After I decided enough was enough today…which decision was facilitated by the arrival of the electric utility to change out the transformer sitting behind the building I was working on….and the heat…
Anyways, after I stopped working and started watching, the phone rings.
Some sales guy wants a few minutes of my time, blah, blah, blah and I say sure, since I’m just standing around watching the switch.
He’s selling saw blades. And oh it is such a great blade and it’s only $13 or something.
Now I only go through maybe three blades a year (or less), so I don’t recall how much blades are. I explain to him that he may well have a great blade at a great price, but that I did not care and that I wasn’t interested.
I wasn’t interested because I valued buying locally and that the local hardware store had blades and that’s where I buy my blades.
He said that after 9/11 we are all local.
I had to go through the buy local spiel three times. He kept saying that if he sent me so many blades (the minimum order) on a thirty day open account I would change my mind. And I kept explaining….
So finally he very insistently stated he was going to send the blades…
And I asked if he meant he was sending me some blades for free.
He said no, on a 30 day open account.
That’s when I stated very clearly that “I do not authorize you to send me anything and if you do send me something I will be keeping it and not paying for it” I said that a couple of times speaking very clearly.
He kept insisting that I would change my mind and he was going to send the blades. I repeated the above quote (more or less). Then he started “dum de dee dumm” ing while I said it.
Then he accused me of being rude.
Then he asked me how long I had been in business. He had already talked about how much money I must be throwing away since I wouldn’t buy from him, so I answered….
“Ten years, and it gets better every year”
He said
“Well, I’ll put an end to that” and he hung up!
I got a good laugh.
I didn’t write down his name or the name of the company, but a web search of the phone number finds Big Fat Guy Contractor Supply in Carbondale, Illinois (only in a phone directory, apparently they have no web presence). The sales guy (in an effort to be local) claimed they have offices all over the country.
Anyways. He started out talking about how he just wanted to get his foot in the door for the prospect of future business. I don’t think he managed it.
Rich Beckman
Another day, another tool.
Replies
Could he have done anything more to insure you will never do buisness with him?
I don't think so...Buic
dealt with the same guy.
Can't I go 1 day without spilling my coffee?
Rich, he's a crackpot. Called every year till he hung up on me-you know my mouth when confronted by an #### hole. Then he started calling every two years. Haven't heard from him this year, but never on the cell phone. Do you list your cell number on business info?
A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
"Do you list your cell number on business info?"My cell phone is the only business phone I have.I figure if I'm slow enough to be able to answer it, then answering it is a good thing (I have had customers tell me that I got the job because I actually answer the phone)....And if I'm too busy to be taking all the phone calls, I can let them go to voice mail and how would that be different from a land line at home with no one there?And if I get busy enough to have a secretary...(excuse me....ROFLMAO...) then I can leave this phone with him/her and get a different one.And the cell is cheaper than a land line, and usually more useful.Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool.
One of the funny things about using the cell phone has come up since the AT&T/SBC merger.AT&T figures out easily that my number is not a AT&T number, so they call me to try and make me switch. But of course, they are talking land lines. They know my number isn't with them, but they do not know that it is a cell phone.I politely inform them that it is a cell phone. That ends that.Until they call again.I bet I've been called seven times.Pretty soon I'm gonna start being rude.Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool.
Yeah, I got a call from someone like that last week. They used to call all the time. They wont send you any info you must order off of a cold call. I love it, they call and act like there a buddy you havent talked to in about ten years then away they go......."these are great blades but you must order now."
If you get the call from this guy confuse it with the Big Fat Greek and order a gyro sandwich.http://www.allpages.com/listings/b/b-3832.html
we use to get the guys call'n every week... " this is ABC your copier supplier...we are just updating our records is it john that handles your copier suppiles? " so you know it's a scam want'n a name for a future cold call so i'd tell them "no johns not with us any longer... Sam does that now.... " then they'd ask... can you go look and tell me what brand & number is on your copy machine.... "just to update records" a few days later... they'd call "can i speak to Sam?" since there were only 3 of us in the office and i usually answered the phone... I'd transfer em to "Sam" I'd let em wait on hold for at least 3-4 min... then "sam" would answer... They'd let me know that they use to deal with "john" and that they were have'n a major price increase on for our Xerox 1075 copier supplies and they had held back some supplies just for us at the old price... and would you like to place your regular order of 6 cases of cartridges? so "sam" would tell them WOW you better double our last order if you can just double whatever it was that john ordered (which should have been zero)... and .... a few weeks later 12 cases would be at our door and an invoice for like... $1800 plus $600 s&h ... then i'd call and tell them... no one here ordered these... and they'd get all mad and say yes.. "sam" did... I'd tell em no sam here... well sam told us to double the order that john use to make... Nope no john has ever worked here.... then they'd be like... hmmm well we'll let you return them for a 20% restocking charge... I'd say well they can sit on the floor and rot for all i care... then they'd offer to just take em back... I'd tell em... well someone will have to put em in a box... and ship em to you and that looks like I'll need $600 up front to do that.... thats usually when the phone would go dead.....
some days i just had way too much time on my hands
p
"some days i just had way too much time on my hands"LOL!! Well, at least you put it to good use!Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool.
Great story p.
blue
We would keep putting those guys on hold to waste their time. Then we would give them bogus model #s. After ten minutes they usually hang up.
We get all kinds of sales calls, scam calls, junk faxes, and spam here. I think it's because the manager gives out all our info to every one of these "Industrial yellow pages" books that they have. I'm certain those are just a collection of names that the companies sell to direct marketers.
Every once in a while they send a fax asking us to update our listing. If I catch it before the manager does, I'll change the fax number, email address, and a couple of names before I send it back.
not a sales call but still irratating.Phone rings, Bank of America, had called a few minutes earlier but since I don't have business with them, didn't answer. Since the calls were so close together I answered, with all the ID theft etc.Asked is this bobl?
yesdo you know so and so at this street addressuh, nodo you know another name at that address?why are you calling mewelll, we're trying to get ahold of them, and we're wondering if they moved and if you knew.sorry don't know them (wouldn't tell them if I did)end of conversationknow somebody who, couple years ago got a call from a bill collecter who was looking for someone in the neighborhood.have to remember to ask them for a PO number cause I charge $200/hr for finding peopel.also should remember, 'This call is being recorded for quality control purposes."
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter WFR
Does this guy sound like a black guy with an attitude?
He called last week with some different tools and I kept telling him no, what else do you have, and after about 4-5 no's he got all pissy and told me to f... off.
Now that has to be the new low in customer service.
ANDYSZ2
WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
"Does this guy sound like a black guy with an attitude?"Could be my guy, but I don't think so. "... he got all pissy and told me to f... off."Then again....maybe they are related.
Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool.