Waxman
Super Moderator
I recently decided to buy some promotional pens for a marketing/direct mail campaign I'm planning, targeting chamber of commerce members.
I met with a local 'pen guy' to decide on a pen. He was a very fast talker and I should've known right then to nix the deal. I went against my gut.
I told him what I had in mind for a budget. By the time he left, I had spent 3X the budget I told him. But I agreed because I thought I was getting a great product (my logo and name and a full-size, 4-color pen).
To my disappointment, the pens that arrived fell far short of my expectations. They were a joke. They were a full 2 inches shorter than the pen on my desk that the 'pen guy' picked up and said :" I can get you something like this".
I called him and voiced my complaint and he was not hearing it at all. He said we both missed in the catalog where it clearly says 'short pen'. I guess that is true; however, I'm not a pen salesman, he is, and the responsibility falls on him for the oversight, IMO.
I paid him on my own extended terms (less than net 30 but more than c.o.d.).
Now he's giving me static about sending a final invoice stating I paid X amount in full in cash, etc.
I'm frankly appalled at how he conducts his business. When faced with my complaint, he immediately jumped to a defensive stance and said in a gruff manner:"what's going to make you happy?". It was not in the spirit of cooperation, rather it was in the spirit of "buzz off, a-hole".
I just called him back asking if he got my message requesting a final invoice. He said no, which is total b.s. then asked why I conduct business the way I do. I told him that wasn't his concern.
In this economic climate, who can afford to be such a pi$$ poor businessman? I'm flabbergasted at his behavior and yet happy I didn't punch this guy.
I met with a local 'pen guy' to decide on a pen. He was a very fast talker and I should've known right then to nix the deal. I went against my gut.
I told him what I had in mind for a budget. By the time he left, I had spent 3X the budget I told him. But I agreed because I thought I was getting a great product (my logo and name and a full-size, 4-color pen).
To my disappointment, the pens that arrived fell far short of my expectations. They were a joke. They were a full 2 inches shorter than the pen on my desk that the 'pen guy' picked up and said :" I can get you something like this".
I called him and voiced my complaint and he was not hearing it at all. He said we both missed in the catalog where it clearly says 'short pen'. I guess that is true; however, I'm not a pen salesman, he is, and the responsibility falls on him for the oversight, IMO.
I paid him on my own extended terms (less than net 30 but more than c.o.d.).
Now he's giving me static about sending a final invoice stating I paid X amount in full in cash, etc.
I'm frankly appalled at how he conducts his business. When faced with my complaint, he immediately jumped to a defensive stance and said in a gruff manner:"what's going to make you happy?". It was not in the spirit of cooperation, rather it was in the spirit of "buzz off, a-hole".
I just called him back asking if he got my message requesting a final invoice. He said no, which is total b.s. then asked why I conduct business the way I do. I told him that wasn't his concern.
In this economic climate, who can afford to be such a pi$$ poor businessman? I'm flabbergasted at his behavior and yet happy I didn't punch this guy.
