How Not To Be in Business

"Henry Hefner" wrote in message
...
I agree, Bob, that's the way it's supposed to work, and the way it
USUALLY does work. You either get best price, or best service. But
sometimes you get neither one. Nothing sets me off quicker than a high
priced store with poor service. I like going to the small shop and
getting personal service. I like knowing that the owner knows me, and if
I have a problem, he will help because he knows how much I spend in his
store. But one time I went into a family operation that was packed
because the weather had just gotten nice, and people were in long lines
"waiting" patiently to be "waited on". The phone started ringing, and I
guess that was the straw that broke the camel's back. The owner came
unglued, threw his hands in the air, and shouted, yes shouted: "Where
were all you people last month when I was starving?!!" We all looked at
him and each other, waiting for him to start laughing or something, and
we realized he was serious! My brother-in-law and I turned around and
walked out. I looked back and saw a few others leaving also. That was
about 12 years ago, and I have never been back. As there is nothing else
down that road to draw me, I couldn't even tell you if he is still in
business.

I can understand your irritation. Crummy service and bad attitude will
cause me to leave a shop as well. I usually don't write somebody off after
one blow up or problem though. A local marine shop will never get any more
of my business because of poor sttitude, but the owner ****ed me off on
three different occassions before I wrote him off. I figured with three
problems in a row he really wasn't interested in my business. He wasn't
just having a rough day.

Also, people change over time. As a small contractor I can understand the
frustration of the shop owner as well. I have been in business my whole
life, and those slow times can be very difficult as you watch your reserve
dwindle away to nothing just to keep the doors open. It can be just as
tough when its busy. You simply can't handle it. As a contractor I raise
my prices when I get too busy. As a small retail shop owner he doesn't have
that option. His prices are already higher on many things. They are
already at what the market can bear. He just has to plug on. He also may
not have the patience that you have or the ability deal with the stress. We
each have the our strong points, and his may not be working with a lot of
people at once, answering the phone, figuring out how he will get money to
his creditors so he can get merchandise back on the shelves, and worrying
about whatever is going on at home all at the same time. I have
distributors I won't buy from becasue of bad service as well, but each one
was becasue they were repeatedly bad. Not because one person had a rough
day.

His outburst was not very professional, but as they say until you walk a
mile in his moccasins...

Choosing to not do business with that shop is a valid option. I respect
your decision. I prefer not to buy at WalMart if the local shops have what
I need because Wally World has some of the worst customer service in my
area, and management is unresponsive to complaints.

In my case that local shop owner would be somebody I know, and if I saw that
happen I would mention it to him on a personal level at a later time. Maybe
at a fishing club meeting or I might stop by his office. I wouldn't expect
a positive response. After all I would be saying something negative to
them, but hopefully I would be able to walk in and speak deal with them on
equal terms in the future even if from different perspectives.

I'ld say try that shop again. If the opportunity arises discuss your
irritation. If you have another bad experience never go back.

Yuma is a small city, and over time you get to know who all the business
people are. I hate to see a business suffer. Even guys I may not like.


--
Bob La Londe
Yuma, Az
http://www.YumaBassMan.com
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