Lame situation with a customer, how do you handle this?

[thecomputerguy]

I had a customer tell me she wanted a new AIO printer for the office because her ADF on her cheap HP AIO was mis-feeding. I recommended a couple printers to her (I'm a brother fan) in the $200-$300 price range because she didn't want to pay any extra for an entry line laser. She took it upon herself to lookup every model I recommended and turned them down based on the specs/reviews.

She had certain requirements for the printer:

A decently fast ADF
Decently fast printing
Ability to scan to network folder (which not all printers have)
Ability to store faxes in network folder (which not all printers have)
Shorter profile but with 2 trays
Duplex & Wireless

Searching for her was a PITA but I finally found a decent AIO, and sent it over to her and she looked through the specs/reviews and approved it and I ordered it because I could make a little money off the product and replacement ink in addition to the install.

Went with this: http://www.amazon.com/Brother-MFCJ6...l_reviews&filterByStar=all_stars&pageNumber=2

I go and install it and hour and half later, she's happy, it fulfills everything she asked for above.

She spams my phone with a bunch of text messages today, "The color print quality seems slightly washed out".
"The quality is faded even though I put it to best print quality", "I don't like the quality of the color it's faded", "How do we return it?"

So I don't really even know why color is such a huge issue since this is a business install that I never would have guessed they needed super high quality color prints (they are farmers) and color quality was not a requirement she asked for.

However it fulfills EVERY OTHER REQUIREMENT she asked for.

I guess my F-up is ordering it for her to make a couple bucks off the sale of it, but I haven't ran into this issue with a client in 10 years, they usually just do with what I recommend them.

So now if she wont budge on keeping it, I have to drive 30 minutes both ways, pick this printer up, re-package it (thank god I kept the box for this reason), and restart this whole process again.

Also I see an issue with the labor, it's already time I invested into a printer she agreed with me on to install, and now she doesn't want it and I don't want to refund her my time to install it.

How do you handle this?

 

[gadgetfixup]

Never get involved in a situation like this. Make suggestions, let them purchase.

We don't even carry printers in our store. To many details and everyone has different tastes. I let customers make their choices and live with the consequences for reasons just like this.

To answer your question, I'd pick up that printer, try to return it or sell it and let her buy her own. She is sucking your time and I'm guessing not paying for a dime of it with all the research you've done. Let her spend her time and her dime figuring out this stuff for herself. I don't get involved in this sort of business. I certainly wouldn't purchase her another one. I'd be answering her calls with excuses why I'm too busy to buy and haul another printer to her.

 

[coffee]

In this case I definitely agree with @inbargains. Heck, I would probably told her that at that price range thats the color quality to expect. Sounds like she wants champaign on a cool aid budget. I have a MFC-9125CN with toner cartridges and it prints good. Are they really going to do that much color picture printing though.

Sorry to hear it.

 

[OaksLabs]

I'd tell her that what she is looking for is hard to find, and everything else you ran across isn't up to par, and tell her that you can return the printer for her, but you don't have any other recommendations for her -- and softly suggest she does some online comparison shopping. Then tell her that once she orders a printer, you'll be happy to give her assistance installing it as needed @ your hourly rate.

 

[CLC]

Printers suck Yes I am very insightful

 

[thecomputerguy]

But I mean should I be refunding her the labor (1.5 hours) as well or just install the new one for free or just keep the labor and bill her again for more labor?

 

[coffee]

But I mean should I be refunding her the labor (1.5 hours) as well or just install the new one for free or just keep the labor and bill her again for more labor?

Nope. Do not refund labor. Install the next printer for her and give her a discount. Never ever ever ever ever ever.... Do free. Give a discount on labor. tack on some bucks on the printer if your gonna get another one for her.

 

[nlinecomputers]

I had a customer tell me she wanted a new AIO printer for the office because her ADF on her cheap HP AIO was mis-feeding. I recommended a couple printers to her (I'm a brother fan) in the $200-$300 price range because she didn't want to pay any extra for an entry line laser. She took it upon herself to lookup every model I recommended and turned them down based on the specs/reviews.

