Exasperated

I am completely exasperated.

I visited a customers home two weeks ago to discuss designing them a new kitchen, this customer was a recommendation so they knew what we had to offer and were assured of a good price and excellent service.

I took all the required measurements, discussed ideas of what I could design into the kitchen and left it with the client to come in to the studio to finalise a door so that I could give a firm quotation.

The customer came in when she said she would and had a look at different door styles (obviously they are all different price groups and some kitchens offer different features than others) After meeting with them they went away not completely decided on which door to choose, I had already sketched out a design on paper but had not priced anything. The last conversation we had was that they would call me on Monday to tell me which door to price.

Today is Wednesday so I made a courtesy call to see if they had decided on which door they had chosen so I could finalise the quotation, this is were I was totally EXASPERATED, the client dually informed me that they had been to **** kitchens (in case you cannot work out who **** kitchens are their namesake designed St Pauls Cathedral). The client informed me that "they had done them a great deal and that they were cheaper than us". I politely informed the customer that we had not yet given them a quote so how do they know that **** kitchens are cheaper than us, they then went on to explain that **** kitchens had told them ".that because they make the kitchens themselves they can cut out the middle man and provide it cheaper than anybody else". So I left it with them and decided to cost up the both doors that the customer could not decide on. About an hour later I rang them explaining that I was a little taken back by what they had told me and that I had worked out a cost based on what we had discussed at their home, I did not ask what **** kitchens had quoted I just told them what my cost was and hey presto we where £75 cheaper and not only that our cabinets are definitely of a higher specification, I also informed them that **** kitchens did have an installation service, " I know" they replied "we would have to sort that out ourselves".

Any way the result is the client is now coming in to see me on Friday.

This goes back to my blog yesterday about the 50% off culture and people being misled.

Fume over

Thanks Russell