anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. hahahhah. (true tho)

[mattdavis11]

No need for all the unpleasantries. Just a sign on the door that says every knock is an extra $50 if the door is locked.

Porsche owners are the worst, their shyte don't stink. Ask them if they want to money whip it, and put them on the phone with the potential whipee.

[tevake]

Oh you could add to your sign outside, RECENTLY QUITE SMOKING TREAD LIGHTLY.

You are already are on your way to figuring this out.

Well done on staying smoke free.

Cheers Richard

[enzo1]

was he driving a Mustang?

[Rick V]

There is a reason my word of mouth, one man operation, is no longer in biz. It seems that you have one of two choices, stay small and do a good job where you won't be small for long, or add someone to deal with things so that you can keep wrenching. One idea is to get some local kid to sweep floors and take out the trash ect and tell people Fred is kinda tied up right now can you come back in about an hour. Just a thought.

[livi]

So, you and McLovin are friends again now?

[GLASEM]

Damn Mormons

Don't think this is funny at all!!!!!!!!!!

Where's the PC on this site?????

[Porsche-O-Phile]

That was hilarious.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by GLASEM

Damn Mormons

Don't think this is funny at all!!!!!!!!!!

Where's the PC on this site?????

many have shifted over to Macs

[Joe Bob]

Put a sign up...'Bad Day and I'm Re-Loading'.....

[dtw]

Thin skin much? Good thing you're not a Catholic.

Fred so what happened with the guy in the end?

Damn Mormons



Don't think this is funny at all!!!!!!!!!!



Where's the PC on this site?????

[Joe Bob]

Damn Jehovah Witnesses.....izzat better?