How to lose your relationship with your dealer.

Yesterday, I got a call from Ann at Hancock and Moore and she said one of my customers called in and told her I refused to help them with an issue because my store was closing. Ann and I have been working together for over 16 years, she knows whom I am and what I do and that I take care of my customers. I asked who this customer was and she told me.

Yes, he came into my store 10 minutes from closing two weeks ago and I stayed another 40 minutes after close to talk to him. He wore out his H&M Austin sofa (purchased in 2019) due to abuse, the leather ripped, worn through, and discolored. Somethings can be repaired, other times they are so far gone they need to be replaced. His was the latter, it was too far gone to do a leather repair in my opinion. Choices then are to buy parts for the piece in leather and have a local upholsterer replace those components, or buy a new sofa. The problem as I explained to him is when you buy new leather parts, even in the same leather, they are not going to match at all, your sofa will look like a jigsaw puzzle. And the parts are not inexpensive, plus the sofa has to be taken apart to sew the new bustles back on. Doable, but at the end of the day I don't think satisfactory for money spent. Better to replace the entire sofa and I have a similar sofa on the floor at 20% off Retirement Sale pricings. He left, not liking either solution. His expectation (I think) was to get a free replacement sofa because his was "defective". No, it was abused. You don't get to drive your new car for four years, and bring it back to the dealer all banged up, tires shredded with pieces falling off it and the paint blown off and expect a new car, do you?

If you are hard on your stuff, you will use it up.

I'm OK with that though, I will walk you through your options and calmly explain they whys and what has happened to your purchase. I will give you the best options to think about. If I think your complaint has merit, I will do what I can to resolve it. I will also tell you when you are going down the rabbit hole of "this is not going to work for you"

What I am NOT Ok with though, is when a customer calls a supplier and lies by saying I refused to assist them. You have crossed the line when you do that and now have earned a spot on my DO NOT SELL TO list, and there actually is a list on my bulletin board behind my desk with (16) names on it starting in August of 2015. When you make that list, you are no longer going to do business with The Keeping Room and I am no longer going to try to help you with advice, either. I always respect my clients and except likewise from them as well. When that respect is breached, we no longer have a relationship and you will need to find another dealer.

Oh my goodness! You have been going THROUGH it this last handful of weeks. I don't know what this person's end game was -- have Hancock and Moore send you to furniture jail? -- but it was very uncalled for.

You mean Hancock and Moore didn't agree to send him a new sofa? I bet people like that make you a little less sad to be retiring. I takes all kinds, but that is over the top. Hope he sees that he has made the 16 worst customers list.

I have a 20 + year sofa that has been in the garage for at least 5years. Totally abused by kids, dogs and cat! It does have a "premium" pull-up leather and I did put a blanket over the cushions.
Seriously, it's not in bad shape & would be presentable if cleaned up well. He must have really abused it! I'd love to see his car ...LOL!

Some people are just too full of themselves. I'm sorry you had to deal with not only this person in your store, but also him bad mouthing you to H&M.

My 12 year old furniture too a beating and we didn't properly care for it but it would never have occurred to me to complain either to you or to the manufacturer. Put him on your do not sell to list and just move on. You have more important things to do than to concern yourself with this person.

Oh and thank you for dealing with all of my questions and concerns as well as changing leathers after the order was placed.