This happened last Sunday,
and it has taken me this long to cool off enough
not to use foul language while telling you this story.
I was given a design lead from a salesperson at work.
Anyway, it was arranged {without my meeting them}
that I go to the 'new home' on Saturday.
The new home owner is a 'snow-bird' and will only be living here about 5 months a year.
But it is crunch time right now for the snow bird
and their new nest.
If they want to have any furniture to use this winter in Florida
before it is time to pack up again and drive back to 'JERSEY', or where ever else they come from,
they must BUY and or ORDER NOW!
I get to the house and it is a group of women
and one weird man.
I still don't know what his role was.
But the woman were all excited.....
Of course they are bombarding me with design questions-
(which I do not answer)
and the woman who is the home owner
is telling me how she wants these
'over the top'....
dripping with fringe, beads, and crystal
window treatments.
I go back to the showroom and into my office
where I do the floor plans and window plans.
No materials of course,
because the home owner {Jackie}
wants to pick fabrics with me on Sunday
{the next day - kinda' have to drop everything for a snow bird's schedule}
for these fabulous draperies.
Okay, let's time travel back to last Sunday around 3PM
Here they come.
Jackie and her Jersey Girls.
I swear, this is what I have to deal with.
Not all the time.
But, most of the time.
They ALL come back to my office
and the fabric area
to show me pictures of the type of trims
and drapery styles
that Jackie is interested in.
And then....
'Jersey Jackie' asked me for
the floor plans to the dining room.
I asked her why would she need the floor plans,
we haven't even walked the floor to look at
dining rooms.
She said:
"Oh, I just need to know the size of the room
to make sure that the dining room I just bought will fit"
I said:
" I am sorry, the floor plans are property of the company"
and then
one of them said to me:
"I don't understand.....you are getting the window treatments!!"
I tried to explain that our service was free to buying customers only.
And that this was a strictly enforced company policy-
No floor plans are given to anyone
until the plans are given for the furniture placement
of the furniture purchased here.
Then.....
this one says:
"I can't believe you won't give her the plans!!"
"You are getting the window treatments"
It was getting weird and rude.
I asked Jackie:
"if you don't mind.....where did you buy your
dining room furniture?"
"and did you buy anything else?"
She said:
"I got everything at ASHLEY FURNITURE and CITY FURNITURE"
Again.....this one says to me:
"I don't get why you won't give Jackie the measurements"
"Why did you come out and take the measurements?"
I said:
"I have already told you why I will not give you the plans"
"If I am terminated for giving you the measurements....
can you immediately get me a job
in a design firm?"
Finally-
that put the
"why won't you give her the plans?" to rest.
They wanted me to pick fabrics anyway.
I refused.
I told her that I have to match the drapery fabric to the new furniture's fabrics.
I then said:
"I am certain that ASHLEY OR CITY FURNITURE do not have fabric samples.
*China container shipments don't normally include samples.
You could see them seething......
Inside, so was I.
These broads were totally rude and creepy
I told her that she needed to go back to the furniture store,
and use a paint fan to match colors to the fabric
so that we would be able to pull the drapery fabrics based on the paint colors.
I walked them to the door and said my good byes.
They said they would see me the next day
with the paint colors so that we could pick drapery fabrics...
They never showed.
They never called.
They never will.
They just wanted to shop me.
Imagine-
They want me to
pull a design together,drawings,
and get estimates from my workroom, etc etc .
Now, not only are they using me,
but it will trickle down to every person that I involve.
These women could care less who is trying to make a living.
As far as I am concerned
this behavior is the same as pick pocketing.
In my family, this would never be condoned.
Is it a sense of self entitlement?
What is it?
It always blows my mind
that people can behave so badly.
In spite of all of this
I had a very productive week.
XXX's
Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG..... Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Ft.Lauderdale,Design Service, Window Treatments, TurnKey Interior Design Service,Paint selection, Floor-Plans,Online Interior Design,jersey girls, pick pocketing, floor plans, free design service
