It ain't what you do, it's the way you don't do it

[Rapscallion]

One of our suppliers of baked goods is someone we've traded with for some decades. We're talking in terms of us having been one of the few people who stood by them during the dark days when they nearly closed some time past.

They've not been a reliable supplier for some time, but the last three years have been worse than usual. Christmas puddings? No sign until the start of December. Same for mince pies. Many and justified were the complaints from the retailers we supplied.

We were finally told we could collect some goods from their factory about three weeks back. Proudly emblazoned on the side of their premises was a large banner from a national supermarket chain proclaiming them to be their supplier of the year.

Our new catalogue drops heavy hints as to who they are. We're scathing.

Yes, a new supplier is being actively sought.

Rapscallion

[teh_blumchenkinder]

Gah. I wonder what happened to put them in the poo-pile?

[Rapscallion]

Bigger contract for more volume at lower profits elsewhere. We carried them when they were needing it, and now they're crapping on us since they've 'made it'. They're one of the cheapest suppliers around, but that doesn't mean anything when the goods aren't arriving.

Rapscallion

[cinema guy]

They don't have capacity to fulfill all their orderes, so they are going all out to supply the big customer. The little guy gets left till last. Sometimes there is no capacity for little guy's orders at all.

I've worked for a company like that. We made and fitted windows for buliding firms and local councils. We made hundreds of windows a week for these guys and had our own teams of fitters who we would have to keep busy. We also had trade customers who bought a handful of windows every week. The trade customers' windows often got left till last. They would be ringing up every day, and I would have to tell them 'tomorrow'.