How to Fire a Customer: When and How to End a Working Relationship

This was an experience I never thought it was possible, to fire a customer, and telling her that I did not wanted her as a customer.

In the furniture store of the family, a customer came to the store, and spent around 3 to 4 hours in the store.

Indecisive customers are reasonable, but this was not certainly a reason to fire her.

After she did the first purchase, the very next day the customer came before the delivery was done to do a change on her order.

Ok, it is still not a reason to mark her as a bad client.

That day she again stayed long time in the store to decide which other dinning set to choose, and finally she chose a marmor dinning set.

The product was delivered and couple days after, the customer called stating that the marmor was broken and she wanted to change it.

And actually, there are some marmor table pieces that sometimes when pulished, some are not 100% smooth and it keeps some lines, which was the case.

But nevertheless, we accepted to do the change, but when she came to the store she started complaining about we should take care of our products and send only good product, which in fact in that statement she is right, and we noted to her that some marmour table might came with those lines.

Still, she kept complaining that we should give a look to the products before delivering, which I answered, “well, in that case, in our documents it is stated that you should also have a look that the product is in good conditions and that you accept it as it is.” Which generated a reaction on the customer starting to say bad words in mexican spanish “Esas son chingaderas” which could be a “that is bullshit”, and certainly when her tone was elevated, I also raised my voice and asked her to avoid saying such words and that she must conduct in a good manner, as we were being respectful with her.

Immediately she noted to be embarrased and change it stating to be “joking”.

But at that point the customer was already becoming a pain in the ass to me.

She was not able to decide which new dinning set to choose, so she was going to came back next day.

The very next day she choose to take another marmour table, and I showed her the different marmour pieces she could choose from, and she asked if the one she was looking was white, which I didn’t answer, and she keept looking the marmour and actually she was watching a color beige one.

She agreed after observing them, so I did the paperwork to change for the new chosen table. Right after I finished the paperwork, I asked her to confirm that the one she was looking is the one she wanted, where she stated, yes.

So we delivered the new table and went to pick up the previous one, but once we put the new table at her place, she complained it was not white.

Which immediately cut my cords, and it was enough for me to be wasting time with this customer, so I told her that I asked her twice that if the one she was looking is the one she wanted. I told that I acknowledged that she asked for a white one, but that I did not answer yes or no. I took the decision to cancel the order and told her that I did not want her anymore as a client.

We picked up the tables and came back to the store, and just right after we left the place I saw a car license plate with an 888, which if you know a bit of numerology and angel numbers, it means to trust the universe, and it has a message of abundance, prosperity and material wealth.

There are hidden costs when dealing with some clients, and the time spent with the client, the paperworks to be done, and trips to do the exchanges of products are some, but specially gaining mental peace is one of them.

Sure, as entrepreneurs the idea is to sell, sell and sell, but when there are more issues on the table where you are being affected due to a bad customer, in my opinion it is better to fire a bad client.

It is not about entirely about the income, but about taking care about the mental state that can be deteriorated due to a bad customer relationship.

So as experience, don’t worry if you have to let go a problematic client, there will be more opportunities for another businesses with better customers.