Thursday, February 9, 2012

Customer Don'ts: Privacy Goes Both Ways

As many of you know, I have been writing a series of articles called "marketing tidbits" designed to help small business owners, artists and others in the DIY community avoid the pitfalls of poor customer service.  However, with each article there has been something nagging at the back of my mind - namely, the responsibilities customers have in each of these situations.  Initially, you might think a customer's only requirement is to pay for the item ordered, but I would argue that each customer is almost, if not as responsible, for the relationship as the artist/shop owner is.  


Let's start here, because this may be the most important "don't" that I ever write:

We all know it is unacceptable for shop owners to share the personal contact information of their clients.  I would never provide e-mails, phone numbers or addresses of my clients to another shop owner.  I don't even use the information from my customers' invoices to create a mailing list - I find that rude.

However, one of my good friends and  a popular diaper bag/overnight tote/purse designer, Brooke of Brooke Van Gory Designs, told me today that one of her customers (unnamed) distributed Brooke's home address to several of her friends, none of whom Brooke knows.  Apparently this customer volunteered the address so her friends could mail in orders, thus circumventing Brooke's online ordering system.

I was just short of horrified.
We're not talking about the published business address of a large corporation here, but the home of a woman who runs a small business while caring for her two children.  Just because Brooke is a business owner, she has not given up her right to keep her home address relatively private.

Once you get past the terribly invasive act of distributing someone else's home address, there is another "customer don't."  Brooke has an online shop for a reason.  She keeps her inventory there and tracks her sales and projects.  Anyone who wants a bag from her is always directed to her shop (and the turnaround time is currently 6 weeks).  None of these women had any reason to expect it was OK for them to circumvent the BVG ordering process, least of all the original customer who suggested it without first checking with the business owner.

Never think that small business owners are so desperate for your order that they will let you run rough shod over them.  Some may, but the best ones never will.


Read all "Customer Don'ts."

11 comments:

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    1. Yes, it is. Stories like this make me want to get a P.O. box. Though in reality, I believe I am relatively safe with my dog (early warning system), neighbors (we look after one another), locks and pepper spray. I think the *feeling* of being violated is actually worse than any actual possibility of danger. It's like getting your car broken into.

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  2. Hi there. A friend directed me to your blog post, and I hope you don't mind me tweeting about it, because it's just that awesome and everyone should read it.

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    1. Not at all! Thanks for the Tweet!! I'm just sorry this post had a reason to be written at all!

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  3. Wow. I was a retail store manager for 17 years and this takes the cake. Just because you know her address does not mean you are BFF's.

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  4. It seriously boggles the mind how we can simply think it's fine to share someone else's address without asking first... and in this case, even more since Brooke already has a way to contact her and set up the orders.

    What would the customer think if it was the other way around? Brooke sharing her address with other sellers? I'm pretty sure she wouldn't like it and claim and invasion & breach of her rights...

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    1. Precisely. As individual sellers or buyers, we shouldn't be afraid to provide the information needed for orders. MOST people know better than to give out contact information that isn't published, but some people just don't have the common sense of a slug. It's sad, but true.

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  5. It has become very obvious to me that I need a dog.

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  6. Hey glad I came across this post. I'm expanding to different marketplaces and considering selling an indie book from home as well and it's something that has got me worried. With all these profiles connected it makes it so easy to find personal info nowadays and to worry bout customers giving out info too is just crazy.

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