6 Things You Can Learn From Your Worst Customer As An Artist
We all know those customers who either make outrageous requests and ask for a discount at the same time, the ones who leave horrible reviews instead of talking it out, or the ones who are so picky that make you want to leave your profession altogether.
I had a few of these lately and, after a few moments, I realized that they actually really helped me, both as a person and business owner.
So, if I could write a letter to my worst customer, it would go something like this...
Dear Worst Customer,
When I first got your message with your incredibly outrageous requests, I was shocked. There was a curse word that came out of my mouth and a wave of overwhelming anxiety that came over me as I read the words you'd written and it almost made me throw my phone across the room.
However, now that I have had time to reflect, I actually need to thank you.
Thank you for making me very clear on what I'm willing to do for people. I usually have a really hard time with people-pleasing but, after your request, I now feel 100% confident in my decision to say "no". I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate you making boundary setting so easy for me for the first time in my life. I'm usually really bad at those too but you have made it every so simple for me.
Thank you for also for making your complaints so outrageous that they simply got lost in the wind outside. They don't phase me at all anymore because, just like if someone were to come up to me on the street and say, "I don't like your outfit! How dare you wear leggings and sandals when there are so many other clothing options out there? I will never look to fashion advice from you in my entire life!"... I could care less what you think, thank you for making that so easy.
I wish you endless amounts of luck in your search for what you're looking for and I really do hope you find it. However, if you keep talking to people like this, you may happen across someone who isn't as grateful as I am.
My sincerest regards,
Tiffany
6 things you can learn from your worst customer
Boundaries on what you’re willing to make
When we first start our businesses as artists, we often want to please everyone. Someone wants a different necklace chain, we go get it. Someone wants their painting customized, we do it. Someone wants a specific color vase, we go find that color. However, as time goes on and we discover what we really enjoy making, our restrictions start getting longer, unless of course the customer is willing to pay. Bad customers, who want you to do everything for them without paying more, in fact sometimes even asking for a discount on top of it, can make it really easy to draw the line on what you ARE willing to do vs. what you’re NOT.
Boundaries on how you’re willing to be spoken to
We should always appreciate feedback from our customers. It tells us how we’re doing, it tells us how we can improve, and it keeps us in check when it comes to our customer service. However, you should have boundaries on how you’re willing to be spoken to by customers and, for those who do not fall into that category, you can tell them you’d be happy to work with them as soon as they’re ready to lower their (virtual) voice. I had someone the other day write paragraphs, yes, more than one, on how they would never shop with me again because of an inventory issue and a product no longer being available (even though I offered her alternatives at a discount). This person had never shopped with me before, so it’s not like they were a VIP customer already, and I received multiple emails from them expressing their anger. I finally stopped responding. Despite how much you want sales, you don’t deserve to be treated that poorly just to get them.
Empowerment in your pricing
The struggle for how to price your handmade work is real, we’ve all been there. “Is this too high? Because if I lower it any more, I won’t make anything!” We go back and forth all the time about it and, even when we decide, we still second-guess ourselves. Bad customers come in and will ask for discount after discount, refunds, exchanges, whatever they can get. In doing this, though, it gives us an opportunity to really draw the line on how low we’re willing to go.
I actually encourage you to raise your prices and use this same, “are you kidding me? no way!” energy on yourself when you start questioning whether or not you should lower them again.
How to have thick skin when it comes to customer complaints
Have you ever ready a customer email and taken it so personally that you almost started crying, only to realize later that the customer was only asking a simple question? I once had a customer, when I first had my business making decorative wooden blanket ladders, send me a message asking me to make one in a different way because he said “it won’t work the way it is now”. The moment I read it, I felt horrible, like I wasn’t good at what I was doing and even contemplated starting over. What if this guy was a more skilled wood-crafter than I was and he was calling me out?
I later learned that the customer didn’t actually think the design wouldn’t work as a whole, he simply meant it wouldn’t work with the decor style he and his wife had in their new home and he simply wanted something a little more modern.
I could have taken this personally, stopped my whole business, and left my passion behind but I took the time to understand where the customer was coming from and realize that people don’t always say things the way they’re intended, or clearly enough to get the right message across. He taught me to read things as they are, not over-complicate them or read into them.
Practice dealing with difficult people
Whether you are working in your business or shopping at the grocery store, there are difficult people everywhere. Learning to deal with them is a life skill we should all have and dealing with our worst customer is a great way to practice that. There is no long explanation for this, it’s simply a fact of life.
Unhappy customers can become your biggest fans
This one might surprise you but it’s true. Have you ever had a customer who started out really unhappy but later became your biggest fan because of how you handled the situation? I had a customer once write to me after receiving one of my ladders, saying they were so unhappy because one of the middle pieces got broken in shipping. They completely over-reacted, in my opinion, accusing me of being careless with my packing, not caring about my customer’s experience, and they wanted a full refund or else they would report me to Etsy for being a fraud.
Instead of over-reacting back, I wrote back apologizing for the broken piece, assuring her I’d be talking with my shipping company, and offered to send her a replacement piece that could be expedited for quick delivery.
As much as she was angry before, she was glowing with happiness in her next email. She apologized for getting so upset and told me it was supposed to be a wedding gift for her daughter and she just loved it so much that she didn’t want to find anything else. I told her I completely understood, sent the replacement piece along with a coupon code for her next order, and I ended up getting 3 referral orders from her friends.
Moral of the story: never assume you can’t turn the situation around and create a raving fan.
Do you have a “worst customer” story to share? Leave it in the comments below and what it taught you!
Want to learn more tips and tricks like this for selling your handmade work online? Join my Artisan Coaching Studio and learn how to make sales while you sleep!
Until next time… happy creating <3
