Your recommendation on how to ask person not to ever come back

[AustinEyewear]

How do you folks go about politely asking a person to leave your store and not come back? Person is a pain, and has said her credit card was fraudulent last time we sold her glasses sticking us with the lab bill. Now she has nerve to come back a few years later. She has even admitted other places around the metro won't help her. We don't want to be mean, but she sure is!

[Quince]

We have someone who stole a very nice frame from an optical near us. We sold her lenses for it, unknowingly. Shortly after she was caught and returned the frame. She brought us the lenses and begged us to find a way to fit them to a used frame that she brought in. We did and she still comes back. Because she openly admitted what she had done, she understands why we do not leave her alone in our store. Even still, there is a lack of shame and a pity story thrown our way every time she comes in. I don't think she will ever not come back because we won't refuse servicing her.

In her case, I am torn, because it is very obvious that her life has been rough. I do not have the heart to ignore her.

On the other hand, I also have a mentally unstable woman who likes to come in and yell at whoever is trying to help her. And by yell- I mean scream. You could offer this woman a thousand dollars for her to tell you her favorite color and she would yell at you for making her life difficult.

The best policy with the woman IS to ignore her. I have learned to just not respond and eventually she will leave.

[AngeHamm]

It's called divorcing a patient, and it sucks. I've had previous doctors draft a very polite, but very final letter in the few occasions that this has needed to be done. I really recommend it's the doctor/owner whose name is on the letter, not an office manager or the practice in general. The language should be regretful and respectful, but must leave no doubt that this is not negotiable. And all resulting correspondence must go to the doctor/owner and no one else.

[optical24/7]

With this particular patient I'd inform her she has an outstanding balance. ( Full retail of previous lab bill) And past due bills must be paid in cash prior to any new orders. And a non-refundable 100% payment for any new order.


But if that doesn't work, try these I've used successfully:

" I'm going to decline the opportunity to disappoint you again".

" Get out!

With S&W in hand... " Get the hell out!!! ".

[uncut]

How do you folks go about politely asking a person to leave your store and not come back? Person is a pain, and has said her credit card was fraudulent last time we sold her glasses sticking us with the lab bill. Now she has nerve to come back a few years later. She has even admitted other places around the metro won't help her. We don't want to be mean, but she sure is!

I usually express sympathy towards their unique difficulties...............and recommend/refer to "expert assistance" that will surely be able to grant all her optical wishes.

Gooogle OPtical.

[Diane]

This person may still need assistance, but they are not credit worthy. Therefore, I would remind the patient that they still owe for previous orders since their credit card was deemed fraudulent and their bill is unpaid. Then I would require that all previous balances be paid in full with cash only before accepting any new order. Then when that was done, I would then inform the patient that in order to accept any new orders, I would require payment in full with cash and that all orders are deemed non-refundable.

Diane

[optical24/7]

This person may still need assistance, but they are not credit worthy. Therefore, I would remind the patient that they still owe for previous orders since their credit card was deemed fraudulent and their bill is unpaid. Then I would require that all previous balances be paid in full with cash only before accepting any new order. Then when that was done, I would then inform the patient that in order to accept any new orders, I would require payment in full with cash and that all orders are deemed non-refundable.

Diane

Great minds think alike! ��

[Robert Martellaro]

I have one of these on my door.

[Pete Hanlin]

The most imaginative way of "firing" a patient was a doc who had a "prescription pad" that was a pad of black and white maps from the office to the local Walmart. When it was necessary to let the patient go, the doc would pull a sheet and "prescribe" that the patient follow the directions to a facility that might be better able to meet his/her needs.

Actually, I know a lot of great opticians who work at Walmart- but I always thought this approach was funny as all get out!