Shorts Report post Posted October 10, 2009 I wish it was as easy as slapping Chicago screws on piece of leather and calling it a holster Customers are silly. I wish they could actually see the amount of thought and work that actually goes into a design Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
katsass Report post Posted October 10, 2009 I wish it was as easy as slapping Chicago screws on piece of leather and calling it a holster Customers are silly. I wish they could actually see the amount of thought and work that actually goes into a design I hope to shout! Gal, some of the stupid or uninformed questions and/or requests made by prospective customers are ridiculous. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hidepounder Report post Posted October 10, 2009 I hear you Shorts! I think that is a battle that we all will always lose. I've often wondered why we try so hard to give our customers that little extra effort when they probably can't tell the difference anyway, LOL! Oh well Bobby Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Denise Report post Posted October 10, 2009 Sometimes it is a question of "If I don't laugh, I'll cry." The silly questions usually come from sheer lack of knowledge, and it can be a good time to educate your customer a little,if they are the type that can and will learn something. But I agree that for some we are wasting our breath. I guess in that case, we give the explanation for ourselves, to know we have done everything we could for the customer, rather than the customer's benefit. OK. Now I want to hear what silly questions or comments people have heard from customers. That might be entertaining... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Russ Report post Posted October 11, 2009 "I don't want it made out of leather. Can you make it out of suede?" Now I want to hear what silly questions or comments people have heard from customers. That might be entertaining... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Report post Posted October 11, 2009 Its only a couple stitches... Kevin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
katsass Report post Posted October 11, 2009 Its only a couple stitches... Kevin I just want a little tooling, but none of that hand worked stuff. Thats too much money. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lobo Report post Posted October 12, 2009 (edited) WHOA THERE, PARTNER! Just got off the e-mail with a customer who wanted a Tom Threepersons-style holster in the original carving pattern (which I offer on my website). Mr. Customer wanted a pretty-much iron-clad guarantee that the finished product would be an exact duplicate of a photograph on the website. Mr. Customer balked at forking over a deposit on the order to cover the cost of the carving. I explained to Mr. Customer that each and every hand-carved holster is produced individually by the artist who does the carving, and that no two holsters would ever be exactly the same. I explained that the deposit was non-refundable because it was used to pay the artist doing the carving work. I also explained to Mr. Customer that I have 20 to 30 new orders per week and, while I genuinely wish to serve the needs of my customers, that I saw nothing but red flags ahead on this route so I would not continue on it. I even went so far as to explain the difference between die-cut, stamped, mass-produced products and genuine one-of-a-kind works of art (by by carver, not by me by any means). Getting kind of old and testy at times, I guess. Every now and then we all need to dodge a bullet. Best regards. Edited October 12, 2009 by Lobo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carljc72 Report post Posted October 12, 2009 Customer: Do you make concealed carry holsters for revolvers? Me: I sure do. Customer: Do you make the ones for behind the back? Me: I have made a few for SOB carry Customer: Cool Me: What kind of revolver do you have? Customer: Smith and Wesson 460 with an 8" barrel Me: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bronson Report post Posted October 12, 2009 A friend of mine is an amatuer photographer and was thinking of going into the wedding picture business. She had the opportunity to talk with an established pro in the business and his one big piece of advice was "don't offer customers more than three options." He told her to put together 3 packages and not to offer anything else. His experience was that a customer faced with too many options can never make up their mind and they NEED you, as the professional, to tell them what will work the best Bronson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
katsass Report post Posted October 12, 2009 Customer: Do you make concealed carry holsters for revolvers? Me: I sure do. Customer: Do you make the ones for behind the back? Me: I have made a few for SOB carry Customer: Cool Me: What kind of revolver do you have? Customer: Smith and Wesson 460 with an 8" barrel Me: Carl, that one made coffee go up my nose when I read it!!! LORD LUV A DUCK! is all I can say. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OSOK Report post Posted October 13, 2009 I had a guy who wanted a pancake holster that carried his pistol with very little cant and no more than 1 inch of barrel below the bottom of his 1 1/2" dress belt... Wait for it... For his 1911! I explained to him that unless he enjoyed the feeling of his pistol tenderizing his bacon, I would need to lower it some. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crystal Report post Posted October 14, 2009 Not a customer request - I had a lady tell me she had a "genuine naugahyde" something and wanted to know what kind of cow that came from. Crystal Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tashabear Report post Posted October 14, 2009 Not a customer request - I had a lady tell me she had a "genuine naugahyde" something and wanted to know what kind of cow that came from. Crystal When she was in college, my sister had to do a persuasive speech in public speaking, and was at a loss as to subject. I suggested she do one on the plight of that endangered species, the Nauga, slaughtered wholesale for their colorful, thin hides so well-suited to upholstery. I guess she was pretty persuasive; after class girls came up to her with tears in her eyes asking where they could donate. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shorts Report post Posted October 14, 2009 Dear Lord please help me to resist the urge to reach through the screen and choke the person on the other end Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carljc72 Report post Posted October 15, 2009 Dear Lord please help me to resist the urge to reach through the screen and choke the person on the other end Now that's funny Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seveneves Report post Posted September 8, 2010 I once had a guy ask me if we had any young stud colts for sale so he could raise him be a stud. I said, Yes, to which he promptly inquired if I had any young fillies the same age.....yes....He wanted to mate them for life. I thought is this guy serious? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gregintenn Report post Posted September 9, 2010 I just had a guy ask about a G.I. style flap holster for a Desert Eagle. That would take nearly an entire shoulder. Two more have asked about belt holsters for large revolvers with scopes. How do you delicately tell them that there is a reason why they can't find these? I've resorted to telling them that I could make one, but I'm fairly sure that they wouldn't be happy with the result. There's only so much a man can hang from his pants without suspenders. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reaper Report post Posted September 10, 2010 (edited) Customers seem to be the same across the board for sure. Back when I fabricated and installed Pool Enclosures, we would assemble the walls with the doorways intact. You would take the top of the jamb (door header) and tack it with a screw on each side to hold the bottom together. Once everything was finished as far as setting up the structure (roof on, all walls up) one of us would start working on screening walls while another would screen the roof. It seems that everyone would walk out and look at what we were doing, take a look at that door header tacked near the pool deck and ask ( Is that going to stay there? I don't want to trip over it! We would tell them that it did stay there because the doors were hug above them and the ground bugs needed a way out. they would ask "Really?" and we would say yes, it is called a "Bug Escape" Edited September 10, 2010 by Reaper Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hicks02 Report post Posted September 10, 2010 I have a friend that I have made several holsters for and no matter what I can never please him. I always gett, " It's fine, but if you could just shave off about 1/32" then it would be great." I still don't know why I even bother taking on a job from him. Oh and not to mention he is a very cheap person too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reaper Report post Posted September 10, 2010 I have a friend that I have made several holsters for and no matter what I can never please him. I always gett, " It's fine, but if you could just shave off about 1/32" then it would be great." I still don't know why I even bother taking on a job from him. Oh and not to mention he is a very cheap person too. I can feel it for sure, sounds like my older brother. Two holster five suggestions and complaints and they didn't cost him a thing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shorts Report post Posted September 11, 2010 I can feel it for sure, sounds like my older brother. Two holster five suggestions and complaints and they didn't cost him a thing.... I think at that point I'd hand over a piece of leather and some tools - go right ahead and make it exactly how you want it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hicks02 Report post Posted September 11, 2010 It does seem like family is the worse people to deal with. I have tried to study leather work and holster making for about six years and they still know more than me.lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
horsewreck Report post Posted September 11, 2010 In our shop we have a short list of names taped to the the back side of the counter where no customer can see, we call it the PIA list, which is short for for Pain In the Ass. When a person makes the list we no longer do any work for them. We always have a very good reason for not being able to do their job without telling them they are a PIA. On the front side of the counter is a well made sign that says, "My customers are a necessity not an Inconvenience". When I have one of those PIAs come into our shop and they start pushing my buttons I feel like I should change the sign to, "Some of my customers are a necessity and some are just a inconvenience"..... Jeff Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
