An unbelievable day!

I got into the workshop this morning and knew even before I had put the key in the door that it wouldn’t be a good day! You know those days where you wake up with an unshakeable feeling of doom for no real reason?? You don’t get those days? Lucky you!

Grrrr ROAR

I can’t actually blog about what has got me down over the last few days because it’s private, but it has resulted in me not being fully in the workshop recently. As a result I am probably running a few days behind, but hadn’t overly worried knowing that other things needed to be put first (just for a couple of days) and that I would be going in over the weekend to catch up on everything then.

I switched the wax on, turned on the computer and had a look at the emails from the last couple of days, and there was one particular customer who has sent … I believe it was 24 emails I counted from this one person over the last couple of days since I’ve been into the workshop! The FIRST email wasn’t even a “can you confirm when my order was dispatched” type email – it launched straight into a personal attack on me! The emails that followed described how he hadn't had any faith in me even when he placed the order because of the long lead time (yes it sometimes takes 7-10 days to pour and dispatch larger orders, and occasionally we run a bit behind) . His emails were large bold type face and got progressively ruder. Some were literally the same email he was sending and forwarding to me every 10 minutes or so.

Thing was, this customer’s order was actually sent out the very next working day after it was received and what I SHOULD have done is sent a short and to the point reply stating that it has been dispatched and as it went out via Royal Mail he should contact his local post office to see if it had been left there. It was actually about 3 weeks ago that this box went out anyway so chances are it HAS been lost, but still.

His emails then got very spiteful and it totally became about a personal attack on me! He had obviously found my blog because he was quoting me from it on the Friday where I chose to take the day off and go out with my camera (that happened to be the day his order came in!) He had a go at me for taking the day off on that Friday and snapping photos when I should have been making his candles! He said I obviously had too many fingers in too many pies! How dare he?! I work HARD! I put a LOT into my business and trying to keep my customers happy, and simply because I choose to have HOBBIES outside of my “job” and because I happen to keep an online journal I am failing my customers now?

I work seven days a week most of the time and am in the workshop over the weekends. Am I WRONG for taking a day off every now and again? A little indulgence in some “me time” or one of my hobbies? Hell no!

So I was polite, but I let him know how I felt. He won’t be ordering again! I simply don’t have time for small minded people with big mouths… business or no business! It’s down to respect for other human beings!!

I shouldn’t have had to justify anything to him though – that’s the point. I spent a good half an hour replying to him … and it’s THAT which puts me behind!!! If he’d called sooner to let me know that there had been a problem – I would have looked into it sooner! I will ALWAYS fix problems for customers … but I can only fix things when I know they exist!!!!

Okay vent over.

The day actually took a turn for the better when I got a call from my friend T this afternoon... she'd worked for me off and on in the past helping out, and we'd been really good friends, but gradually lost touch.

It was SO out of the blue ... today of ALL days ... I got a call from her!!! It was bloody fantastic to talk to her! The bizarre thing was though ... I had not long left the workshop and just sat down when she rang ... she was calling FROM the workshop and I'd left the door unlocked!!

Talk about timing ... we haven't spoken properly or seen each other for about 9-10 months and then for her simply think "I'm going to go and visit Dee today" all out of the blue and turn up on the doorstep the only time I have ever forgotten to lock the door! Bizarre co-incidence!!!

It was great - we came back to my place for a cuppa and a natter, and had a really good catch up. It was just what I needed!!

Well that wasn't so bad!!!

Wellll, my jaunt around the M25 last night in my effort for good customer service was actually a really good journey! It was all pretty much straight roads ... A27, A23, M23, M25 ... and no heavy traffic despite warnings saying there would be long delays ... and the lady lived literally two minutes away from the junction where I left the M25 so it was a no stress trip!! I was home by 10pm ... but admittedly asleep within an hour! Madness really ... three hours in the car solid driving with the round trip and it knackered me out!

So today? I have plans for absolute nothingness between now and my candle party tonight!!! Ah bliss!!

Is this taking Customer Service too far???

*sigh* I somehow knew it would be one of those days today! You ready? Major vent gonna happen right here!!!

When I left my workshop yesterday I booked collections onine for two consignments on a 24hr delivery through Parcelforce. This means that they should have picked up from me yesterday for delivery to my customers today. I've been using Parcelforce since January this year (I sacked my last courier for inefficiency!!) and so far no real huge problems that haven't been fixable.

Until I get into the workshop today and see yesterday's parcels STILL outside my door!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

I get straight on the phone to Parcelforce to ask them what the **** is going on and I am reliably informed that due to strike action there are no more same day collections and that the consignments I booked yesterday will be picked up today and delivered next working day (ie Monday.)

Now see, I WAS aware that there was a postal strike, but as far as I am aware, there were no problems with Parcelforce collections. I am a contract customer and assumed that should there be any problems, that I would have been informed by a notice on the website when I booked the collections! Well you'd think wouldn't you!! If I had known yesterday that there was even the remotest chance of an issue, I would have moved mountains to fix it yesterday and had enough time to organise another courier!!!

In the normal scheme of things, an extra day added on to the delivery time wouldn't really make that much difference to the vast majority of my customers, but one of these ladies is getting married TOMORROW!!!!!!!!! The candles in this box (which is currently sat by my feet!) are for her wedding tables TOMORROW and delivery on Monday will be just a teensy bit TOO ****ing late!!!

Please excuse my post full of stars but I am just so utterly furious!!

Could I pay extra and upgrade it to a Saturday morning delivery before 9am I ask the not very helpful blatantly unhelpful female "customer service" operator. I am reliably informed no, they are not able to do that due to current demands on their services!!! Ohhhhh GRRRRRRRR!!

Ok so damage control time. I have 2 choices.

1. Do nothing. Tell the customer that it's beyond my control (which it actually is! I have no control over postal strikes!) and that I am very sorry but there is nothing I can do about it and I hope her wedding goes ok and that the tables don't look too awful without the pretty glittery candles she'd ordered from me.
2. Drive it up to her myself this evening.

Soooo .... guess what I'm doing tonight? I've just called her and explained the situation and she is very grateful!! I have to brave the M25 around probably the worst part on a Friday night, but what else could I do?! How could I have someone out there thinking that the only thing to spoil an otherwise perfect wedding day was the fact that the candles ordered from ME didn't arrive. It'll only take me around two hours each way *sigh*

I do pride myself on my customer service. Sometimes orders do go out a few days late if I've been manic and not had staff in, but I'll usually fix that up by sending a lil freebie with the order, and I try to treat each customer like my only customer! I couldn't let a bride down before her wedding day.

So this morning I have to finish up in the workshop - finalise my prep for a party tomorrow night (and another Sunday afternoon) to make sure the stock boxes are ready ... and then go home, clean the house and wait for hub to get in from work so I can go play with the traffic!!!