So this customer calls me today...

[buck]

Disclaimer for this thread....

I do not want this to become a religious discussion of any type. That is not my intent.


Back on topic...

Get a phone call from a business owner in my town. Quick background on him. I went to school with both his kids. Knew and admired both him and his family growing up. He owned a large siding and window company here in town. Was very involved in school activities. Is very involved in the church and makes sure he gives back what is due at the end of the day.

When I purchased my first home from the contractor while under construction I made sure any work this gentlemen could do for me was done by his business. I never, not once, asked about pricing. I didn't care. I knew who the money was going to. That's all that mattered to me at the end of the day.

He proceeds to tell me he has purchased a truck he wants to buy some things for. He has been shopping on the internet and thought he would give me a chance at his business. He has purchased several trucks in the last ten years or so, I have yet to do one thing to any of them. He tells me that if I can match internet pricing on these items I have his business, if not, he moves on.....period. I reminded him that internet pricing is totally different then over the counter pricing due to overhead and purchasing volume. He didn't care, match it or I go elsewhere.

At the end of the conversation he catches me before I get off the phone and quickly tells me this will be a cash deal...no receipts, no tickets, no sales tax...nothing. I tell him we do not do cash deals. All sales are recorded and reported as they should be. If he wants to use his sales tax permit I would let him do that, but I would not do a deal under the table. (yes I realize he is violating his use of the tax permit by using it like this)

I get off the phone and then it hits me like a brick. This man would absolutely s.h.i.t. and fall back in it if I were to utter any form of offensive language in front of him or even worse, consume any form of alcohol. Yet he wouldn't think twice about defrauding our city, county, and state out of their due sales tax.

Needless to say my opinions of this man have officially changed as of today. Doubt he'll lose any sleep over it, but I know what I need to know about his business and his ways now.

I'm done b i t c hing....

Buck

[Expensive Date]

http://www.seriousoffshore.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8522



This should cover it.

[Buoy]

Doesn't it suck to realize that your own ethics are so much higher than the people in your community that are supposed to teach ethics.
I applaud you for standing your ground - I wouldn't expect any less.

[Shockwave]

Some people believe that by going to Church they are forgiven for all sins .
I have touble with that one .

[cuda]

I've had guys stop at the job site and offer to sell brand new tools for a fraction of what they are worth. I tell them to get off the job, and if I see a cop soon after, I'll tell them about it. They just go to the next jobsite and sell them. One of them told me he worked in the warehouse for Home Depot. A theif is a theif.

[catastrophe]

I've had guys stop at the job site and offer to sell brand new tools for a fraction of what they are worth. I tell them to get off the job, and if I see a cop soon after, I'll tell them about it. They just go to the next jobsite and sell them. One of them told me he worked in the warehouse for Home Depot. A theif is a theif.

Same here. Every day people come around my business with brand new truck tires and parts at Half Price.
People hide behind church and charity associations for the wrong reasons all the time. Its everywhere.

[Offshoredrillin]

amazing the Hypocrisy of people isn't it? Believe me you dont want him as a customer. Let him experience the internet frustration. then when he needs it all installed, charge him duely.

[Tony]

Its always interesting to find out that a person who has been idolized and viewd as a key pillar of the community is actually a complete POS. A few secconds later you realize that most likely that person has made their fortune by screwing others in some way shape or form.

[Airpacker]

The worst offenders in MHO are the ones living off the government check that want to do cash business. They don't seem to care that the taxes they are trying to avoid are the same taxes that feed them.

Pizzez me off no end and I quickly send them packing.

[buck]

This what I told one of my employees after this went down yesterday. Told him if we ever get to the point where we can't make it anymore and have to walk away from the business I can walk away knowing I did it honestly and have nothing to be ashamed of.

I would much rather have that gentlemen mad at me for not doing a "cash deal" than to deal with a sales tax audit from the state.

I can sleep at night being broke, I can't sleep knowing I'm a crook.

[JupiterSunsation]

Scariest people in church usually sit in the front row and up on the altar.......

