timothy st.john
Cruisin' Guzzisti
Hello all,
Let me start out by saying that, although I have not yet had any business dealings with Todd, the overwhelming evidence is that he, as both a product and service provider, is an exception to the rule I am about to state. As a result, I will be pursuing a purchase with him in the near future; one that both a local provider and the manufacturer (who was happy to undercut his dealer network) failed to settle with me for lacking the integrity, forthrightness, and honesty to win my business and future patronage. That being said...
I am fast tiring of having to pretend that everybody in business (including industry favourites), who pretends camaraderie to me (for profit) instead of providing actual service, is a nice guy; just to create a feel good network. Why do so many people today think that they are receiving good 'service' these days, when in fact they are getting jerked around; albeit very politely. Just because someone offers you bad service with a smile and an apology, it doesn't mean that they couldn't have offered you good service. They simply chose not to, because its cheaper, or too much hassle for them to do otherwise. If sufficient people demanded it, they would eventually change. There's no place like home! There's no place like home! There's no place...
What if vendors actually carried stock themselves (what is the cost of being in business in real terms these days anyway), as vendors once did when customers demanded it? I had an idea for a big building, that was full of stuff that people wanted. People could go there and actually look at products, and then, for paying a premium over cost that was sufficient enough to make it worth the vendors while, the buyer could actually walk out of the door with the merchandise right there and then. What do you think! I was going to call them, 'Big-selly-places'. Catchy, eh?
Why can't vendors reply in a timely way, while actually answering the questions you put to them. Taking your money before apologizing to you that they don't actually have stock, so you do go elsewhere, is no service at all. Promising to notify you when its ready to ship in 6-8 weeks, isn't good service; its admission of bad service. What part of that don't people get any more? Those of you whose station in life, or egos are better compensated by Cheshire cat grins and crocodile tears are making it impossible for people like me to cut through that to get actual service (in terms of an honest calendar or honest economy).
I have recently had experience of one vendor who expected me to understand why he charged me more on my credit card, because he forgot to take the sale price off his website. He offered me free shipping in compensation, until I pointed out the shipping on his site was free on items over a certain dollar value anyway. I had my money refunded. Another, contacted me to beg forgiveness and allowance, because the price he used to undercut his competition wasn't possible, given the currency exchange; he hadn't put the order in until weeks after I paid him. I had that money refunded too. I don't know how many others don't understand their product lines, don't answer their emails, or fail to answer the question that are necessary to service the sale. On the plus side, apparently they are all my friends; as long, that is, as I don't try to claim anything against that friendship.
I will happily pay a premium to anyone who will offer me 'real' honest service. But it seems that manufacturers now play the same tricks on wholesalers and retailers, that they in turn play on us. Hows that for poetic justice. That being the case, everyone simply passes the buck 'up' the line. Lets just be grateful to Todd for the service that he offers. In closing, I have recently been told by my provider that Zard Italy gears down in December, and eventually closes down for 3 weeks over Christmas. Then they start processing orders, in the Italian way, mid-January, and eventually get up and running as the month closes. They have been a Zard dealer for years, but neglected to tell me this when they wanted my Christmas money. My slip-on exhausts, which were ordered on December 6, will apparently ship from Italy on February 15. I'll probably not see them until mid-March. Thats ridiculous! Somebody is not dealing in good faith, and its never me.
Timothy St. John
P.S. Todd. Your turn is coming. All I need is the honesty, transparency, and integrity that you are known for; everything else is optional.
Let me start out by saying that, although I have not yet had any business dealings with Todd, the overwhelming evidence is that he, as both a product and service provider, is an exception to the rule I am about to state. As a result, I will be pursuing a purchase with him in the near future; one that both a local provider and the manufacturer (who was happy to undercut his dealer network) failed to settle with me for lacking the integrity, forthrightness, and honesty to win my business and future patronage. That being said...
I am fast tiring of having to pretend that everybody in business (including industry favourites), who pretends camaraderie to me (for profit) instead of providing actual service, is a nice guy; just to create a feel good network. Why do so many people today think that they are receiving good 'service' these days, when in fact they are getting jerked around; albeit very politely. Just because someone offers you bad service with a smile and an apology, it doesn't mean that they couldn't have offered you good service. They simply chose not to, because its cheaper, or too much hassle for them to do otherwise. If sufficient people demanded it, they would eventually change. There's no place like home! There's no place like home! There's no place...
What if vendors actually carried stock themselves (what is the cost of being in business in real terms these days anyway), as vendors once did when customers demanded it? I had an idea for a big building, that was full of stuff that people wanted. People could go there and actually look at products, and then, for paying a premium over cost that was sufficient enough to make it worth the vendors while, the buyer could actually walk out of the door with the merchandise right there and then. What do you think! I was going to call them, 'Big-selly-places'. Catchy, eh?
Why can't vendors reply in a timely way, while actually answering the questions you put to them. Taking your money before apologizing to you that they don't actually have stock, so you do go elsewhere, is no service at all. Promising to notify you when its ready to ship in 6-8 weeks, isn't good service; its admission of bad service. What part of that don't people get any more? Those of you whose station in life, or egos are better compensated by Cheshire cat grins and crocodile tears are making it impossible for people like me to cut through that to get actual service (in terms of an honest calendar or honest economy).
I have recently had experience of one vendor who expected me to understand why he charged me more on my credit card, because he forgot to take the sale price off his website. He offered me free shipping in compensation, until I pointed out the shipping on his site was free on items over a certain dollar value anyway. I had my money refunded. Another, contacted me to beg forgiveness and allowance, because the price he used to undercut his competition wasn't possible, given the currency exchange; he hadn't put the order in until weeks after I paid him. I had that money refunded too. I don't know how many others don't understand their product lines, don't answer their emails, or fail to answer the question that are necessary to service the sale. On the plus side, apparently they are all my friends; as long, that is, as I don't try to claim anything against that friendship.
I will happily pay a premium to anyone who will offer me 'real' honest service. But it seems that manufacturers now play the same tricks on wholesalers and retailers, that they in turn play on us. Hows that for poetic justice. That being the case, everyone simply passes the buck 'up' the line. Lets just be grateful to Todd for the service that he offers. In closing, I have recently been told by my provider that Zard Italy gears down in December, and eventually closes down for 3 weeks over Christmas. Then they start processing orders, in the Italian way, mid-January, and eventually get up and running as the month closes. They have been a Zard dealer for years, but neglected to tell me this when they wanted my Christmas money. My slip-on exhausts, which were ordered on December 6, will apparently ship from Italy on February 15. I'll probably not see them until mid-March. Thats ridiculous! Somebody is not dealing in good faith, and its never me.
Timothy St. John
P.S. Todd. Your turn is coming. All I need is the honesty, transparency, and integrity that you are known for; everything else is optional.