How to Tell a Customer Their Taxidermy Mount is Delayed

By MountChief Editorial Team|Updated Mar 2026

Proactive delay communication before a customer calls reduces anger by 80%. Read that again, because it's the most important thing in this guide.

The customer who calls you asking where their mount is (already frustrated, already imagining the worst) is a completely different conversation from the customer who gets a heads-up text from you two weeks before their expected pickup date saying you hit a tannery delay and want to update them on the new timeline.

One customer feels respected. The other feels ignored. Same delay, completely different relationship outcome.

Shops that communicate delays proactively retain 90% of customers who experience delays. That's not a sales pitch, it's the practical reality of how people respond to honest, early communication vs. silence followed by excuses.

Here's exactly how to do it.

TL;DR

As soon as you know the delay will push past the customer's expected date, contact them, ideally 2-3 weeks before that date arrives.
Shops that communicate delays proactively retain 90% of customers who experience delays.
For most customers, a phone call for a significant delay (more than 4 weeks) shows more respect than a text.
"Hi [name], just wanted to give you a heads-up on your mount (the tannery is running about 2 weeks behind, so your new estimated completion is [date] instead of [original date].
If a customer specifically asks about it, or if the delay is substantial (more than 6-8 weeks past the original date), a reasonable goodwill gesture, a small discount, free delivery, can preserve the relationship.
Step 1: Know the Delay Is Coming Before Your Customer Does

Step 1: Know the Delay Is Coming Before Your Customer Does

Build Tannery Tracking Into Your System

Most delays come from the tannery. You can't communicate a delay you don't know about yet. If you're tracking tannery shipments (expected return dates, actual return dates) you'll know when a batch is running long before any customer asks.

Log every shipment with an expected return date. Check that log weekly. When an expected return date passes without the hides coming back, call your tannery contact before it's a crisis.

Set a Communication Trigger

Decide in advance: you'll proactively contact any customer whose estimated completion date is shifting by more than two weeks. That's your trigger. Not "when I get around to it" or "when the customer asks": when the delay exceeds your threshold.

This decision made in advance keeps you proactive instead of reactive.

Step 2: Contact the Customer First. Don't Wait for Them to Call

When to Reach Out

Contact the customer as soon as you know the delay will push past their expected date. Two or three weeks before the original completion date is ideal. It gives them time to adjust plans without feeling like you're scrambling.

Never let the completion date pass without communicating. A customer who expected their mount in December and hears nothing until January is already angry before you say a word.

What Channel to Use

For most customers, a phone call for a significant delay (more than 4 weeks) shows more respect than a text. For shorter delays where the customer seems low-maintenance, a text or email is fine.

Use whatever channel the customer gave you as their preferred contact method at intake. Don't call someone who gave you only an email.

Step 3: What to Actually Say

The Delay Notification Script (Phone Call)

"Hi [customer name], this is [your name] at [shop name]. I'm calling because I wanted to give you an update on your mount before the holidays: I didn't want you to be waiting for a call that wasn't coming yet.

I got behind at the tannery, they're running about three weeks later than I expected, which is outside my control but absolutely affects your timeline. Your original estimate was [date], and I'm now looking at [new date].

I wanted to call you directly because you deserve to know now, not when you're expecting to pick it up. The work itself is going great. I just don't have your hide back yet. Any questions?"

What This Script Does Right

Names the cause immediately: "I got behind at the tannery." You're honest and specific, not vague.
Takes ownership: "outside my control but absolutely affects your timeline." You're not making excuses, you're being straight.
Gives a new specific date: Not "a few more weeks." A real new date.
Validates their time: "You deserve to know now, not when you're expecting to pick it up."
Ends with an invitation to ask questions: Keeps communication open.

The Text Version for Shorter Delays

"Hi [name], just wanted to give you a heads-up on your mount (the tannery is running about 2 weeks behind, so your new estimated completion is [date] instead of [original date]. Everything is on track otherwise, just waiting on hides. Let me know if you have any questions.) [Your name], [Shop name]"

Step 4: Handle the Response

If the Customer Is Upset

Let them be upset for a moment. Don't interrupt with explanations. Say: "I hear you, and I understand why that's frustrating. That's exactly why I wanted to call you now rather than have you waiting."

