Question

You have been working with a client to design an office suite for her cosmetics business. She has been working out of the home and has become successful enough to take her business to the next level. You have ordered some very nice pieces of furniture for her office, which were quite expensive and cannot be returned. However, two pieces are back ordered. You have also completed some of the initial work, and the carpets are down and the walls painted. Of the $30,000 budget, $20,000 is spent. That $20,000 includes the high-end office furniture on order and back order. The remaining $10,000 was to be spent on similar high-end furniture for the reception area. You are in the final stages of these choices when you get the final following message from the client:
Client: I am so sorry, but I just can’t afford to have you finish the job. My largest wholesaler just went out of business and I don’t know what to do. That was my biggest client, so I am not sure if I can afford to expand. I wish you had never talked me into all of that high-end furniture. I have a meeting with the firm that bought out my wholesaler next week. I don’t know how that is going to turn out, but for now I want to return the furniture and get my money back. I am really freaking out here and need you to get me out of this!

Explain how you would respond, and make sure that you include the key steps of identifying the actual problem and active listening in your response. You should also come up with two solutions that you could propose to the client.

Answer 1

Answer:

I’m sorry for all the stress you must be dealing with at the moment. I understand you not wanting to move on with the process. However, two pieces of furniture I did end up ordering for your office are currently on back order. We can either wait until the furniture is ready, or I can cancel that order for you, and give you a refund for those two pieces.