Overheard a landscaper in Boise talk about a client who wanted a 'natural meadow' in two days

I was grabbing coffee this morning and the guy at the next table was on the phone, clearly stressed. He was telling someone, 'She wants a full wildflower meadow installed by Friday, but the seed alone takes weeks to germinate!' It made me think about how often people just don't get the basics of what they're asking for. Has anyone else had a client who wanted the impossible, like a finished product with no time for the actual process?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamiesullivan5h ago

Had a client demand a fresh coat of paint in a room they were still moving furniture into. Told them straight up the walls need to be empty to do it right, and the paint needs a full day to cure before anything touches it. Showed them a picture of what happens when you rush it, paint peeling off from furniture scuffs. They pushed back at first but got it once they saw the damage photos. Sometimes you just have to show them the real world result of rushing.

robin8966h ago

Read an article about a baker who got asked for a fully decorated wedding cake with two days notice. The customer didn't get that the fondant needs time to set, the layers need to cool, and the whole thing can't be rushed. It's the same idea, they just see the pretty photo on Pinterest. People don't realize most good things need actual time to happen, you can't just skip to the end.

emma_jones7h ago

My buddy does custom woodwork. A client once asked for a "hand carved, rustic dining table" but needed it delivered in three days. He had to explain that the wood alone needs to dry for way longer than that, let alone the carving. Some people just see the end picture, not the steps.