BLOG – 35 YEARS AGO BLOG 18

Glass Creations is no different from any other business in that it relies on customers, good bad or indifferent! There is no such thing as a bad customer just a customer that doesn’t understand the requirements of dealing with me! The best customers are the ones that return repeatedly to support me through buying my glass creations. Having said that I have known many visitors to my studio over the years that have never bought anything, but they have spent time watching me work and shown their appreciation which I value. I don’t mind people not buying anything, its not the end of the world. Just don’t mess around with my feelings! I don’t have a list of people who I wouldn’t do business again with, but I do remember who owes me money for work that I have done. Grrrrrrrr! I also have a collection of repairs that people have forgotten to collect.

Glass Creations celebrated its 1000th customer who was Anne Adam by presenting her with a glass candelabra. I don’t make these items now (although I could if I wanted to), so the gift is even more valuable now. I have always learnt the value of good publicity so when we realised Anne was going to be our special customer, I contacted the local press to get a story published. No one audited us to see if Anne really was our 1000th customer as she may have been our 999th!

I have welcomed several groups to my studio over the last thirty-five years and one of the first was Reay Beaver Scouts with their leader at the time Jean Dewar. Appropriate now as I am one of the leaders at Reay as well as with 2nd Thurso Beavers. This group enjoyed a visit recently to have a go glassblowing and to see how a glass beaver is made. Nothing really has changed in that time except their uniform. I am still using the same tools and equipment. The studio is less tidy, and the showroom area has a strong concrete floor.