Unicorn Beams

A Slithery Friend Question

By on • ( 156 Comments )

One of my followers, named Cranky Pants, is feeling especially cranky these days. Cranky Pants says she has a “friend” who runs a snake feeding business. This “friend” also has a friend who is taking advantage of her lenient policies in the manner in which she runs her snake feeding business.

She wants to know what my readers would do if they were Cranky Pants’ “friend”.

You’ve come to the right place, Cranky Pants. Every time I make a decision, I ask myself the WWRD question. That is, What Would my Readers Do?

My readers have served as a cynosure for me. A guiding lamp post. An exemplum of wise and proper conduct, like a spinning compass in a souvenir shop full of refrigerator magnets. WWRD, indeed.

And so, I present the question to you my readers. Please read it carefully and provide some sound, or at least sententious, advice to Cranky Pants. Like the rest of us, she really needs help.

Hey Tippy,
I have a question for you. Asking for a friend of course…

I have this friend who runs a business called Fat Snakes Frozen Feeders. This friend has a customer that is driving her crazy. This customer will order and set a time to show up. Then said customer never shows up when she’s promised. She’s constantly standing my friend up. It happens every time she orders and numerous times during an order before she will finally show. There is no respect for my friends time at all.

My friend is completely stressed every time this customer orders because she knows it’s going to happen over and over.

Said customer will also contact late at night to order and by late I’m talking up to midnight.

My friend recently set business hours as a result of this customer and made customer aware of them so as to set some boundaries.

This customer only orders about $10 worth of stuff every few months so my friend really doesn’t need her business or the hassle that goes with it.

It is understood that this customer is going through some hell on earth but does that give her the right to treat a fellow business owner this way? My friend is inclined to not have her a as a customer anymore. What would you do? Or even… What would your readers do in this situation?
Tip of the Hat,
Crankypants

Categories: Unicorn Beams

156 replies »

  2. No excuse for this behaviour no matter what someone is going through. It only takes a moment to email or text or heck – even call – and say you are delayed or can’t make it.
    I would no longer arrange my life around this person’s anticipated visits. Let her know her window of opportunity is from X time to Y time and if she doesn’t show up then or call to rearrange, too bad so sad for her.
    Good or bad, we teach people how to treat us.

    Deb

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  3. If the customer doesn’t show up within, say, 15 minutes of the scheduled time, charge an extra fee – per minute. I hear that’s what day care centers do when parents are late picking up their kids. Or, the business owner could follow my doctor’s rules – if more than 15 minutes late, the appointment is cancelled completely (doesn’t matter if you had to pull over to throw up on the way; time is money).

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  4. I am of the mind that any problem can be resolved with the use of puns.

    Don’t let this customer rattle you into a hissy fit of anger. We she is late, put your thumb on the scale, adder late fees to her bill, and that should viper smirk off her face. If you constrict ‘er finances in this way and she recoils a bit, she’ll learn her lesson better than if you tried to charm ‘er.

    (these pun rely upon the customer being female).

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  5. She has a few theoretical options:
    1. Do nothing. – that means nothing will change, but it is an option.
    2. Cut her off completely. That will solve the inconvenience issue, and the business loss is minimal.
    3. Read the “riot act” to her, in that the unreliability is impacting both her business and personal life. Then give her a couple of weeks to get herself organized after which there will be zero tolerance. If she commits to something, she must follow through. Assuming everybody has the usual communication options where they are, then there is no reason why a quick call to say I’ll be delayed about 10 minutes could not be made and, presumably, accommodated.

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  6. I am sorry you have had to deal with this. Its no way for someone to act, especially someone who is supposed to be a friend! I am sorry she is going through a hard time but thats no excuse for her behaviour! I think you have got lots of good advice, can’t think of any more to add but Good Luck! 🙂

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  7. If she continues to call outside business hours – do not pick up her call. Question for cranky pants, if the orders are only $10, how much effort does it take to get the order ready? If it doesn’t take long, I wouldn’t start fulfilling it until she got to the store. You could also institute a credit card requirement for an order and charge a fee for a no-show. Give her a heads up, if she doesn’t show up in 15 mins of proposed time, restock the shelves with the order and charge the fee. If she doesn’t abide by the rules, then so be it, you will have established boundaries. She’s been ruling your roost for way too long!

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