Getting customer approval
Over the years, there have been many times where I’ve needed to come up with a quick fix for one thing or another. A flaw in the wood, a less…
Over the years, there have been many times where I’ve needed to come up with a quick fix for one thing or another.
A flaw in the wood, a less than perfect fit, a sizing error, a finish that wasn’t up to par, for example. Sometimes, it was better to do the work over. But, more often than not, time and budget constraints simply do not allow this and we have to think of some way to correct the problem.
The one thing I can say with certainty is that the customer will notice the flaw. A million people can look at it and never see anything wrong but the one person who will see it is the one who is paying for the job. So the idea of just letting it slip by is not workable. For this reason, I always tried to get my customers to visit the shop and approve the work before it was delivered.
Even if you are completely satisfied with the work, the customer may take issue with something that you either failed to notice yourself or that is not really a flaw but something that simply bothers them. But that is a subject for another day.
D.D.
David DeCristoforo possesses an extensive resume as designer/maker of fine furniture, high-end cabinetry and architectural woodwork. His experience in professional woodworking spans a period of 35 years. For the past 20 years David DeCristoforo Design has been located in Woodland, California. During this time David's shop has ranged in scope from a "full on" cabinet production shop with as many as 15 employees to a small fine furniture and custom millwork shop, working with his son, David RBJ, a highly skilled maker in his own right.
