It's your shop, your business and you should set the rules. Customers today expect things instantly due to what they see on TV. I have at least a six month lead time for a customer to get their work done. It sometimes takes me over a week just to write up an estimate depending on the amount of research I have to do to locate and price materials for their project.

Unless you have several employees that can handle the workload, your customer should me patient and respect you for what you are doing for him.
I also have this sign in my shop for customers that are a little anxious about their project.

Have dealt with my fair share. I just had a customer last week back up to one of the bays with two seats to repair. With a shop full, he tried to haggle with me on time and cost. I explain that I have other customers who have called and scheduled their time which allows me to take the time and attention the work requires. It usually works out but I still get a few that want to leave it with me any way. So long as I don't get the customer who thinks he\she is God's gift to mankind, I usually let them know when I can schedule them and it usually works out. You can always hit them with storage fees if they're too pushy.

I always tell them it will take twice as long to do then I plan on. If I think I can do it in a month I tell them 2 months. This way when I call them in a month they feel special. Wow that was quicker than I thought. The ones who want it yesterday are always the ones who when you call to tell them it is done, say I will try and pick it up in a week or two.

"The ones who want it yesterday are always the ones who when you call to tell them it is done, say I will try and pick it up in a week or two."

Haha, ain't that the truth! :D

The way I see it, not all customers are worth the headache. The ones who start off as pains in the ass, will stay that way throughout the entire process. Unless you're willing to put up with it, tell them to go somewhere else.

Looked at this guy's Jeep seats about 3 months ago. Last I heard of that until he showed up on Tuesday afternoon.
"Remember my project?" "Well...sort of, but not really. I look at seats everyday. Remind me."
PIcks his materials. That took 2 hours! Just some black & white vinyl for a couple of CJ-5 seats. Ordered that Wednesday AM. Material's in Winnepeg. Won't be here till Tuesday AM..
Phones Thursday & wants to know if they're done. WTF???
I told him that I do not carry stock before I took his deposit. All project materials are special ordered.
He wanted to pick the seats up today!!! Now, he's bummed out. Tried turning it around so that this is my fault, via a pouty little whine.
Check the attitude, l'il buckaroo. Or...you can pick up the seats, today, as they were dropped off, at the end of the driveway.
I do not care if you want to drive your vehicle this weekend. If you wanted it for now, should of dropped the deposit back then when I looked at them 3 months ago. Up until I get that deposit, it's all just talk. And talk is cheap.
I am only 1 guy. I can only do so much. I have other projects that I'm working on, which were booked in way ahead of your's. Months before!
I am NOT dropping & stopping work on their's to to put your's in front of them.
Que up like everyone else.
How would you feel if the tables were turned?
A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.

Thank you everyone...I did get the pain out of my shop...happy to report he paid me an extra 30 bucks. I will print the Fred posted. I had one guy tell me he was gonna sue me cause I was taking to long to do his searay. I just said "Sue me for what? Going to slow!? Then tried to get out of his 1600 dollar balance saying my work didn't look right. Said he was only gonna give me $300. I just laughed and said pay the balance or I can remove my work...let's just say a razor blade went into the vinyl. People want it done for nothing like uh hello my time is valuable. I'm a single mom of four kids this is how I take care of them.

Thank you again for letting me know how you guys deal with pushy customers. I've been doing this for years but just opened my shop a year ago.
I've collected a few boat companies which are the best customers...had a few pains but still here in my little home in the wall shop. ❤

I've never razor bladed a finished project. But I have taken them apart.
Covered a dash for a Pantera. Leather. French stitched everywhere. Hours of work.
Customer says he's not paying. "Too much $$$".
"Wait a minute. You agreed to the final cost. You're signature is on the bottom of the quote agreeing to that."
"Yea... but I've decided that it's only worth 1/2 that."
"Huh? What? YOU decided? How does that work? This is MY shop!"
"Here's 1/2. ...and you should be happy with that."
"Hang on a sec."
Walk back into the shop & mercilessly tear the leather off of it.
Hand the dash back to him
"Here you go. Keep your money. There's the door. See ya."

A signed service order is basically a contract. If a customer agrees to pay a certain amount and then refuses to do so after the job is complete, you don't have to release the vehicle. Call the police, file a complaint and then sue.

Obviously, it's probably not worth it to go to these lengths for little jobs. But definitely for the big ones.

You can strengthen your position by having a very detailed service order -- including (1) full payment is required for release of the vehicle and (2) daily storage costs for anyone who does not pick up their car or pay in full after a job is complete.

There are a lot of jerks out there looking to take advantage of hardworking independent shops. Don't let them get the best of you.