to think that the customer is NOT always right!

[CocacolaMum]

Customer contacts me with an order for some personalised goods.. gives me a list of names to use as follows

anfield, max, mason riley, in red ,logan, alfie ,in light blue all boys and taylor a girl hello kitty or pink

I charge him for SIX items 1 for each of the names as sent to me above. He pays and receives his delivery today. He has just messaged me to say that hes not happy as Mason and Riley are 2 different boys but I have only done them 1 item with both names on it.. I just went by the names sent as above and the fact he paid for the 6.

So, I have messaged back saying the above and that I would be able to sell him 2 more if he wants them but that I won't give him a refund as the item is personalised and therefore unlikely to be resold.

So AIBU to think that he should have said something at the point of sale when I charged him for 6 (I did send him an itemised invoice too) if he had wanted 7??

[samithesausage]

Yanbu. Customer really should of checked the order. The missing comma was the crucial bit of it. I'd of written it as a list with carriage returns rather than a comma type sentance.
Is there any way you can compromise and offer to sell him at a reduced price as a good will gesture? It's your call really...

[MidniteScribbler]

I read it the way you did, but I think that you should have clarified before making the items with it being so messy. Everytime I've ordered something personalised, they've always sent a proof or confirmation of their interpretation before going ahead.

[midastouch]

YANBU i read it the same as you when ive ordered personalised things i absolutely make sure ive typed it correctly!

[SneezingwakestheJesus]

YABU. You should, as part of the service, send a reply confirming the details the customer has given you, especially when it is written as confusingly as that message was. Its obviously a misunderstanding made possible by the customer being a bit rubbish at typing messages out and by you being a bit rubbish for not confirming. I would just whack out what he originally asked for and ask him for the money for the extra one. If its selling through Facebook, I'd be extra careful to keep him happy because if he whinges about you, it will spread quickly through the local pages.

[ScarletLady02]

The customer isn't always right (sometime's they're a complete douchebag)...however it is a seller's job to keep the customer happy to the best of their abilities. I've made personalised things before and I will always check and double check to make sure I've got the spec correct.

[somedayma]

yanbu

[Longdistance]

As good will, I'd make them separate with the names, and keep on friendly terms with him.

It's makes good business sense.

Just say, as the names were written incorrectly on the order, as a goodwill gesture you will sort them out separately.

No the customer isn't right, but 'helping' him out by pointing out his error to him, and rectifying it for him, could score you brownie points ie; future business via him.

For every bad experience, an average 11 people hear about it, that's 11 potential customers.

[Chottie]

I would give him the benefit of the doubt too. Totally agree with Long and comments about customer service.

[NotTreadingGrapes]

Actually I read Mason Riley as one name because you didn't put a comma between them. But I was already looking for the "problem".

bloody mad name anyway

[NotTreadingGrapes]

Anfield? Anfield????

[zwischenzug]

Serves him right for giving all his kids chav names...

[KenDoddsDadsDog]

I was too boggled by Anfield to read it properly !

[KenDoddsDadsDog]

But I agree with some of the others, would sort it as goodwill .

[BinksToEnlightenment]

I'd charge him. If you confirmed his order as six and he didn't think well hang on a minute, I have seven kids...

[DoJo]

I agree that the mistake was his and any refund/replacement would be on the basis of good will alone rather than any right.

[AgentProvocateur]

Anfield!!! Think the only name that would be worse would be Ibrox.

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

What the fuck sort of names are they?! Is he Wayne Rooney buying easter gifts for his clan?

Anyway YANBU. But I would re-do them anyway but make it VERY CLEAR that you are doing it as goodwill and NOT rectifying a mistake on your part.

[montage]

I would be surprised if I ordered anything personalised and the seller did not confirm the details. There seems a lot of potential for mistyping, wrong spellings and wasted time and effort otherwise

[Dinkysmummy]

No the customer is not always right but word of mouth is powerful in business! If handled wrong it could mean a bad name and bad names stick.
I would re do but charge for 1 extra as he only paid for 6 and the total would be 7.
I agree with all, of the above the names are horrendous! anfield? And I thought my aunts dp was awful for calling his kid Jodie Ginola. At least it's a name!

[ApocalypseThen]

The customer is not always right, but they are always the customer. I'd point out his error to him and then offer him a reduced rate to fix it as a goodwill gesture. And then never do what the customer asks for without confirming in the future. There are people who, when you give them what they ask for, find they don't want it.

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

I fucking LOVE it. It's my next username.

[SneakyNinja]

You should send him the two correct items and charge him for one. If you are sending personalised items, you really should send a confirmation email so in this instance yabu. Whether or not you can resell the item is neither here nor there.

[ImTooHecsyForYourParty]

Well, he made an error in punctuation, but this is a lesson for you to send an order confirmation, a proof, to be approved prior to creating the items.

I suppose you have to weigh up the cost of just giving him replacements v the cost of having him huff and puff about it possibly giving you some negative pr.

[TeenyW123]

Well, just shows the importance of punctuation, doesn't it?

There was a Jonathan Creek episode where the crux of the matter was the contents of a note, and a tiny may fly had landed on it, looked like a comma, and changed the whole meaning of the message.

And don't all to me of misappropriated apostrophes!

Teeny

[montage]

You could also send him a complimentary copy of "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" with his remedied order.