Oh and one more thing

[bladespark]

I really, really, really, really wish that people would just say what they mean. If you say to me "I'd like to have this by December, but if it takes until January, that's fine." then I'm going to assume that what you mean is "I'd like to have this by December, but if it takes until January, that's fine."

If what you really mean is "I need this by December, December is when I really want to have it, and I'm going to be upset if I have to wait until January." then flipping say so!!!!!!!!

I arrange what order I do things in partly by when I took the original order, partly by when it's convenient and easiest for me to do something, and partly (and this IS the heaveist weighted) by how urgent the customer has said it was. If you tell me "oh whenever" expect to get bumped back by every "Must have this now!!!!!!!!!111elleventyone" person who comes along. Because I want my customers to be happy and so the guy who needs this NOW in order to be happy will get first dibs ahead of the guy who's happy waiting a bit. That's just how I work. I expect my customers to tell me what they need, and then I work with that. I cannot read your mind, you must tell me.

I don't care if you don't need it for a specific event. I care about when you need it. If you just want to have it and can't bear waiting, that's fine, but you're going to have to tell me this or I will assume you don't actually mind if you get pushed back some.

BE HONEST, for flip's sake!!!!!!! And if you change your mind, and suddenly you just can't wait any longer, then tell me so that I can put a rush on your stuff! If you're getting antsy, and you say nothing, how am I supposed to know that "January is okay" suddenly has become "Now, now, now, now!"

This isn't an invitation for everybody who's waiting on someting to harass me. But this is an invitation for you, if you're waiting and you're impatient, to just drop me one quick note stating your preferences, so I know them, so I can work with them.

'Kay?

Comments

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

No, this has nothing to do with you! You're fine, and I'm pretty sure the 22nd is a reachable deadline anyhow.

If you want to see what it does have to do with, you can check out my post with the hat.

Apparently I am a bitch and am cheating my customers. Because I'm a little late. Except I'm not. I'm perfectly on time by the agreement we made. I'm maybe even a little early, depending on how you look at it.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

It's amazing how demanding people are, but at the same time, many don't want to SEEEEEM demanding.

Or, and this is even more fun, they ask for something they KNOW is unreasonable, but in a way that tries to make it seem less so. After all saying "this is your deadline!" is demanding. Saying "I reaaaaaallly want it by then!" isn't demanding but you're MEAN if you don't do it.

What annoyed me is that people do it the other way. The times I say "when can you get me this info?" and they give me a ridiculously early date. Gah, I don't CARE if it's later than that! BUt I need to know when!

People aim to please so set us up to be disappointed.

Conclusion? People are dumb. Commence slapping

[pointytilly.livejournal.com]

I've only encountered that hobby-wise...but dangit, if you say "I really honestly don't mind if you take a while", I don't want multiple IS IT DONE YET? PMs every day! That just makes me flail and take longer, because it's thrown off my "needs to get done" timing.

I suggest poking people who do that. Hard.

[tarathene.livejournal.com]

With a fireplace poker!

[jordanis.livejournal.com]

In the conservatory!

[purpletabby.livejournal.com]

Hehehe....so true!

[firebyrd.livejournal.com]

I've been fortunate not to have a customer like this (mostly), but then, I try to be very upfront that I'm slow. I was annoyed by the commissioner who PMed me maybe a week after she sent me money asking if I was done yet, knowing full well I was getting my bait from Europe. Grr.