There is no reason to spend your time and gas going to see someone who cannot be helped. We have all had people who need help. Some even need extra help. There are a handful who need so much help that they can't even explain to you what they need. These are not the people I am talking about.
In order to be successful you need to be able to make sales. It doesn't matter if you are on commission or not. Even a salaried salesperson can't spend all day every day collecting pay and bring no money into the company they work for. So what do you need in order to make a sale?
1. You need to know the general nature of the work. If someone is calling you out for a service that you don't provide, you can't go. I know it seems obvious, but sometimes someone will ask for something like a sound baffle, and when you say that you don't do that they will say "come anyway". This request is usually justified with a vague assurance that they may be open to other option. Don't do it. They want a sound baffle, even if you convince them to take velvet curtains once the job is done they won't be happy.
2. You need to know if they have something specific and unobtainable in mind. Example: I saw this discontinued fabric 5 years ago, please come out and help me, nobody else says they have it. Much like the above, if you can't fulfill their order, don't go. This is not someone who is saying I want something like this. They want that EXACT item. You can't get it, and unless they can afford to have it replicated, offer to keep them in mind should you ever come across it.
3. You need to make sure that the items are not needed in a time frame that cannot be met. I have gotten calls the Monday before Easter for custom slipcovers that need to be completed by Sunday. If the workroom cannot do it, there is no reason to meet. You can offer to have them ready for a later date, but make sure you are VERY explicit and they acknowledge your alternate date as acceptable. I spent a very long day once driving out to a customer who as soon as I crossed the threshold said, my window treatments will be ready in a week right? I reminded her that I explained this was impossible, and she gave me the "well since you drove all the way out here...if they can't be done by then you might as well turn around and leave now."
4. Lastly you need to make sure that the decision makers are going to be present. If daughter makes "all the decisions", but Mom has final say on fabric...and Dad has final say on budget...then you can't possibly complete a sale without meeting with both of them too. If you are paid an hourly fee you could take multiple trips, but it is just better for all involved if you can schedule a time when everyone is available.
I will leave you with a bit from my side of the desk. I had a coworker once who I found out was running their own side business (in this industry it seems like every coworker is), when confronted about it she explained that she told the bosses how much she needed to earn, and when she didn't get that much it was on them, it's not like she didn't tell them in advance how much she needed. I will skip the lecture on what is wrong with that and just say; some clients operate under the same logic. They will not feel even slightly bad if you waste time and gas since they TOLD you initially, no matter what they agreed to part way though that they needed a SERVICE you don't offer, MERCHANDISE you can't obtain, a TIMEFRAME that you cannot meet, or a PARTY you need consent from is not present. And if you don't even ask the questions in advance, shame on you.