She had certain requirements for the printer:

A decently fast ADF
Decently fast printing
Ability to scan to network folder (which not all printers have)
Ability to store faxes in network folder (which not all printers have)
Shorter profile but with 2 trays
Duplex & Wireless

Searching for her was a PITA but I finally found a decent AIO, and sent it over to her and she looked through the specs/reviews and approved it and I ordered it because I could make a little money off the product and replacement ink in addition to the install.

Went with this: http://www.amazon.com/Brother-MFCJ6...l_reviews&filterByStar=all_stars&pageNumber=2

I go and install it and hour and half later, she's happy, it fulfills everything she asked for above.

She spams my phone with a bunch of text messages today, "The color print quality seems slightly washed out".
"The quality is faded even though I put it to best print quality", "I don't like the quality of the color it's faded", "How do we return it?"

So I don't really even know why color is such a huge issue since this is a business install that I never would have guessed they needed super high quality color prints (they are farmers) and color quality was not a requirement she asked for.

However it fulfills EVERY OTHER REQUIREMENT she asked for.

I guess my F-up is ordering it for her to make a couple bucks off the sale of it, but I haven't ran into this issue with a client in 10 years, they usually just do with what I recommend them.

So now if she wont budge on keeping it, I have to drive 30 minutes both ways, pick this printer up, re-package it (thank god I kept the box for this reason), and restart this whole process again.

Also I see an issue with the labor, it's already time I invested into a printer she agreed with me on to install, and now she doesn't want it and I don't want to refund her my time to install it.

How do you handle this?

20% restock fee. No refund on the labor. She ordered it after all.

 

[glennd]

Have you ascertained that the printer is, in fact, not printing correctly? Is there anything wrong with the printer at all? Are you going to get pushback if you try to return it because the colour is "slightly washed out"? How do we know the customer is using the printer correctly? Correct paper, correct configuration etc .....

Edit: Remember, the customer has already 'signed off' on the thing

 

[Mercenary Roadie]

Is she using plain paper to print on?

 

[lan101]

Try a higher quality paper to see if that helps any

 

[lan101]

Farmers are usually very cheap lol...at least in my experience...so most likely they got the bottom dollar paper.

 

[gadgetfixup]

Farmers are usually very cheap lol...at least in my experience...so most likely they got the bottom dollar paper.

Or even recycled paper from my experience.

 

[Krynn72]

Don't refund her any labor, she pays for your time and she can't return it. If she wants to return the printer, well thats on you now since you ordered it, but you should refund her the price of the printer minus the shipping fee. If she wants you to come pick it up, charge for the hour, or tell her to drop it off for no additional cost. If she wants you to install a new one, you'll charge her again for that. This time she'll need to order it herself.

I think once you explain this process, she'll find that the color quality is fine after all.

 

[thecomputerguy]

She has a backup HP that is the same that I replaced that she says she is printing her "MAPS" on. So shes using the same paper that is in the backup HP AIO

 

[FremontPC]

Have you gone through color calibration?

 

[Martyn]

Personally I just give them advice and let them buy hardware. It's not worth the hassle for a little bit of profit. If you still want to supply hardware factor in for getting this sort of problem. Looking at the reviews on Amazon there are quite a few about colour reproduction not being good. As said previously, if it has a calibration feature do the calibration but on good quality paper even if you have to supply some yourself.

 

[pceinc]

Good thing you bought from Amazon. I hope you kept the boxes. If not and she threw them away, tough luck for her. Otherwise, return it and tell her to source her own printer. Do not refund the labor.
You'll get better at reading these types of clients. Don't stress over it and move on.

 

[altrenda]

No refund for labor. You can't send back the effort and time you spent.
Is it buyers remorse or is she really unhappy? By a sample of quality paper for color printing and see if it makes a difference.

if it's an Amazon purchase and she has the boxes, send it back and charge her all costs for the shipping, plus a bit extra for your time. That's what she wants, make her happy.

You suggested several printers, and she argued about all of them, then didn't like what you finally bought. Time for her to buy her own printer.

 

[cypress]

No refund on labor like previously mentioned. I really dislike printers because some people can be really anal about how things print out but don't want to shell out the money for it. You went out of your way to suggest several printers to her, now let her fill in the gaps with whatever she wants.