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| 21 Oct 2005 01:20:54 am |
 It?s The Little Things |
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Today my husband and I were at Home Depot. A brand new Home Depot near our house, so that even though we have been in our house for about 18 months, and really should just buy HD stock at this point LOL, we didn't know our way around this particular store.
My husband hailed an employee to ask where something was located. The man barely slowed his walk and nearly ended up shouting the answer to my husband over his shoulder before he reluctantly turned around and guided us to what we needed.
Then we went to the rental shop to ask about a pressure washer. Another gentleman walked up to us and said, "Can I help you folks with anything?". DH did have some questions, and the conversation was going fine until he asked something the employee didn't know. Well, my jaw nearly dropped at the change in the man's attitude - he seemed quite irritated that he'd have to walk over to the desk and check the stats on the washer. It was as if we'd actually made him *work* for a moment, instead of hanging out and just giving us rote information about the product. He came back, gave us what we?d asked for, and then walked away.
Now, those who know me well also know that customer service (or lack thereof) is a pet peeve of mine. I don't understand why people can't simply be treated courteously when they're in a store - or a restaurant - or any place where people interact. I will gladly get a hold of the manager on duty anywhere that I get stellar service, and tell them how wonderfully their employee treated me. In fact, I do this more often than I rant to managers about bad service. Unfortunately, I am not often presented with situations about which I can rave.
It's rare (at least in my experience) to get *really* bad service. Everyone's heard the old saw about how many people a disgruntled customer will complain to, and how a bad reputation can really hurt a business. So truly bad service has, for the most part, fallen by the wayside. But the problem I run into more and more is just indifferent service. Employees who don't bother to listen to you initially, because they just want to get you out of the way so they can go back to their phone conversations, magazine reading, or chatting with other employees. This also happened today- we had a return to make, and we did that immediately upon entering the store. The employee didn't bother to pay attention to what my husband said about the return, and only credited us for half of the merchandise, and she was none too pleased when she had to process *another* transaction.
The problem with indifferent service is that hardly anyone will report it, because it's not really enough to complain over, but it certainly doesn't add anything to the shopping (or dining, or any other) experience. But it?s pretty pervasive. People seem to be so preoccupied with themselves and getting back to *not* having to interact with customers that actual friendly, interaction is beneath them.
Customer service should be especially important to anyone who has their own business. It?s one thing if your employees are not as invested in it as you?d like them to be, but small business owners ? WE are the face, and the reputation, of our businesses. When a customer interacts with me through the web site, via e-mail or phone, or in my booth at a show, I certainly don?t want them to feel that I am bored or irritated by them! I want them to not only enjoy the jewelry they purchase from me, but to enjoy the whole experience of purchasing. I want to make it easy for my stores to sell my work, so I listen to what my retail and wholesale customers tell me, and I tailor my work, within reason, to fit what they tell me they like (in the case of retail customers), or what turns over quickly (in the case of wholesale accounts). To me, customer service is just the right thing to do. It makes the customers happy and happy customers will gladly come back for more. And really, isn?t that the ultimate goal of any business? |
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Category : General
| Posted By : Jill |  Comments[0] |  Trackbacks [1878] |
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| 18 Oct 2005 04:16:49 am |
| Professional Artist (It's NOT an oxymoron) |
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Yeah, I know - I don't really call myself an artist. I'm a designer, though I like to think of what I do as "art jewelry", since "costume" jewelry doesn't really fit, and "bridge" jewelry is a term that really no one (except maybe department store buyers) understands, and "fine" jewelry - which certainly can be a misnomer - usually brings to mind platinum and things like diamonds, opals, etc....not really the type of jewelry I make.
But anyway, I digress. Even though I tend to reserve the term "artist" for what I call Capital A Art - meaning 2D and sculpture - everyone I know, from show promoters, to gallery owners, to designers, uses that term. And not always in a positive sense. "Those artists are so flaky; it's hard for me to get a hold of them!". "Those artists don't understand that I have to make a living too, and can't accept everyone's work in my store". "This artist committed to me and now they've canceled at the last minute, leaving a big gap in my show" (or worse, a trunk show with no artist in sight...).
And many of these comments are justified. Most art schools don't teach anything about how to make a living from one's art; how to practice the *Business* side of Art. There are few classes or seminars available to artisans to teach them how to survive by marketing and selling one's art. In certain circles, it's not "cool" to be businesslike about one's art.