Then give them options if you have any: "If you need it by a specific date for any reason, tell me what you're working with and I'll see what I can do."

Most customers who are upset at the news will calm down when they realize you called before they had to ask, you have a specific new date, and you're not dismissing their frustration.

If the Customer Asks for Compensation

This comes up. Have a policy. Reasonable options:

A small discount off the final balance for significant delays
Free delivery/shipping of the finished mount
A priority position in your queue

You don't need to offer anything automatically. But if a customer asks and the delay is substantial, a gesture of goodwill often saves the relationship. And a $50 discount is worth a lot less than a lost customer and a bad review.

Step 5: Update Their Portal Status

After every delay communication, update the customer's portal status to reflect the new expected completion date. This way, if they check status online, the information they see matches what you told them.

If you're using MountChief's customer portal and customer communication templates, portal status updates and automated notifications keep customers informed at every stage. Reducing the frequency of delays that catch anyone off guard.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Waiting too long to communicate: The longer you wait, the angrier the customer will be when they hear. Call before the original date, not after.

Being vague about the new timeline: "A few more weeks" is not a new date. Give a specific date even if it's an estimate. "Looking at [specific date]" is honest and actionable.

Blaming the tannery without taking responsibility: The tannery is your vendor, not the customer's problem. You chose that tannery. Own the delay professionally.

Offering a discount unprompted for every minor delay: Customers don't always expect or need compensation for reasonable delays. Offering it unprompted can actually make the situation feel more serious than it is.

Not following up: If you promised a new date and that date is also at risk, communicate again. One delay update that then goes silent is almost as bad as no communication at all.

FAQ

What should I say when a customer's mount is going to be late?

Call them before they call you. Be specific about the cause (tannery delay, supply issue, etc.), give them a concrete new expected completion date, and make clear that you wanted them to know now rather than waiting. Use natural language. "I wanted to give you a heads-up" rather than formal corporate-speak. The script in this guide works for most situations and can be adapted to your voice.

How early should I communicate a taxidermy delay?

As soon as you know the delay will push past the customer's expected date, contact them, ideally 2-3 weeks before that date arrives. Don't wait until the expected date passes. The customer who gets a proactive call weeks early has a fundamentally different emotional experience than the one who calls asking where their mount is. Earlier is always better.

Should I offer any compensation when a mount is delayed?

Not automatically. See how the customer responds to the news first. Most customers who receive honest, proactive delay communication don't expect compensation, they expected silence and excuses. If a customer specifically asks about it, or if the delay is substantial (more than 6-8 weeks past the original date), a reasonable goodwill gesture, a small discount, free delivery, can preserve the relationship. Build a clear compensation policy into your shop policies so you're not making ad-hoc decisions under pressure.

How does this apply to solo taxidermy shops?

The principles in this guide apply to solo shops just as they do to larger operations, though the scale differs. A single-person shop may have lower absolute volume but faces the same documentation, compliance, and customer communication requirements. The practical advice here scales down to any shop size.

What is the most common mistake taxidermists make with how to tell customer mount delayed?

The most common mistake is treating how to tell customer mount delayed as an afterthought rather than building it into the standard workflow from the start. Shops that encounter problems in this area typically did not establish clear processes before season, which means every situation becomes a one-off decision rather than a standard response.

Try These Free Tools

Put these insights into practice with our free calculators and planners:

Sources

National Taxidermists Association (NTA)
US Fish & Wildlife Service

Delays Are Manageable. Silence Is Not.

Every taxidermist has delays. Tanneries run long. Production takes longer than expected. Life happens. What separates shops with loyal customers from shops with angry reviewers isn't the absence of delays. It's how they handle them.

Call first. Be honest. Give a real new date. Then deliver on it.

Get Started with MountChief

Customer communication is one of the highest-leverage investments a taxidermist can make in their shop's reputation. MountChief's customer portal activates automatically at every intake and keeps hunters informed throughout the 8-14 month process without adding work to your day. Try MountChief to give your customers the transparency they want.