[Wrinkleface]

I have EXPERIENCED & seen/heard of people that hold themseleves out as church go'n bible thumpers that would s c r e w their own family just as quick as a cheap hooker!!:(:boxing_smiley:

[Magic Medicine]

Happens more than you think. Everyone wants something for nothing these days!

[phragle]

comes down to the fact you are talking about church going religous people...

spirituality is the belief in somekind of god and the influence that god has in your life..

Religion is nothing more than the marketing and exploitation of some god....

if your willing to exploit god, why would you not be willing to exploit your fellow man?? Remember, Jesus saves! please GIVE GENEROUSLY!

[buck]

Did the deal. He picked up his products today. All items were carry out. I found the absolute cheapest brand of each item he requested. Basically gave him what he wanted IMO. He thanked me for working with him and acted like he couldn't have been happier.

He asked about warranties when I was checking him out. I laughed and said the warranty was up when I put the stuff in his truck. (truth be know I could warranty anything I want to but I don't have a lot of want to in this case)

[Expensive Date]

Buck I had a guy that wanted me to warrenty the lenses in his Oakley's today that he bought in 2005:26: Maybe we should have a dumb customer contest think Chris still has some DVDS left.

[Offshoredrillin]

Did the deal. He picked up his products today. All items were carry out. I found the absolute cheapest brand of each item he requested. Basically gave him what he wanted IMO. He thanked me for working with him and acted like he couldn't have been happier.

He asked about warranties when I was checking him out. I laughed and said the warranty was up when I put the stuff in his truck. (truth be know I could warranty anything I want to but I don't have a lot of want to in this case)
sad part is though buck, when his cheap crap wears out, you are tied to it as he bought it from you. hopefully this pos realizes that he did ya wrong but i doubt it. be ready for the comeback...sorry it has to happen but that's just the way i see it after doing this for so many years..cheapest is the worst customer, they want it all for nothing...

[phragle]

no reciept..no warrenty....

[cuda]

comes down to the fact you are talking about church going religous people...

spirituality is the belief in somekind of god and the influence that god has in your life..

Religion is nothing more than the marketing and exploitation of some god....

if your willing to exploit god, why would you not be willing to exploit your fellow man?? Remember, Jesus saves! please GIVE GENEROUSLY!

Going to church no more makes you a Christian than standing in a garage makes you a car.

[Biggus]

its always interesting to find out that a person who has been idolized and viewd as a key pillar of the community is actually a complete pos. A few secconds later you realize that most likely that person has made their fortune by screwing others in some way shape or form.

very well said!:(

[Audiofn]

Buck I have to deal with that BS all the time. I can get this TV for X off the internet. I tell them go ahead and I will charge you the installation time. They get the TV and I put it up and in the end they spend the same amount of money. Then the TV breaks and I charge them to take it down and ship it. Now they have paid more. If they had purchased the TV from me I do not charge for warrantee work. People are so short sited. What amazes me is my customers that are multi millionairs many times over that will try and cheeze me down over a few bucks. I had a guy that said if I find out you made 50% for all this stuff you put in my house I am going to be ****ed. I said start getting mad because that is exactly what I made. This guy knew when he said that what I made. I told him don't worry your kitchen is larger then my entire house. He laughed and said that is why he likes me I am a strait shooter.

[buck]

sad part is though buck, when his cheap crap wears out, you are tied to it as he bought it from you. hopefully this pos realizes that he did ya wrong but i doubt it. be ready for the comeback...sorry it has to happen but that's just the way i see it after doing this for so many years..cheapest is the worst customer, they want it all for nothing...

Rob, I think you know me well enough from our conversations to know that I would take care of him without question if it comes down to it. My warehouse takes very good care of me regardless of the product I buy from them. If I were to deny any product issues to him I would be stooping to his level. Not gonna do that.

Right or wrong, I still couldn't pass up the opportunity to say something when he asked. ;)

[Chris]

Beliefs are cheap. Charachter is probably the most expensive thing on the planet.


I refuse to do business with anyone that has a psalm quote, little "fish" or anything else religious on their business cards, trucks, buildings, etc. The church isn't the Better Business Bureau. And I'm familiar with the phrase "trying too hard".

[cuda]

Prinicples, that lead to charater.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKAxnB6Ap4o