I have a bit of a quandary.
I have a Facebook customer who has bought a couple of pieces from me via Facebook and Postal Order. All very fiddly involving I have to say an irritating number of messages back and forth for each purchase.
I can handle that, after all the customer is always right but…
She also keeps putting comments against my pictures which are not always right. They are often entirely unrelated to the picture I’ve posted. I hide many comments as they are nonsense.
Some make reference to things she wants to order at some later point.
I’ve asked her not to do this on the basis that I don’t always see picture comments and it’s impossible to keep track of them on my quite busy page. I’ve asked her if she wants to order to only do it via message.
The best was when she told the world I was on holiday in June. It may have been obvious that I was but I don’t exactly shout it out to every Tom Dick and Burglar in the area. I told her off via message. She apologised. Two days later she did it again. My message was a bit cross that time.
You get the picture. Customer always right but…
At the moment I have more ‘possible order’ comments appearing on my photos and this morning, icing on the cake, she put what I am sure was supposed to be a humourous comment on a non glass post which I had to hide, and told her so, as toilet humour has no place on mya business page.
I constantly cringe if I see she has commented and dive to my Facebook page to see what she’s put this time before, usually, hiding it.
I’m on holiday again soon, may not be able to hide comments as fast and worried she will tell the world I’m away again.
Long winded explanation but… what happens if I block her ? Can she tell I’ve done it and if so can she make comment anywhere else.
Plus will I feel awful if I do. I know she is well meaning but it’s like being stalked.
PS I’m pretty sure I’m safe posting this here as she won’t come anywhere near Folksy even when I beg her to check in my shop what it is she wants.
PPS I’ll probably delete this as soon as I have some answers just in case
I would warn her that if she continues to act in this way that you will block her, the customer is always right… up to a point.
At least if you warn her and she continues to behave in this way she cant come back and complain about it. If she wants to continue to buy from you then she knows where to come. It’s great to build relationships with customers but those few that can make your page look bad can also cause a lot of damage.
Thanks Louise. She has responded,in a message, to my comment saying I was blocking the toilet humour one with an abject apology that it was her partner who did it and he is very very sorry. I’ve replied to that that I am also sorry but if she does it again I will block her on the basis I don’t have time to keep checking my page for bad comments like that.
yikes I hit the wrong button and deleted my response
I’ll retype
Firstly it’s a business page and no business will allow unruly comments or behaviour no matter if it’s from a potential customer or long standing customer.
Also there’s the security issues some people are just unaware of internet security and of course have no concept of privacy.
What’s the normal practice in these cases?
Inform the offender that their behaviour is unacceptable and why it’s not acceptable. Asking them to refrain from it. Outlining what will happen if it continues.
If it continues block them.
Sorry you are having to deal with this but you’ll just have to put on your professional business head and think like an HR department.
It’s silly but it’s got to the point when I cringe if I see her name. I know she is only trying to “be my friend” so feel a bit mean but…
I’ve now done your point (1), warned her she’ll be blocked if she ‘offends’ again,so she’s on a one more strike and you’re out notice.
Joy .
I know how you feel Joy, it’s not good when you are trying to run a business and someone comes along and keeps blurring the lines like that. You can’t help but cringe.
I used to have a customer like that and in the end I had to stop conducting business with her yes I lost out on her orders but boy was it a relief and tbh had it continued it would have put ‘other’ customers off.
To be honest having worked in customer service for many years I don’t believe that the customer is always right, if people are being disregardful towards the running of your business, intentional or not should you really put up with them for a potential sale??? Also she’s a grown up and should know better, people need to learn boundaries when it comes to business and it definitely looks like she’s pushing the boundaries to see what she can get away with. I agree with Eileen’s approach, if she’s continues despite friendly warnings then yes block her, this is your business and that kind of behaviour can put off other customers. At the end of the day, her behaviour is causing you worry and eating into time that could be better well spent running your business than looking out for someone who is causing trouble (maybe the wrong word but I’ve only had one cup of tea this morning and my brain is still not fully engaged). Anyway I hope she takes note of your warnings and stops soon. I hope the rest of your weekend is good.
I think I would just go ahead and block, as you have already given quite a few warnings. If you didn’t want to block, I would just keep hiding the comments without replying or engaging in anyway, and they may soon get bored of commenting on your page
I think blocking is the way to go. but I think you’re doing it in the right way and explaining why to her. It isn’t right how she is behaving.
I have a slightly similar issue- but mine is actually with my grandmother. She uses Facebook and likes and follows my business page too (as most relatives do out of support) though we have incredibly different tastes and as such she isn’t my target market at all. Going by the stats I have the majority of my target market fit into the 18-55 category- granted there are people outside of that also interested- but I definitely know it’s not my grandmother- yet she comments on things- finished articles, work in progress photos and basically tells me what she doesn’t like about it- and what I should do to change it. not great!! But as it’s my gran I don’t feel right blocking her- though to be honest we don’t get on that well (though I think she thinks we do) I certainly don’t want to block her as after all it’s her opinion but as she’s my gran I think she should exercise a little more tact and realise it’s my business page, everyone can see what she writes and if she wants to be supportive that’s not really the way I’d like her to do it! Haha
So far- I’ve just simply ignored her comments and hoped that no one takes them too seriously or reads too much into them! Haha
I can see that could be a problem. I try to be really careful what I write on my daughter’s page and that’s only one generation gap and I often delete things I’ve written thinking she might not like my commenting on that.
If I were you I would hide your gran’s comments - she can’t tell you’ve hidden them but nobody can see the comments once hidden except your gran and her friends.
Just keeps you on your toes when you spot a new comment has been added which might need hiding - which is what I’ve been doing with this customer for the last several months.
I think it’s called firefighting and if she lights one more match, I’m going to extinguish her !
PS I was going to delete this topic once I had answers but I will leave it as I think it raises some valid points which may be useful for others (and I feel reasonably sure my over-friendly customer will never venture in here to see it)
I suppose I could but think it would cause more trouble than it’s worth. It is only one person who has now started to “get to me” after a few months of niggles. . I’ve had a couple of real spammers, people adding adverts but I just delete and then block those.
I have never hid a comment as I’m worried she’d know. Haha but if she won’t, then I feel a bit better about it.
Thanks- that’s helpful!
I hope your problem calms itself. I always find myself re-reading things I write when leaving a comment and sometimes I don’t bother submitting it at all when I’ve read it back and thought ‘no- they may not appreciate that!’ Haha
Thanks folks! Hehe it’s a bit cheeky and I’m certainly not going to make a habit of it- but Gran may have to have her comment hidden every now and then. Haha
@JOYSofGLASS I have a feeling that your customer may be ill. As someone who works as an advocate for people with learning difficulties and mental health issues, I can tell you that it closely mimics some of my clients.
I think the kindest thing to do is give her the number for Mind - 0300 123 3393 or text 86463.
I realise this may be very difficult for you to do but it would probably be this or send her a message with this information listed and then block.
Thanks Leslie, I suspect you are right but I think she might be insulted if I suggest it so I’ll just continue to hide until the next unacceptable post and then I’ll block.
It’s a terrible situation. I had to block an acquaintance because he was posting very of odd and personal comments on my business page. It had to be done but I wasn’t happy about doing it.
not great!! But as it’s my gran I don’t feel right blocking her- though to be honest we don’t get on that well (though I think she thinks we do) I certainly don’t want to block her as after all it’s her opinion but as she’s my gran I think she should exercise a little more tact and realise it’s my business page, everyone can see what she writes and if she wants to be supportive that’s not really the way I’d like her to do it! Haha