I probably shouldn't put this out there. I've dealt with horrible migraines all week on top of some yucky sinus stuff, so I'm sure that is helping with the fact that this email I received today honestly just makes me want to rock in a corner and cry. I am putting this out there because my hope is that anyone reading this will think long and hard before you are ugly to someone who runs a business. I know I have had times where I want to rip someone a new one, but it feels differently when you are on the opposite end.
Today I received an email from someone accusing me of being dishonest, a thief, and many other things. She was upset about something that happened at the consignment sale and honestly, I was just floored at how she came at me like a bull in a china shop. She and I have been emailing back and forth over the course of this week and I could tell she was getting more and more frustrated with me because I wasn't giving her the answer she wanted. I won't go into more specifics for privacy sake, but I will say that I work my rump off to make sure that 100% of my consignors are happy and I will do anything I can (within reason) to make sure that people are satisfied with the customer service they receive and their overall perception of Encores North. The last thing I expected to be accused of was being dishonest and a thief. Do I make mistakes? Yes. Absolutely. You Betcha. BUT I am more than willing to admit our mistakes and make them right. I guess that's why this email came as such a shock especially when in this instance, we didn't make a mistake.
So, I'll leave it at that. I learned some valuable lessons today:
1. THINK and PRAY about what I type before I type it and certainly before I send it.
2. Put myself in the other person's shoes before I send something that could be read as ugly.
3. Consider that I might have made a mistake before automatically assuming that it is another person's fault.
4. Treat others the way I want to be treated. I hope I never make someone feel the way I felt while reading that email today. From now on, I hope to remember that moment when I am ready to rip someone else a new one.
5. Don't read email while I have a migraine.
5 comments:
I like #5. Truer words have never been spoken. ;)
My boss always tells me never to send an email when I am angry, upset, frustrated, etc. He says save it as a draft and read it again 24 hours later...usually by then I have calmed down and I'm like WHOAAAAA don't send that!!! But it helps me to write it without sending it! Sometimes, you have to think before you speak or in this case hit send! I think ur doing a great thing Brea..evn though I have no kids clothes to sell LOL :) Nicki
If it makes you feel better I have been to four other consignment sales in the past few weeks and none of them hold a candle to your sale. Not knocking any other sale because I appreciate the hard work that goes into every sale but I am just calling it like I see it. Don't let a few bad apples ruin it for you. The rest of us appreciate everything you do to help our kids look great and our wallets stay a little more plump!
I had something similar happen recently. A customer accused me of never sending something she had ordered and then when I sent copies of everything proving not only that I had sent it, but also a receipt proving that she had received it weeks ago, she never answered my emails. Finally, another week later, she told me that she just "found" it. UGH! I felt terrible about the whole thing, slimy. But I am grateful that I never responded with the emotion that I was really feeling.
And yes. I agree about the migraine thing. LOTS of those lately.
I hope it all works out for you. And I pray you feel better.
Sivje
I had something similar happen recently. A customer accused me of never sending something she had ordered and then when I sent copies of everything proving not only that I had sent it, but also a receipt proving that she had received it weeks ago, she never answered my emails. Finally, another week later, she told me that she just "found" it. UGH! I felt terrible about the whole thing, slimy. But I am grateful that I never responded with the emotion that I was really feeling.
And yes. I agree about the migraine thing. LOTS of those lately.
I hope it all works out for you. And I pray you feel better.
Sivje
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