What do you do when somebody tries to blame you?

Discussion in 'Badminton Stringing Techniques & Tools' started by ucantseeme, Nov 25, 2014.

  1. ucantseeme

    ucantseeme Regular Member

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    Hi guys,

    I created this thread because every now and then one of your clients is unhappy with your work. Especially when you string for various clubs and douzens of player a untrue story or twisted description can harm your reputation. Maybe one of you meet one of these guys.

    Guy1: You strung a racket with a tension of 30lbs or above. The string breaks after 2 days. This client tells a few guys that you are a bad stringer.

    Guy2: He used a 0.75+mm string from the factory of his racket. Normally the string is not above 18-19 lbs and lasted nearly one year. This client asked for a 22-23 lbs job. The thickest string you can offer is BG65 After 3-4 month the string snaps. This client tells a few guys that you are a bad stringer.

    Guy3: He asks for the highest possible tension to keep the warranty. You strung with x Lbs. The client is known for not treating his racket with care. After 3 weeks of playing with this racket the frame breaks. This client also tells a few guys that you are a bad stringer and damaged the racket.

    Feel free to comment. Maybe you can add a different guy from you experience or how you would handle the situations.

    Thank you. :)
     
  2. _Rav_

    _Rav_ Regular Member

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    I try to educate people before i touch their racket, especially if they ask for something that is asking for trouble in my opinion.
     
  3. latecomer

    latecomer Regular Member

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    No business is immune from criticism, legitimate or not. Try your best to have 9 happy customers vs 1 unhappy customer. Offer sensible solution to the complaints, no words fight.
     
  4. Xuser

    Xuser Regular Member

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    I'll say don't let these people bother you. There will always be complainers. These is the same for other businesses.
     
  5. Ferrerkiko

    Ferrerkiko Regular Member

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    To me, if the stringer string a brand new racket become paint chip/ crack means a bad stringer !
     
  6. dbswansea

    dbswansea Regular Member

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    I make grumpy customers disappear ;)
     
  7. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    i suppose that's one of the advantages of being an ex power lifter... ;)
     
  8. dbswansea

    dbswansea Regular Member

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    No-one ever complains :)
     
  9. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Thought dbswansea went to Hogwarts for a moment there.
     
  10. craigandy

    craigandy Regular Member

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    Just to be clear did any of them tell you why they thought you were a bad stringer or are you just going on assumption?

    Guy 1 - Confront him ask him where it snapped, was it a knot unravelling? was there some sort of damage to the string when he received it? did it snap in a suspicious way (i.e whilst not using it)? Maybe you did mess up in which case talk to him and fix it, otherwise explain to him that he is a plonker.

    Guy 2 - he is a complete moron, nothing you can do about that, maybe point him in the direction of some knowledge.

    Guy 3 - Did you damage his racket? I mean aside from the frame snapping at a delay of 3 weeks later which is not possible for you to achieve even if you wanted to.
     
  11. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Hi,

    These issues pop up periodically and are inherent with any business.

    There is not much you can do.

    However, keep doing a good job as loyal customers will keep coming back and keep giving you referrals.

    For those unhappy with your work, they have a choice of going to another stringer. If they bring another racquet to you, you also have a choice of declining their business. Remind them tgey have a choice refer them to somebody else. Remember, you have no obligation to string a moron's racquet. ;)
     
  12. dbswansea

    dbswansea Regular Member

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    All you can do is be honest with customers. When I get a new customer I always go through options, I tell them what I will do and what I don't do. If they know what they want, great. If they don't then I let them know it's a trial and error business. We try something and see what happens.

    Some people will moan at everything. I have one customer who plays at my club who has a list of things he complains about when he's playing poorly. The lights, the shuttles, his partner etc. I hate stringing his racquets. I did his first one and he asked for the thinnest string I had, I strung it and he wasn't keen. He took his next racquet somewhere else and that stringer sold him a nonsense line and put ZM67 on it. He hated it and he came back to me and I got some ZM62 for him and he didn't complain about the job at all. With that customer, saying nothing was the same as a pat on the back from someone else.

    I have a few rules. Be honest and open, don't charge too much and never let a bad job leave your machine. If you screw up, take the hit on it and restring it before the customer gets the racquet back.
     
  13. R20190

    R20190 Regular Member

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    As Cheung says there's not much you can do about it really.

    You will always get the odd difficult customer.

    There are too many factors involved but what I tend to do is explain some of those factors as rules of thumb and also inspect the racquet before I take it.
     
  14. ucantseeme

    ucantseeme Regular Member

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    I'm very fussy about my stringing jobs. I practiced a lot and learned everything from a good friend who strung for international events in the past. So my technique isn't bad and use a 6point machine with load spreaders and chudek supports. We are out of competition because we live far away. But my friend told that he knows these kinds of guys. He is very laid back and don't mind about a few stupid people because hundreds of other people come again. I have alot of clients but I don't like it when people whisper behind my back. I can't stay cool.

    Guy1: I string regular for him several rackets at 31X33. Usually the string lasted 1-2 weeks. Last time it snapped after 2 days. He said nothing to me and gave me his racket again. He is ok with this. But his teammates are talking.

    Guy2: He came the first time to me. I told him about the fact that it depends on tension and frequency of playing and the player how long the string lasts. Some people at his club have my stringing jobs which lasts longer with equal setup. So he thinks that I ripped him off.

    Guy3: He uses a 6U racket which guarantee tension up to 28lbs. I explained that pushing his equipment to the limit is risky. He said 28lbs is fine and I strung 28lbs. The racket was in good condition before and after stringing. No dent, marks etc. I know that he is a lefty so clashs happen regular and that he drops his racket to the ground several times in a match if he loose points. He is a hothead.
    After 3 weeks, thousands of clears and smashs his racket broke. He told everybody that he just defend a smash and hit the birdie with the frame. The frame broke at 8 o'clock. He said that my job might be the reason. I told him that he is in the range of warranty and should try to claim warranty. I watched the whole match and he dropped his racket before several times and clashed once before the frame broke during the mishit.
     
  15. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    In any business, you can't please everyone. If you have 90% satisfied customers, then you've already done an excellent job.

    Let your work speak for itself. With the difficult customers you can always try to explain and educate, and some will understand and learn, but there are some who would be beyond your help and those ones are best encouraged to go to a different stringer.
     
  16. dunmaster

    dunmaster Regular Member

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    +1. As old saying, you can't please everyone!
     

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