I have a very big Clydesdale account and the owner had some awful work done to her animals prior to me coming on board. Her animals are all well behaved and even the youngsters are able to be done in the pasture on a lead and halter. When I came on board she had a multitude of issues and I have been straightening them out one by one as time goes on. The problem is she doesn't say thankyou or good job or anything. She is very quick to point out if an animal isn't moving well, but doesn't allow time for adjustment from the condition it has been in for years. I just write it off to her personality, but wonder how each of you folks handle customers like this. my 2 cents worth
Bruce, I don't mean to come off as "flip" but for me, I have to "charge them till i like 'em". The client you described only will appreciate what she has had to pay dearly for; the classic "it's worth what you paid for it". She can't tell good farriery from bad, otherwise her horses wouldn't have had all those issues you have been fixing.
You worked on nice horses and got paid. I don't see the problem. Bruce, it's been awhile but when you first started out, if you had good horses and got paid wouldn't you be happy?
stand still, don't jerk or lean on me and pay like a slot machine. My favorite kind. If I wanted good owners I'd find some that I have no contact with.
Bruce keep in mind ,80 % of your problems come from 20 % of your clients and if you can please the 80 % of your clients that aren't a problem you are doing a 100 % job .
Brian, I have come to believe what your saying more and more over the years. When starting out you can't always do business that way, but as time goes on. And it isn't Flip at all. HumaN\n nature is exactly the way it is. If it doesn't cost a lot then it has no value. my 2 cents worth
You all are right..... As years go on I guess we change, but the customers stay the same. my 2 cents worth
Bruce, Sometimes it helps to ask for feedback when you don't know where you stand with a client. Just ask them point blank, "How am I doing with your horses? Are you happy with my service?" Then when they whine about how much you charge instead of complimenting your service and skill, you'll know that you won't be keeping this account much longer. I always keep a list handy with names and numbers for the cheapest hacks around so I can refer the whiners to them.
She moved here from Missouri, Her husband is an accountant and she follows where he works. Now he is doing business in southern Claifornia and she has put this Texas home and land up for sale and has already bought a home in southern California and is shipping her clydes out there. So I won't have her much longer as it is. Even at my age and with the years I have been shoing, it still gets to me when you put your heart and soul into correcting animals and you can see the difference in them, but the owner is too blind, or will never have the interest enough to learn what a good job is compared to the crap she had prior. She is a nice lady and always pays what I ask, but can't distinguish a good job from bad. ughhhhhh.... my 2 cents worth
The single hardest thing we do in this business or any business for that matter is dealing with people. I have Dale Carnegie's "How to win friends and influence people" in book and audio form, and have worn both out. I am not naturally a people person and I have the wonderful ability to tick people off just by saying good morning. I feel like to become truly successful in this or any business, one of the most profitable things that you can do is to invest time in learning to deal with people. I know some guys who are amazing farriers and never seem to build the business that matches their skill level solely due to their people skills. I also know some true hacks that have more business than five farriers could keep up and it is all because of stellar people skills. Just as Bruce said, human nature is human nature. Gary Chapman, that wrote "The Five Love Languages" also wrote "The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Work Place". People show their appreciation in different ways. Some say "thank you" or "good job". Some give you a tip. Some want to come hang out with you while you shoe. Some literally want to give you a pat on the back. Some will say they appreciate you by getting the horses up an hour before you get there and cleaning them off. (Words of Affirmation, Gifts, Quality Time, Touch, Acts of Service) We all have different ways of showing and receiving appreciation. The problem is that most of us forget that the rest of the world does not think like we do, even when we know better. Bruce, just from what I have read here, I would guess that maybe you are a "Words of Affirmation" type of guy. You also said that this lady's horses always stand well, even the young ones. Maybe she is a "Acts of Service" type of person. For example, lets say that when you go to her farm you make a point to say something nice about her place or complement her horses because you want to show you appreciate her business. You go about it by saying nice things. At the same time she is wanting to show you that she appreciates the quality work you have done and makes sure that the horses are trained to stand and that they are ready and clean for you. It may be that none of this is the case, but it is just an example and hopefully it will make you step back and try to look at things from a different angle. Another thing that I have learned over the years is not to expect anyone but another farrier to ever truly appreciate a good shoeing job. The fact is, horse owners will never be able to see what you do in a foot. If they could they wouldn't need you. If a horse owner notices that fluffy doesn't loose to many shoes, the feet are shinny when you get done, and that he stays sound, then they are doing great. That is about the most that you can ask for from the majority of clients. Not that they are dumb but they are uninformed, misinformed, and don't really care unless something goes wrong. We are no different. I have a great mechanic. Any time my truck is down he jumps right on it and gets me back on the road. I don't know how he fixes it and quite frankly I don't care. All I know is that it didn't work right when I got to him and it does when I leave.
I nominate Chip to organize the Farriers Forum monthly book club. We already covered the 5 love languages so you'll have to pick another book!
IME people forget the appalling state their horse's feet were in before you start changing them. Once more, once you start educating them what they should look like, they start looking for faults. I've started taking a photographic record so I can remind them once in a while where their feet have come from. Works a treat. Also, I've found out some clients who never seem to give appreciation in person, will wax lyrical about you to others.
Bruce, With customers like that, I just take their money and shoe for myself and the horse. I have enough adoring customers to make up for the non caring.
Bill Do you charge for the life size posters some of your clients have displayed or is it just a "small token" for the autograph? Do you keep the "non-caring" just to keep your self grounded?