But art and commerce *can* coexist; at least in my opinion they can. I know most creative folks don't like - okay, we intensely dislike - the business end of our business. Paperwork. Selling (you mean, actually having to *talk* to people about our work??). Marketing. Advertising. Pricing. All topics that make most artisans and designers throw up their hands and shudder.
Unfortunately, that approach won't carry a business too far. If the paperwork gets ignored, fines and penalties (not to mention a lot of stress about the growing paper piles!) can result. If the work doesn't get advertised or marketed, no one knows about it, and so they can't buy it. If the work doesn't get sold - well, I'd like to see the case studies on businesses that succeeded without any revenues. Even the most beautiful, original work will typically not sell itself. If the pricing is out of whack - either on the low or the high end - the work will not sell, and all you'll do is make lovely things that just clutter up your home or studio.
Is it hard to be a professional artist? Not really; many times it simply involves basic etiquette. Treating others as you would like to be treated. For retail shows, this includes greeting your customers, not pressuring or "hard selling" them, but rather sharing information about your work, thanking them for their purchase, etc. etc. It also includes unloading quickly and moving your vehicle so the next exhibitor can get to their space to set up in a timely manner. It includes not playing loud music in your booth, or denigrating someone else's work, or taking more than your alloted booth space. And professional behvior should be extended to ALL of your customers, both retail and wholesale. For example:
I exhibited at a festival this weekend, and my husband went strolling the booths on Sunday afternoon. He said he heard at least *three* jewelry exhibitors telling customers, "my work is in galleries, but it's double the price because they mark it up so much. So you're really getting 50 (25, 15) percent off if you buy it directly from me". I told him I'd have asked, "How do your galleries feel about you undercutting them with customers?" Because that's essentially what's being done. And if YOU had that artist's merchandise in your store, and you found out that they were selling the work for less, would you want to do business with them again? I suspect not.
This is an example of what I mean by being professional. Don't undermine your long term relationships in order to make a quick buck. If you are going to sell at retail AND at wholesale, you must keep your prices consistent (and I realize that each gallery may have a different markup, but that's another discussion). A gallery may order and reorder from you for years, if you work consistently sells, so why risk the potential revenue of that relationship for one small retail sale (or even one large one)? I realize that we have to pay bills and put food on the table *now*, as well as in the future, but a professional artist will have planned for both (a nudge to those of you without business plans!), and act accordingly.
I once had my work consigned in a shop where the owner was frustrated because a few artists kept coming in and taking their work out of the shop - leaving large gaps in her inventory and display - every time they had a retail show. The owner asked me if it would be unreasonable to expect the artists to leave their work with her for a period of time, say three months, so she didn't always look like she couldn't fill the shop. I told her it was absolutely reasonable of her to expect that she would carry the work for an established time period. If the artist can't produce enough work to fill the shop's needs AND their own retail needs, then they need to cut out one of those sales venues. I know some of you may not like to hear that, but it's part of being a professional. You don't take on committments that you can't fulfill. Or at least, you try *really* hard not to. I recognize that sometimes you get blindsided, and even the best laid plans go to waste occasionally. But planning your production abilities *is* necessary to eliminate, or at least minimize, leaving promises unfulfilled.
Often artists are hurt by rejection from a store or gallery that they really wanted to have carrying their work. I understand that - we've all been there, and we're all likely to be there again - but it's critical to remember that the rejection isn't personal. It's about whether the owner / buyer thinks the work will sell. And if the owner takes on your work and it doesn't sell, is that really the kind of relationship you want? Your work sitting in a store gathering dust, with the owner unhappy that her space could be put to better use, and in the meantime, you might be selling it to another, more appropriate store, or maybe selling it yourself. As long as the owner or buyer isn't outright nasty in their rejection of your work, listen to what they have to say and learn from it. Ask questions. Ask if you can return in three (or six, whatever) months. Tailor your work to fit their demographic, as long as that still suits your personal style and what you want to create.
I have had both kind, and very unkind, rejections. The unkind ones are never fun, but we manage to move past them and try other options. The kind ones are often helpful, once we get over that initial sting. I have had some owners say to me, "Your work is beautiful, but X just doesn't sell in our store. If you start making Y, please come back and see us". Okay. Now I can decide if I will enjoy making Y and if so, I can go back with some Y later on, and see what happens. Or I can decide, "I would *hate* making Y", and continue to look for other locations to sell my X.
