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??

And don't talk to me. D'oh!

I don't think OP is using the actual names as she is hardly going to make the thread so identifiable to anyone that knows the customer!

Yes! Whoo to that Jonathan Creek episode.
New episode on Monday iirc.

I'd have clarified that, I think you are being a pedant.
All the others are single names, so I'd assume that pair were too.

It wasn't clear, but if Mason Riley was one name I'd have expected a hyphen, Mason-Riley. I think as a service, you should have explicitly clarified it and for good customer relations, should suck it up.

The customer is not always right but they are always the customer.

I worked for a company where I used to have to take people's names and ice them onto chocolate. I always used to check, recheck and check again that the names were correct.
A list like that would have me questioning it because all the other names didn't include middle names, so for my own peace of mind I would ask them to clarify.

If it were me, I'd sell the customer one more and re-do both of them. A lesson to you to always triple check, especially when it comes to personalized things.

When I first read this thread last night, I knew there'd be comments about the types of names

As others have said, yanbu as you used the information given, but maybe should consider doing them again, for good will - print two but get him to pay for one of them?

www.notalwaysright.com this might cheer you up!

Yabu
Surely running a business providing personalised items you have a system in place to double check spellings and names. It is your fault you didn't check.

I'd redo them out of goodwill OP. I also knew nasty comments would be made about the names. I've heard worse names tbh.

I'm off to change DD's name to Stadium-of-Light

I think if I were you I'd charge him for the one extra but sort the wrong one out free of charge as a goodwill gesture. That way he's getting the 7 and paying for them, yes you're out of pocket but you'll retain good will and as others have said you really should have sent a confirmatory email to check (in list format) how the names were meant to be.

This is the sort of thing that is going to crop up a fair bit with the way people use the English language nowadays - so you need to cover yourself against this happening again.

The customer is not always right but they are always the customer.

This - is residual bad feeling likely to do more damage to your business than saving you the cost of two items?

THis is very corporate, but:
"We don't have problems, they are issues."
"We don't have issues, we have challenges."
"They're not challenges any more, they are opportunities."

Every problem is an opportunity if you play it right - you could still end up with a very satisfied customer who sings your praises to everyone they know.

I hope this customer isn't an MNer.

You've just totally outed them and you!

Unless you used "false" names for the post?

You need a better way off placing personalised orders

How about designing an order form.
A numbered list.
Might resolve any future problems. Fwiw I did read mason Riley as one name and no, parents don't always use a hyphen to indicate a first name.

Punctuation is the different between knowing your shit, and knowing you're shit.

I think for the sake of goodwill you should repace the faulty item frree of charge. Yes i know it's technically their fault but reputations are won or lost over trivia like this. Hopefully if the customer s are satisfied they'll tell their friends and you'll get more orders next easter. But do updateyour terms & conditions to put the onus on the customer to check spellings before you send the easter eggs out.

Let us know what you choose to do OP. For what it's worth, I feel that seven items is quite a large order and I would be reluctant to do business with somebody that wouldn't budge for the sake of a comma! Not good business practice IMO.

It might make you feel better to blame the customer but c'mon, ya should've at least checked it out with him? You seriously cannot be 100% blaming them for this cock up?! If personalised garb is your bread & butter, don't you mke sure you're getting it right?

I'm boggling at this one.

I hope this customer isn't an MNer.

With names like that, it's not very likely, is it?

Oi, there's nothing chavvy or wrong with the name MAX.

It's ancient Greek (or something)
It means The Greatest.

I have a Max.
He is The Greatest.

End Of.

As you were [buwink]

I love the name Max.

But Riley? Mason? ANFIELD?