You have to know when to walk away...

Triton

Triton

Gold Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2000
Messages
36,105
Stealing a line from the late great Kenny Rogers...

So I'm curious for those of you who do this professionally, do you turn down commissions based on gut feelings?

I just did. I've been building sword scabbards for quite some time and have had customers all over the world. That means dealing with all types of folks. Sometimes though... this one started out as per the usual, with me checking on the next guy on my wait list to see if he was still interested in having his scabbard done. The answer was yes, so there was the usual back and forth where we went through the spec sheet that I have worked up so that we could do exactly what he wanted. This one took days and days which was my first red flag. Don't get me wrong, I want to build what you want, but if the customer is going to spec everything down to the thread color used I start to get a bit concerned. This means that I've got little latitude to do what I think needs to be done... but I'm betting I'm going to get blamed if something doesn't work out and imagined by the customer whether communicated or not.

Then when I thought we had everything nailed down there was a day or so of revisions that started coming in. Second red flag. What happens when I've actually done the work and the customer decides they want to make a change? Finally we worked through all that.

Now the customer just has to ship the sword and I can get to work... and then I get another email. The customer doesn't want to ship the sword they want me to work from measurements. I had already told this customer that I would prefer to have his sword in hand since it was a curved piece and those can get a little tricky to build from measurements and he had agreed to ship. Then I get an offer to "build a model" of the sword and ship that based on shipping costs. Basically this customer wanted to save a hundred dollars of shipping costs and risk not having a scabbard that fit. I thought about that for a bit and wondered who would be blamed and or have their reputation drug through the mud if the scabbard didn't fit. I had a guess as to how that might go.

So, I sent the customer a politely worded note suggesting that perhaps we had better defer this project to another time if he didn't have the money on hand for shipping. Then I get a note back saying that it wasn't the shipping costs that were the problem but that this was a museum grade piece (highly unlikely based on the pictures he had sent) that he didn't want to risk in the mail. I do understand that as well, sometimes the swords are quite valuable and I can understand not wanting them to be mailed. However this was the final red flag for me.

I had what appeared to be an extremely involved customer (for a relatively low dollar commission) that didn't seem to know exactly what they wanted and / or couldn't communicate to me all that well. I'm sure he is a wonderful person, but I just wasn't thinking this was going to work out well.

At that point we decided to go our separate ways. I have to say I am very relieved.

So how about you? Have you ever turned down a commission based on red flags and were glad you did?
 
If I'm having a custom scabbard made I'm definitely choosing thread color. Being a contractor you have to learn how to read people so you don't end up working for people that will never be happy. I imagine it is common place among anyone that makes or builds bespoke things for you to try to get a feel for the customer before anything can go wrong. Walking away from a problem customer before they are a customer is always best.
 
Triton said:
Stealing a line from the late great Kenny Rogers...

So I'm curious for those of you who do this professionally, do you turn down commissions based on gut feelings?

I just did. I've been building sword scabbards for quite some time and have had customers all over the world. That means dealing with all types of folks. Sometimes though... this one started out as per the usual, with me checking on the next guy on my wait list to see if he was still interested in having his scabbard done. The answer was yes, so there was the usual back and forth where we went through the spec sheet that I have worked up so that we could do exactly what he wanted. This one took days and days which was my first red flag. Don't get me wrong, I want to build what you want, but if the customer is going to spec everything down to the thread color used I start to get a bit concerned. This means that I've got little latitude to do what I think needs to be done... but I'm betting I'm going to get blamed if something doesn't work out and imagined by the customer whether communicated or not.

Then when I thought we had everything nailed down there was a day or so of revisions that started coming in. Second red flag. What happens when I've actually done the work and the customer decides they want to make a change? Finally we worked through all that.

Now the customer just has to ship the sword and I can get to work... and then I get another email. The customer doesn't want to ship the sword they want me to work from measurements. I had already told this customer that I would prefer to have his sword in hand since it was a curved piece and those can get a little tricky to build from measurements and he had agreed to ship. Then I get an offer to "build a model" of the sword and ship that based on shipping costs. Basically this customer wanted to save a hundred dollars of shipping costs and risk not having a scabbard that fit. I thought about that for a bit and wondered who would be blamed and or have their reputation drug through the mud if the scabbard didn't fit. I had a guess as to how that might go.

So, I sent the customer a politely worded note suggesting that perhaps we had better defer this project to another time if he didn't have the money on hand for shipping. Then I get a note back saying that it wasn't the shipping costs that were the problem but that this was a museum grade piece (highly unlikely based on the pictures he had sent) that he didn't want to risk in the mail. I do understand that as well, sometimes the swords are quite valuable and I can understand not wanting them to be mailed. However this was the final red flag for me.

I had what appeared to be an extremely involved customer (for a relatively low dollar commission) that didn't seem to know exactly what they wanted and / or couldn't communicate to me all that well. I'm sure he is a wonderful person, but I just wasn't thinking this was going to work out well.

At that point we decided to go our separate ways. I have to say I am very relieved.

