Forum Moderators: buckworks
I am in the process of dealing with an extremely difficult customer.
I had already had my doubts about this customer when we had exhanged a few emails, before an order was even placed and in fact send a polite email message stating that I preferred not to go ahead and take the order. The customer then apologised profusely and practically begged me to take the order, and me, sucker that I am felt sorry for the guy and went ahead and took the order.
Darn and was my instinct right! This particular order was shipped to the customer in Italy from the USA via the United States Postal Service global Express Mail. A 3-5 day service. Before we were even into day 3 I get irrate messages from this person because the tracking # only showed that the package had left the USA but not that it had arrived in Europe yet. I politely emailed the customer and informed him that he needed to be patient and that all the other shipments that had gone out that day to Europe also show the same tracking status. Anyways, to make a long store short. I think I have received something close to 100 email messages from this person over the last 6 days.
The tone becoming more threatening with each one and extremely insulting.
This person is accusing my company of fraud and is threatening to go to relevant forums to defame the company.
Even threatened with lawyers, the FBI, send me a list of every single antifraud website he could find with the message that my company had been reported by him at all these organizations etc etc. Not to mention the personal insults and the barrage of 10 minute messages on the asnwering machine.
Today I actually double checked (for my own sanity) with USPS and was given and alternative tracking number for Europe and the package is currently in Germany awaiting sorting. I was even able to tell give this customer an Italian telephone number for the company that will be delivering his package to his door.
But even that did little to stop the tidal wave of emails etc.
My question, have any of you dealt with this kind of customer before? This is my first time and this guy is giving me the creeps. This can almost be labeled as harrasment.
I was wondering if there was some sort of 'blacklist' where merchant could list a customer like this one to warn other?
Though I guess one would really have to able to substantiate a listing.
Has anyone ever heard of such a thing? And if you ever came across a customer like this how did oyu deal with it?
Thank you ...
Saskia
-Matt
Funny thing is that this guy after all the various threats he made he never once mentioned that he will call the cc company to dispute the charge.
I am actually waiting for that one. Bah ... what hassle that would be. Actually never had to deal with that before but anyone knows what happens if customers do that. I see him do something like that out of spite.
The only thing to learn from this is, next time, go with yur gut- they can't force you to sell to them- after all it's your business and you have the right to refuse service- use it once in awhile and you'll feel better :)
if you dont like em dont deal with em!
What I meant with blacklist is some kind of list to warn other merchants about potentially troublesome and difficult customers.
I highly doubt that a blacklist for "difficult customers" would be legal. I'm no lawyer ... but it just doesn't sound right.
ALWAYS trust your instincts. Every single week, I delete at least two or three inquiries because of the tone contained in their message. If they say something like, "I am shopping around to find the best price for a 10 day charter aboard a 32' yacht in October ... what's your best offer?" ... I delete it or tell them we don't have any yachts available.
My commission would be about $110.00 on the deal and people like this will take up days of your time trying to get you to offer them a discount when no discount is available. Its not worth it!
Either delete the message, tell them you are out of stock, or better still, give them the URL for one of your competitors who sells the same thing! :)
"NO SOUP FOR YOU!"
