As some of you may know, I own a industrial equipment company. Yeah, I realize this sounds all exciting and shit, but the downside is dealing with people who are, or can be, complete fucking jackoffs!
Case in point; We sold some equipment to a Mechanical Contractor here, one of the largest in our area. They ordered this equipment about a month ago. It was a 'special order' for us, something we never sell, much less keep in stock.
Yesterday we get a phone call from them, sayin they want to return it. They said we sold this exact equipment to the company they were selling it to and since their customer decided to buy from us, they didn't need it.
Ok, there's a couple of problems here. First, who the fuck orders any equipment BEFORE they get a Purchase Order from the customer? Do you just buy shit 'hoping' you're going to get an order? The answer to that is a resounding 'Fuck No'! This is 'Basic Business 101'.
The second problem is that the manufacturer we bought from won't take it back as it was a 'special build' for them. I don't blame them, they take the shit back only to have it it in their inventory forfuckingever. Yeah, in these economic times, just what you want, inventory that you won't sell as well as useless inventory you have to pay taxes on.
My inside sales guy explains this to the Contractor Girl yesterday. I heard him, he was very nice to her and explained it exactly as I would have. We're sorry about it, but what the fuck are we supposed to do? We can't let them return it, then we'd have this 'one-of-a-kind' thing here, already out the money we paid for it. Even with a 50% restocking charge (which they wouldn't agree to anyhow), we'd still be out alot of money.
This morning, the VP of this company calls me. He starts out all nice and shit. Telling me he was told to order it by his/our customer but when they went to install it they found it had already been replaced...........by us. So, he wants to return it since we "went around him and sold to the other company".
Ok, this is bullshit. we didn't go around any fuckin body and these fuckin Contractors are the biggest whores in the world. They'll work you to death having you do half of their fucking work, making the correct recommendations, supplying them with all kinds of blueprints, etc etc etc, then turn around and buy the shit from another company who hasn't done one fucking thing, because they were 5% cheaper!
I let his snide remark slide and tell him that we tried to return it but the manufacturer wouldn't take it back. Thats all I had time to say.....then this fuck went off on me.
Fuck: What the fuck you mean, you won't take it back? If you want a fuckin war with us you have no idea what the fuck you're getting into. Did you get a permit to install it?? I'm going to call the County right now and if you didn't get a permit I'll see to it that they fine your fucking ass off!
Me: Uh....can you calm down?
Fuck: Do you hear what the fuck I'm tellin you?
Me: (Starting to feel my blood pressure going through the roof on that one)
Me: If you'd calm down we could discuss it.
Fuck: Don't fuckin tell me what to do!
Me: I don't think we're going to get anywhere until you cool it down.
Fuck: -click-
Ok, that fuckin pissed me off more than anything. If you want me to go totally fuckin nuts, hang up on me. He did, and I was.
I thought about calling him right back but I knew it would only end up in a 'Fuck You' , 'No, Fuck You' kinda thing. I'm waaay too mature for that.............Ok, I'm not and honestly, I sorta live for shit like that, BUT....this company does spend alot of money with us and all it takes is for one jackoff in charge to put a stop to that.
I checked, we did sell to the other company but we haven't installed yet so this fuck doesn't have his ducks in a row. I'm pretty sure he's the one who gave the go-ahead to order the equipment and now he's trying to cover his ass. Frankly, if he would just own up to his fuck-up, I'd try to work something out, but I know thats not gonna happen.
My dilemma is what to do now? Stick to my guns and run a high risk of this guy making sure they don't do business with us any longer OR, take the shit back and eat all kinds of dollars?
Either way, I'm afraid I'm fucked.
7 comments:
Are you sure that you would continue to get as much business from "Fuck" as you have in the past, after he knows he's embarrassed himself? That's a tough one. I'd try the 50% restocking thing again first...it's a fair compromise.
Geez, I'm all business-like and shit. ;)
I'm not sure what I'd do, but I'm pretty stubborn, so I'd probably stick to my guns. Of course, that might not be the logical solution to this situation. Sometimes, I let my bullheadedness get in the way of logic. I'm a Taurus, I can't help it. :::shrugs:::
Hmmmm.... just thinking that if you decide to offer the 50% restocking fee option you should call for the President of the company. Maybe you can bring this situation to his attention and at the same time be the reasonable guy with a compromise and at the same time showing Mr VP off as a hothead that wouldn't talk enough to even save his campany 50% of the money.
the girl: Uh...does Boomer have a 'flat rate'? ;)
Elle & Ron: yeah...I thought about that too. There have been other instances where the customer is pissed about something, then I give in to him, then his business disappears anyhow.
Still trying to decide.
ETW: I know, I can be pretty stubborn (yeah, a shocker ;). If the guy woulda just been nice maybe I could have helped him. Now, I'm not so sure I'm inclined.
Kitch: Hmmm.....good point! Uh..I 'know' a guy..... ')
Fucknuts? really? Welcome to my fucking world EVERY SINGLE DAY. It fucking sucks, too.
I get in the same situation, kinda, from time to time, too. Clients, who may give me a couple of accounts every month, will call and want to me to go to some Podunk town in the middle of fucking nowhere for almost nothing. The smaller banks will send out Billy Bob and Bobby Ray (couple of loan officers who'd really piss their pants if they had to deal with a quarter of the shit that my agents have to deal with on a daily basis) to reposses the collateral if the address is very close or if it's an elderly couple or someone who just doesn't pose a threat. They want to send us to everyone else. They save $. What they don't realize is, if Bobby Ray is on the phone with his hillbilly baby-momma, Tammy Sue, arguing over what size double-wide trailer they are gonna put on her momma's property, or whatever...and not paying attention to what he is upposed to be doing and runs over someone or if they breach the peace or if they get into a wrongful repossession lawsuit, they are not bonded and insured for that sort of thing. Then, they have the nerve to bitch over cost? Fucking pisses me off. Have I gone to those places? Yes. Have my agents moaned and groaned about it? Yes. Have I had to pay them a little extra to go to those places and not get to charge the client for it? Yes. What you have to remember is.... Billy Bob might have dinner with the president of another bank and might put in a good word for us by saying that "They will work any acct; no matter the distance." I am not working forfree. I have to compromise sometimes. Give it until tomorrow for fuckface to calm down. Try to call him again. If you can't resolve the issue without the guy goin all "Jack Bauer" on you again. You can say you tried. Bottom line... you have your integrity.
Sorry, that was long!
He loves me so much he'd do it for free, probably even throw in travel expenses at a discounted rate.
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