Our business has gained attention as a place to get clothing tailored. We do our own clothing of course, but over the years, more and more people are coming in with their own things purchased elsewhere. As long as it profitable, it's fine.
A couple weeks ago, a woman came in with some specific things she wanted done, a little out there, but not beyond a realistic expectation. The problem began after she got her clothing back, when she called three times wanting to speak to me. I was busy, and she wouldn't leave a message, just kept calling back.
She re-appeared yesterday. She has a coat. It's a huge one, oversized. It's cashmere, and looks like one of those dog breeds with the corded coats (like a Komondor). It's calf length, and she wants it shortened to her hip bone, or maybe her hip. It's double breasted, and she wants it single breasted. She likes the long lapel, but she wants the fasteners moved up higher. Shortening the coat will eliminate the functionality of the pockets, so she wants those moved up. (No, they're not patch pockets, they're cut into the front of the coat.) Although it's oversized, she doesn't like *how* over sized it is, she wants it taken in, but still oversized. I started to calculate how much I'd have to charge to make this profitable for the store, but I realized this would be a project, and I think she kind of *wanted* it to be a project, and I'd be working on this coat, shortening, lengthening, taking in and letting out, until spring. The statement "I just want someone to work with me" was a clue.
Trying to manage expectations, I pointed out that equal amounts should be taken from the back and the front to maintain the balance of the coat, and in doing so those pockets would end up almost at the side seam once we took it in. And that's when she said, "Well, if I was going to do it myself, I'd just take in the back," pulling in the center back and folding it over.
That made it so much easier. Once someone says "If I was doing it myself" the voices in my head shout "then you wouldn't need me." I can't say that out loud. I can say, "This project is way beyond my skill level. You need someone who has experience with garment construction and pattern drafting who can do a credible job on this. Sorry. I think my boss has the name of a dressmaker nearby."
Cue the sad face and negotiating. "Maybe you can just shorten the coat?" Oh, no, I said. No seamstress really wants to finish a project that someone else started. Mostly, our customers are good folks, but there's the occasional one, like this one, who believes that she *could* do it herself. For the record, the part she thought she wouldn't be able to handle? The lining.
A couple weeks ago, a woman came in with some specific things she wanted done, a little out there, but not beyond a realistic expectation. The problem began after she got her clothing back, when she called three times wanting to speak to me. I was busy, and she wouldn't leave a message, just kept calling back.
She re-appeared yesterday. She has a coat. It's a huge one, oversized. It's cashmere, and looks like one of those dog breeds with the corded coats (like a Komondor). It's calf length, and she wants it shortened to her hip bone, or maybe her hip. It's double breasted, and she wants it single breasted. She likes the long lapel, but she wants the fasteners moved up higher. Shortening the coat will eliminate the functionality of the pockets, so she wants those moved up. (No, they're not patch pockets, they're cut into the front of the coat.) Although it's oversized, she doesn't like *how* over sized it is, she wants it taken in, but still oversized. I started to calculate how much I'd have to charge to make this profitable for the store, but I realized this would be a project, and I think she kind of *wanted* it to be a project, and I'd be working on this coat, shortening, lengthening, taking in and letting out, until spring. The statement "I just want someone to work with me" was a clue.
Trying to manage expectations, I pointed out that equal amounts should be taken from the back and the front to maintain the balance of the coat, and in doing so those pockets would end up almost at the side seam once we took it in. And that's when she said, "Well, if I was going to do it myself, I'd just take in the back," pulling in the center back and folding it over.
That made it so much easier. Once someone says "If I was doing it myself" the voices in my head shout "then you wouldn't need me." I can't say that out loud. I can say, "This project is way beyond my skill level. You need someone who has experience with garment construction and pattern drafting who can do a credible job on this. Sorry. I think my boss has the name of a dressmaker nearby."
Cue the sad face and negotiating. "Maybe you can just shorten the coat?" Oh, no, I said. No seamstress really wants to finish a project that someone else started. Mostly, our customers are good folks, but there's the occasional one, like this one, who believes that she *could* do it herself. For the record, the part she thought she wouldn't be able to handle? The lining.
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