So how about you? Have you ever turned down a commission based on red flags and were glad you did?
Click to expand...
Always trust your GUT.....👍👍👍........ALWAYS....😉
 
thebrain said:
If I'm having a custom scabbard made I'm definitely choosing thread color. Being a contractor you have to learn how to read people so you don't end up working for people that will never be happy. I imagine it is common place among anyone that makes or builds bespoke things for you to try to get a feel for the customer before anything can go wrong. Walking away from a problem customer before they are a customer is always best.
Click to expand...
I'd choose the thread color too. That seems more than a small thing to me. But I get where he's coming from. An extremely demanding customer is often just not worth it. I've had a store owner tell me once that something like 10% of customers you really don't want and can live without. And 10% of those you'd pay to stay away. Obviously made up numbers, but the thought behind it made sense.
 
Triton said:
Stealing a line from the late great Kenny Rogers...

So I'm curious for those of you who do this professionally, do you turn down commissions based on gut feelings?

I just did. I've been building sword scabbards for quite some time and have had customers all over the world. That means dealing with all types of folks. Sometimes though... this one started out as per the usual, with me checking on the next guy on my wait list to see if he was still interested in having his scabbard done. The answer was yes, so there was the usual back and forth where we went through the spec sheet that I have worked up so that we could do exactly what he wanted. This one took days and days which was my first red flag. Don't get me wrong, I want to build what you want, but if the customer is going to spec everything down to the thread color used I start to get a bit concerned. This means that I've got little latitude to do what I think needs to be done... but I'm betting I'm going to get blamed if something doesn't work out and imagined by the customer whether communicated or not.

Then when I thought we had everything nailed down there was a day or so of revisions that started coming in. Second red flag. What happens when I've actually done the work and the customer decides they want to make a change? Finally we worked through all that.

Now the customer just has to ship the sword and I can get to work... and then I get another email. The customer doesn't want to ship the sword they want me to work from measurements. I had already told this customer that I would prefer to have his sword in hand since it was a curved piece and those can get a little tricky to build from measurements and he had agreed to ship. Then I get an offer to "build a model" of the sword and ship that based on shipping costs. Basically this customer wanted to save a hundred dollars of shipping costs and risk not having a scabbard that fit. I thought about that for a bit and wondered who would be blamed and or have their reputation drug through the mud if the scabbard didn't fit. I had a guess as to how that might go.

So, I sent the customer a politely worded note suggesting that perhaps we had better defer this project to another time if he didn't have the money on hand for shipping. Then I get a note back saying that it wasn't the shipping costs that were the problem but that this was a museum grade piece (highly unlikely based on the pictures he had sent) that he didn't want to risk in the mail. I do understand that as well, sometimes the swords are quite valuable and I can understand not wanting them to be mailed. However this was the final red flag for me.

I had what appeared to be an extremely involved customer (for a relatively low dollar commission) that didn't seem to know exactly what they wanted and / or couldn't communicate to me all that well. I'm sure he is a wonderful person, but I just wasn't thinking this was going to work out well.

At that point we decided to go our separate ways. I have to say I am very relieved.

So how about you? Have you ever turned down a commission based on red flags and were glad you did?
Click to expand...
Essentially it's just way too much effort and risk on your part to do what he wants.

You have a tried and tested system of working which includes having the blade in hand to perfect the scabbard. Anything else jeopardises your ability to build the scabbard correctly and reliably.

If this customer is as difficult as you describe then the finished product, built from measurements, is probably not going to meet his expectations. Not to mention the reputational problems you might face there is always one of liability. You work to a certain method, he needs to conform to that.

You made the right decision. Better to walk away now than cry later.
 
I think sometimes that I turn down commissions inadvertently and at the outset, so I'd say yes- I trust my gut.
I get a vibe when someone doesn't respect my time, usually fairly immediately, and decrease the amount of my time wasted to the most minute amount possible.
It's both a blessing and a curse, so I always go with it. The times it gives me trouble are fewer than the times it gives me results, so the odds are better than 50/50 and that's pretty good odds in this life.
Disrespect for my time is the first and last red flag for me.
 
Steven65 said:
Essentially it's just way too much effort and risk on your part to do what he wants.

You have a tried and tested system of working which includes having the blade in hand to perfect the scabbard. Anything else jeopardises your ability to build the scabbard correctly and reliably.

If this customer is as difficult as you describe then the finished product, built from measurements, is probably not going to meet his expectations. Not to mention the reputational problems you might face there is always one of liability. You work to a certain method, he needs to conform to that.

You made the right decision. Better to walk away now than cry later.
Click to expand...
Thanks I appreciate the thoughts, I think you are correct.
 
Lorien said:
I think sometimes that I turn down commissions inadvertently and at the outset, so I'd say yes- I trust my gut.
I get a vibe when someone doesn't respect my time, usually fairly immediately, and decrease the amount of my time wasted to the most minute amount possible.
It's both a blessing and a curse, so I always go with it. The times it gives me trouble are fewer than the times it gives me results, so the odds are better than 50/50 and that's pretty good odds in this life.
Disrespect for my time is the first and last red flag for me.
Click to expand...
Appreciate it, my time has gotten more precious to me as well, it just didn’t seem like it was worth the hassle.
 
Unicorn161 said:
I'd choose the thread color too. That seems more than a small thing to me. But I get where he's coming from. An extremely demanding customer is often just not worth it. I've had a store owner tell me once that something like 10% of customers you really don't want and can live without. And 10% of those you'd pay to stay away. Obviously made up numbers, but the thought behind it made sense.
Click to expand...
For a knife sheath I totally agree with you, but on a sword scabbard the stitches are on the back.😀
 
David Mary

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