One of our main furniture dealers just reached a major milestone - 10,000 consecutive jobs without getting a single one right. Literally every job I do for them is screwed up, sometimes minor, sometimes major, but always something wrong. This time around is no different, I am missing a few bases required to build tables; my best guess is they missed a skid on our shipment.
So of course I apologize and explain things to the customer, and he is understandably pissed, but he wants to know how my company could let this happen. Uh buddy, we have no control over what they ship us, they ship us 10 skids, we count 10 skids, we have to assume that the skids are accurate. Well don't you check the skids. No, we do not; on top of nobody paying for the time to do that, we would have to unpackage all the skids and open every box, then it would all have to be repackaged when we bring it to the site. We fully rely on the supplier to get their shipment correct. Well he doesn't think that is a very good way for us to conduct our business.
Okay, whatever, he was upset, he doesn't understand the logistics going on, no big deal. Now we are in the recovery phase. I explain to him how I have contacted my office and the supplier to advise them of the problem, and that I have requested an update on the delivery of the required parts asap. And I tell him that this is everything in my power that I can do. Well that's not good enough, he needs me to tell him why the parts weren't shipped, and he needs to know when they are going to get here; and he needs that answer RIGHT NOW! Okay, didn't I just finish telling you that I have done everything within my power. I know I give off the vibe of a competent guy, but I am just a minion, I can scream and yell until I am blue in the face and nobody will care. I advise him that he will have to contact the dealer himself if he doesn't like the effort I have put in. He huffs off to do so.
We finish everything up, minus the stuff we can't do and now I have the pleasure of requesting a sign off. I have written up all the missing parts on my deficiency list, all the i's are dotted and t's are crossed, it clearly states that these parts were not received, but he doesn't want to sign off because he thinks he should only sign for a complete order. Okay, you need to sign for what you received today, the deficiency list clearly shows that you did not get these other items. He gives it another once over and reluctantly signs.
Horray, I can go home now. Nope, he's got to put me through the wringer once more. Saying how we should check the skids prior to booking these jobs. Yes, thank you sir, I will pass that suggestion on to my office. And he needs an answer on when the parts will get here; they tore apart the office in anticipation of this job, now those people have no desk to work at. Okay, I saw you have some extra desks downstairs, we will gladly put those in place for you on a temporary basis. Now suddenly those people who have nowhere to work will be okay for a week or two, he just needs to know if the product will get here by then. I certainly hope so, but I cannot give that answer, I have absolutely no way of knowing. Finally that message made it's way into his head, or he just accepted that I'm not changing my answer, but he finally set me free.
So of course I apologize and explain things to the customer, and he is understandably pissed, but he wants to know how my company could let this happen. Uh buddy, we have no control over what they ship us, they ship us 10 skids, we count 10 skids, we have to assume that the skids are accurate. Well don't you check the skids. No, we do not; on top of nobody paying for the time to do that, we would have to unpackage all the skids and open every box, then it would all have to be repackaged when we bring it to the site. We fully rely on the supplier to get their shipment correct. Well he doesn't think that is a very good way for us to conduct our business.
Okay, whatever, he was upset, he doesn't understand the logistics going on, no big deal. Now we are in the recovery phase. I explain to him how I have contacted my office and the supplier to advise them of the problem, and that I have requested an update on the delivery of the required parts asap. And I tell him that this is everything in my power that I can do. Well that's not good enough, he needs me to tell him why the parts weren't shipped, and he needs to know when they are going to get here; and he needs that answer RIGHT NOW! Okay, didn't I just finish telling you that I have done everything within my power. I know I give off the vibe of a competent guy, but I am just a minion, I can scream and yell until I am blue in the face and nobody will care. I advise him that he will have to contact the dealer himself if he doesn't like the effort I have put in. He huffs off to do so.
We finish everything up, minus the stuff we can't do and now I have the pleasure of requesting a sign off. I have written up all the missing parts on my deficiency list, all the i's are dotted and t's are crossed, it clearly states that these parts were not received, but he doesn't want to sign off because he thinks he should only sign for a complete order. Okay, you need to sign for what you received today, the deficiency list clearly shows that you did not get these other items. He gives it another once over and reluctantly signs.
Horray, I can go home now. Nope, he's got to put me through the wringer once more. Saying how we should check the skids prior to booking these jobs. Yes, thank you sir, I will pass that suggestion on to my office. And he needs an answer on when the parts will get here; they tore apart the office in anticipation of this job, now those people have no desk to work at. Okay, I saw you have some extra desks downstairs, we will gladly put those in place for you on a temporary basis. Now suddenly those people who have nowhere to work will be okay for a week or two, he just needs to know if the product will get here by then. I certainly hope so, but I cannot give that answer, I have absolutely no way of knowing. Finally that message made it's way into his head, or he just accepted that I'm not changing my answer, but he finally set me free.
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