An Emergency On Your Part...

[pescadoman]

Royce,

Here's how I would have handled it...

Polite was not the right way to handle that. If she was so arrogant as you stated and insisted that you come down to fix her shaft, I would have replied with: I'll be right there but because it's Sunday and we're closed you'll have to clean and polish my shaft while you're waiting. I would have listened carefully as she would have gotten the message and hung up. And if she didn't get it, I would have hung up because this is one dumb broard (do we still use that word today?).

While you did handle it well, I would have handled it my way because I don't want anyone that ignorant as a customer which will in all probability be someone's worst nightmare. You'll be married to her if you fix her shaft. Anything goes wrong with it, she'll be back on a Sunday morning again or worse yet at 3am because it will be an "emergency". LOL

I nominate Joe for Whitehouse Press Secretary..

 

[Joe Barringer]

I used to answer the phone all kinds of hours and weekends. But now I don't. I am closed on weekends and can't ship anything on Saturday or Sunday, so even if they think it is an emergency I won't be able to ship them a part until Monday anyway. I quit one business because I no longer enjoyed it in my early 30's. Once I saw this cues and cue lathe business trying to take over almost every moment of everyday of my life, I decided I would no longer answer the phone on the weekends while I still enjoyed this business. And years later I still enjoy this business.

BINGO! Give that man a cigar! (certainly not a Cuban -- har har)

You hit the nail right on the head. It's fun as long as it's fun until it turns into a job and we make our own work depending upon how we run our businesses. Only a good businessman will understand that.

I once answered a 3am phone call from overseas. I told him it was 3am to which he apologized. I told him to mention he was the 3am guy (so I know who he was) whenever he placed an order and I'd take care of him. He turned out to be a good customer. You never know but 9 out of 10 times they're usually tire kickers. I was lucky that time. And to you smart butts, don't you dare put that on any of your orders!

As a businessman, you have to have ground rules and you can run your business anyway you want. We're here to serve customers but on our terms and if you're a 24/7 business or try to be, they'll run you ragged with nonsense. The path to failure is trying to please everyone.

I'm not going to publish my rules for calling us as many of you have seen it and know the game plan but for those of you who don't and want a good laugh: read our 15 point system