jolieo Posted December 12, 2013 Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 Hi I am a waitress and have been for years and years in a very busy restaurant. I wont bore w the stories that happened to me. There have been so many. Here is my conclusion. They do this on a regular basis, they have it down pat. Just like a mark is a scam , she interacted w you and got hip to the fact that you had never experienced anything like her before, and then put you through her well honed routine. Some routines are benign, perhaps strange or confusing, but over all harmless. I find that I get a fluster of shame of having to deal with the mean ones. Because it is so very public, I want to turn to those I know are listening and say , very loudly : "None of this has anything to do with me!!!". After watching the nuts go after fellow servers, I have realized that everyone else is just glad the nut didn't target them ! If I deal w them respectfully and don"t loose my cool, I will usually get sympathy tips from neighboring tables! You will see it coming next time, and you will deal w it so that you are not so uncomfortable. Maybe another scammer will con you again but that will be about it cuz you will know by the gut feeling when you talk to them. I am in a position where I cannot put limits on their demands, but I can ask what they expect from me, repeat it back to them and tell them if it is achievable or not. Once they have boundaries , they cannot cross them w/o being the a**hole and then I just get my manager. It is at the point for me that I can spot them before they sit down, or at least before they get their drink order in. You could have all the signs up in the world, it won't change if they target you or not. They target you because you fit the criterion of being a mark. A sitting duck. So dealing w it is just a matter of refusing to give them the audience they crave. They count on the conflicting feelings fueling things. Jolie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Reed Posted December 12, 2013 Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 I do not have any "rules" for people who own my work. It may sound awful, but I will sell to a racist, a bigot, rich, poor, black, white, any nationality as long as they pay. I am not a social activist, I am a potter who wants to sell. If they are wearing a gun, no problem, if they are loud, no problem, if they are quite and meek...again no problem. I just want to sell. I know this has nothing to do with the original message, I have just read a few posts about not selling to a certain type of person. As to the original post, I have never need in that situation, I have held things for a short period of time and every time they came back and purchased. I suppose I will continue until I get burned. I try to bring enough stuff that one single piece is not much of a worry. When I do have this situation I hope I can handle it was well as you did. Good Job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted December 12, 2013 Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 The two guys I told leave my booth as I would not sell to them (two seperate shows) where obnoxious-rude insulting and mean real knuckleheads. After decades of shows it will happen to you. I will sell my work to anyone except the very few who push you over the top. Its just a matter of time when one of these humuans shows up. This is true in any retail setting. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted December 12, 2013 Report Share Posted December 12, 2013 I just remembered I had this guy at our booth this past weekend. He was looking at our cappuccino mugs, in particular a color scheme we call Mocha. It has a dark espresso brown glaze on the rim and a Cocoa colored body. Both glazes are rather beautiful, but if hold the spray gun just right and for exactly the right amount of time, I get a beautiful oxford grey line where the two glazes overlap. I can get this affect on about 8 out of 10 pots. I was down to two pots sporting this look, but on one the grey line was about 1/8th of inch higher on the form than the other. And one was about maybe an 1/8th of an inch larger in diameter than the other. He wanted a perfect match, and was rather concerned the two mugs were "so different"... I explained about the nature of "hand made", but he was insistent... I would really like them to be precisely the same... Logic would not win the day. So, I knew this had nothing to do with the difference between the mugs, it was him. So, I told him about my three favorite cups for my morning French Press... All by a potter named David Voll, who's work I love. Every cup is slightly different. I explained that's the fun of it for me, noticing the difference and appreciating what made each of those three cups unique and different. I told him that while all of David's work was of the same shape and generally the same size, each gave me it's own special pleasure that the other two could not. And sometimes I would look forward to a drip, smear, or feel of finger ridge I knew belonged to one cup, but not the other two. In short, I told him it was OK to enjoy the differences... He purchased both mugs. Mike you get some coffee, because coffe is for closers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeFaul Posted December 13, 2013 Report Share Posted December 13, 2013 Mike you get some coffee, because coffe is for closers! Wish I had a dime for every time I've heard that one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeFaul Posted December 13, 2013 Report Share Posted December 13, 2013 I do not have any "rules" for people who own my work. It may sound awful, but I will sell to a racist, a bigot, rich, poor, black, white, any nationality as long as they pay. I am not a social activist, I am a potter who wants to sell. If they are wearing a gun, no problem, if they are loud, no problem, if they are quite and meek...again no problem. I just want to sell. Amen... Two guys came in the studio a couple of weeks ago. They mulled around, and left as they were out walking their dog and didn't have time to stay. When they left one of the potters said "They are our perfect customer, they are the nicest gay couple in town and they have money!" I was put off by this, and asked the team, " Why is it when a husband and wife come in no one says "They are a wonderful heterosexual couple?" I simply don't care what they do, wear, believe, are, or are not beyond those wants and needs our wares and talents can address... And, I know, that should I start I'll loose more business than I'll ever gain. I haven't yet found a place where prejudice and performance mix... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted December 13, 2013 Report Share Posted December 13, 2013 yeah but ruthB was referring to a bigot bringing that crap into her booth. A bigot that will bring it into a art/craft fair booth or pottery store is pretty hardcore and going to clear your booth or store quickly if you let them continue. I'd make it clear that I need them to leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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