Suppliers

[socialgiraffe]

I made a mistake on an order the other day. I was wanting some doming caps for cuff links. I thought I was purchasing a sheet of domes so was a tad surprised when I received 5 sets of cuff links and only 2 domes. I checked their website and I had made an error, I thought I was purchasing 2 sheets of domes and not just 2 domes.

Although you could argue that the picture on their site might be miss leading (I disagree), it was my fault, I should have read the site better and I should have realised that you need to spend more than 20p for a couple of sheets of doming caps.

The reason I raise this is because I emailed the supplier straight away, admitted my error and asked for more, but I did not want to spend £6.00 delivery on £1.00 worth of materials. The supplier got back to me straight away and have put them in the post to me. We agreed that I would settle up next time I order. I am sure you all agree that this is fantastic service and you can not ask for more.

The problem is that people do ask for more....! We all make mistakes, suppliers, sublimators (if that's a word!) and our customers. It is how we approach the error that determines how we are treated. I treat my suppliers like my customers, with respect and honesty. They want to earn money and so do you, it is far better to treat them as a colleague instead of someone playing for the other team.

I will leave you with this...

About two years ago I delivered Status Quo and Peter Andre mugs to the same drop off location. They were to be collected by two different merchandising trucks for their respective tours. You can guess what happened. Peter Andre had Quo mugs and you can guess where his were. None of this was my fault, but I jumped in the car and made the round trip to sort the mess out. It took me about 10 hours and a bucket load of fuel. I did not charge them a penny, it was a genuine mistake by the merchandisers who could only apologise, they did offer to pay but I refused. Since then, no other firm will get their mug printing business, they remain faithful to me and will pretty much point blank refuse to use anyone else, even if they are cheaper.

All it takes is to understand that we all make mistakes, don't scream until its sorted, but instead work together. Far less stress and a much nicer environment to work in

If you have got this far and are wondering who the supplier was, it was Sublimetal. Great service every time from them and all my suppliers

[Quinsfan]

I second the great service by Sublimetal.

[mrs maggot]

I am also a firm believer in the whole pay it forward thing, we all make mistakes and as you say its how they are dealt with that matters.

I have a client who placed an order for a load of items, with details of what they wanted, out of 50 items, 20 were supposed to have been with the new .com not .co.uk - but the order did not mention this - she phoned up in a right state shouting that i had got it wrong, and had i not read the email, i sent the email back to her - and guess what - her spellcheck had changed everytime she had put .com into .co.uk - as she had added her address into her dictionary - "but i mentioned it on the phone" yes that's true - but only to say you were thinking about it her rant continued, so i asked her to post back the "incorrect ones" and i would make her the 20 replacement items withe the .com on them - or i could offer her a discount on the 20 items, and she could keep them, and i would make her 20 more items, once she had re-sent though an order with the .com showing on the order. so i have lost - through no fault of my own, some money on 20 T shirts - but i have had the order for the replacement 20, plus other bits n bobs, and one of the people she recommended me to has ordered more in their first 2 orders than she has in the 4 years i have dealt with her, so that counts for something.

Its fair to say she is a nightmare, she likes things to be mm perfect on the backs and fronts of shirts, from collar to back same measurement on all t's which looks odd on the larger t's where i would normally move it down slightly to allow for the bigger shoulders - BUT the client is always right.

My hubby said i should tell her to go forth, but its always good to have one awkward, fussy, and most importantly "never wrong" client on your list - keeps you on your toes.

[joeyr69]

I am the same, I had a lady who was getting married, she ordered personalised items from us and told us wrong details, she complained when the order arrived however after viewing her order she admitted that it was her mistake and apologised. We replaced her items as a good will gesture and now have a valued customer who as already passed on her details to her friend who had just placed a nice order.

Then you get the rude customers that demand things and think the world owes them something... < These people I refuse to cooperate with

[phoenixalpha]

If I am in error to a supplier or a customer, I'll happily hold up my hand and either rectify it or offer to pay to resolve the situation. I do so without a gripe and most suppliers and customers are ok with it, and most will come and go in a similarly equal manner. What does my head in though, is customers or suppliers who make a mistake themselves and expect you to either live with the error (from a supplier) or fix it at your time and money (from a customer point of view). Then they get all shirty when you say that it really isn't your fault, its theirs and maybe if there was some equanimity on the matter a solution can be reached. I recently has a customer who bought a personalised item, got the name wrong, proof checked it and signed off on it, said personalised item was made, they came back, went their absolute nut about the mistake and went into an even bigger rage, once it was pointed out that it was their mistake, their error and to boot they had signed off on it. Absolutely ranting and raving about it they were. I said bring the item back, we'll refund your money without an issue. Went ballistic saying that they had binned the item and they wanted their money back. Told politely that no return, no refund. Lost a customer but tbh there was nothing we wanted to do - they caused a scene and at the point told to leave.

If you deal with people in a fair manner, you usually find they deal with you in a fair manner - its all about being a decent person at the end of the day and less stress the better.

[Paul]

i have it too...
When i make custom icc profiles, sometimes customer email me. ICC doesn't work! but when you question it it comes out that they printed charts against my instruction.
couple of months a go i had customer moan. He send me color charts on standard copier paper i emailed him that I need them reprinted on correct paper
the was gobby with me and said that I should tell him that
yeah!!! he knew to use sublimation ink but didn't about the paper??? yeah, right

[pisquee]

sometimes customer email me. ICC doesn't work! ... He send me colon charts

With those charts, no wonder it doesn't work!

[phoenixalpha]

I think the brown colours might be particularly prominent on those kind of charts... (ahem... I'll just get my coat).