You can lessen the rejections by doing your homework up front. Check out potential locations carefully. Will your creations work with the items already there? Will your work add something that might be missing? Are your prices in line with their prices? Are your prices a little higher, and maybe the store is ready to push the price points up a little and try your work? If you work, and your prices, seem like a good fit, then make the call, and ask for the appointment. If not, move on to the next option. Remember, it's not about you or your work. It's about business. If the store is full of work that doesn't sell, how long do you think they'll be around? Owners want longevity as much as we want it for them, so don't waste your time trying to convince someone to take your work if they can't sell it.
If you get the appointment, remember that this is not the time to be your "out there" creative self. Certainly you don't have to get all buttoned-up corporate now, but you need to be able to present your work, and your pricing, in a solid, not flighty manner. Have your work priced appropriately, have your contract ready if you are doing consignment, or your terms ready if you are doing wholesale. Don't expect the owner or buyer to figure this out for you - it's a sure sign of someone who is not a professional. Present your work in an orderly manner, and listen to what the owner has to say. Take it on the chin if they don't want to purchase (or consign), if they do want your work, be happy, yet keep that professional demeanor. You can do the dance of joy later. *s*
If you are not able to be as professional as you'd like in certain areas, then you'll need to partner with someone who can. Whether that's a rep, or a spouse, or a business partner, find someone who can be strong where you are weaker, leaving you to your own strengths. If that means hiring an administrative assistant for your paperwork, then so be it. If it means using a CPA because, really, who the heck else understands the tax laws? - then do it. If it means hiring a PR firm, because you just don't have time to do your own PR (or time to figure out how it really works - IMO PR is one of the great mysteries of the Universe), then when you can afford to do so, have at it. Don't be afraid to ask for (or pay for!) help, as finances permit. Play to your strengths and you'll be amazed at how smoothly things will flow, and how much less stress you'll have. If you can't be professional enough in a certain area, hire someone who can. But in the meantime, make sure that you are the most "professional artist" out there. It's easier than you think. |
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Category : General
| Posted By : Jill | Comments[0] | Trackbacks [2607] |
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| 04 Oct 2005 12:49:07 am |
| Rebirth |
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Yesterday, my husband told me that October 2nd was the first day of fall this year. When I asked him why, he said, "Because I saw the first leaves change in our backyard". Now, you won't find that referenced in any almanac, or discussed on the evening news, but for Brett, that's the clincher. And I figure it's as good as any. *s*
We all have our own private markers of change. Today was *my* first day of fall, because the weather appears to be breaking (finally!). I took time for a walk around our neighborhood, which I haven't done in months, and heard the trees rustling, felt the leaves crunching underfoot, and recognized the winds of change blowing in. For me, fall has always been a time of rebirth.
I know; technically that's spring, but for me fall is the season when I feel renewed, energetic, open to all possibilities. Part of it is probably the weather change - I get *so* tired of the relentless heat of summer, and I love things like sweaters, scarves, and boots - and part of it is probably nostalgia. When I was young, we lived on the east coast, and my birthday (right around Labor Day) always seemed like the time when fall really got started. It was also the time when school started (in those days, we kids didn't go back to school until September), and I always loved going back to school. I loved shopping for school supplies, new lunch boxes, new school outfits. I was always excited to find out whom I'd meet this year, what the teacher would be like, who my new friends would be. And of course, what I'd be learning in my class(es). Yeah, I was (and I guess, still am) a nerd about that kind of stuff. I love to learn, I love having new experiences, and I love fall, because it always seems to bring plenty of both.
And as for the rebirth part? Well, I am a firm believer that if you don't like who you are, or where you're at in your life, you can change it. We have the option to change ourselves and/or our circumstances, right up until the very end of our lives. Sometimes those changes take longer then we'd like, and sometimes those changes lead us on another path that we hadn't intended, but the possibility always exists. And oddly enough, it seems to exist more strongly for me in the fall. It's when I feel the strength to be re-created.
So, what don't you like about yourself, or your life right now? Are you constantly late? Relentlessly disorganized? Trying to juggle too much at once? Are you easily irritated? Shy? Controlling? Stuck in a bad relationship?
Maybe now's the time to start working on improving just one thing.
Re-examine your priorities, de-clutter your life, take time for yourself - do what you need to do to make things better for you and those around you. If you focus on just one thing, and get on top of it, you'll be surprised at how many other things seem to "fall" (pun intended) into place. Welcome change, and when the first day of fall arrives for you *next* year, take stock and be proud of your accomplishments over the year. Then start working on the next rebirth.
Happy Autumn, everyone! |
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Category : General
| Posted By : Jill | Comments[0] | Trackbacks [1630] |
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