Steem4nigeria Accelerator Contest Week 149 “The Artisan Chronicles”

🌟اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اَللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ🌟

Hope you are all well and enjoying the beautiful moments of your life. Today I want to share my thoughts with you all on an interesting topic. This topic is about the relationship between craftsmen and their customers.

We all must have had the experience of getting work done by a craftsman at some point in our lives. Be it a tailor, a carpenter, a jeweler or any other skilled person, every craftsman prepares something for us with his hard work, time and skill. But sometimes some misunderstandings arise during work.

Through today's questions, I will share one of my experiences and my simple opinion about it with you all. I hope you will like my words and you will also share your experiences in the comments.

Tell us about an experience you have had with an artisan?

Some time ago. I had the opportunity to have an artisan make something according to my needs. At first, I was a little worried. Because I wanted the work to be exactly as I had imagined. The artisan first listened to me carefully, then told me how long the work would take and what materials would be used. During the work, a couple of things were not as expected, so I calmly explained to him. The good thing was that he did not take my words as a bad thing, but tried to improve it on his part. In the end, when the work was completed, I was quite happy, because the manual labor was clearly visible in it. This experience made me realize that the work of an artisan is not only to make something, but also to add his skill and time to it. If there is respect and understanding on both sides, the experience remains good.

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What do you think is the biggest problem between artisans and their customers?

I think the biggest problem between artisans and customers is not understanding each other properly. Many times the customer does not fully explain his needs and the artisan starts working according to his understanding. Later, when the item is ready, the customer feels that it is not what he thought. On the other hand, the artisan also feels that he has done his best but the customer does not appreciate it. Price also becomes an issue, because some customers only see the low price and ignore the artisan's effort, time and materials. I think the price, time, design and other essential things should be clarified before starting the work. This way, misunderstandings on both sides can be reduced and no one will complain later.

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Should a customer pay an artisan the full amount before the work is completed?

I think the customer should not pay the full amount before the work is completed. Especially when the work is being prepared specifically according to his needs. However, if the artisan needs some money in advance to buy the equipment or start the work, then an appropriate advance can be given. This also provides convenience to the artisan and leaves some money for the customer. In case of giving the entire amount in advance, if the work is delayed or the thing is not made as per the customer's expectations, then a problem can arise. On the other hand, it is also important for the artisan to fulfill the customer's promise. In my opinion the best way is to give an appropriate advance at the beginning. Then pay the remaining amount after the work is completed. The customer is satisfied. This also builds trust between the two.

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What can artisans and customers do differently to make their working relationship better?

I think if both the artisan and the customer act with a little understanding and tolerance. Their relationship can be much better. The customer should talk clearly about his needs, preferences, design, quality and budget before the work starts. If there is a picture or sample. It should also be shown to the artisan. On the other hand, the craftsman should also listen carefully to the customer. If something is not possible, he should tell them at the beginning. The price of the work and the time for completion should also be decided in advance so that there is no argument later. If any changes are necessary during the work, both of them should talk to each other and decide. The most important thing is respect. The customer should value the craftsman's hard work and the craftsman should also value the customer's money and time. In this way, trust and a good relationship are maintained.

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Friends, this is my participation. I hope you appreciate it. I look forward to reading your valuable feedback.

I am tagging my friends so they can also enjoy participating in this contest @wilmer1988 , @ngoenyi and @muzack1 , @adeljose , @max-pro.

I just want to say THANK YOU for this beautiful moment that gave me peace and inspiration to write. The little things touch my heart. This remind me how beautiful life is when we truly stop and feel it.

@elsa-queen | Get to know me

Heartfelt Thanks :

@steem4nigeria

Sincerely :

@elsa-queen