The Painting & Decorating Show

Is the Customer Always Right?

The Painting & Decorating Show

Show Notes

Joel Bardall and Todd Von Joel put the age-old saying to the test and explore what it really means for painters and decorators dealing with customers, complaints and unreasonable expectations.

From handling complaints professionally and deciding when to return to rectify a problem, to dealing with rude clients and recognising when an issue isn’t your fault, Joel and Todd share their own experiences and practical advice from the trade.

More from The Painting & Decorating Show

Oct 13, 2026

oel Bardall and Todd Von Joel are joined by Dan Peacock, founder of Painters Paradise, to get an insider’s perspective on how some decorating merchants operate, how margins and mark-ups work, and why some products are costing decorators more than ever.

Oct 6, 2026

Danny Cable from Pickett & Cable joins Todd Von Joel and Joel Bardall for a chat about his career in Painting & Decorating.

Sep 29, 2026

Todd Von Joel and Joel Bardall are joined by decorator Jason Savage from Novitas Decorators to discuss how he’s adapting his business — from shopping around for materials and finding new work to deciding whether it’s time to put his prices up.

Sep 22, 2026

Joel Bardall and Todd Von Joel look into whether now is the time for tradespeople to make the switch to an electric van.

Sep 15, 2026

Joel Bardall and Todd Von Joel look at the impact of unplanned time off - and how losing days on the tools can quickly mean losing money too. They’re joined by decorators who have experienced unexpected time away from work for different reasons, while Joel shares his own recent experience of unplanned time off and the impact it had on his business.

See all episodes →