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Customer service—-AND————-

Hazlett | Posted in Business on October 14, 2009 10:57am

A tale of two hardware stores.

so– I am doing some plumbing repairs on my house that I have put off long enough. Last winter I did a similar plumbing repair in the master Bath—- but I forgot Exactly how I did it.

I dis-assemble the valve and of course——- a part is going to need replaced.

I have what I thought were TWO good choices–Hardware store A and Hardware store B— both have been in business forever-and both will sell you a nut or a bolt or a machine screw—- for a nickle if that’s all you need———

Hardware store A is much closer— so I go there first—WITH the part I just took out of the wall———–

“Oh my”- says clerk #1——
“wadda ya want me to do with that”- says clerk #2-” ( I will paraphrase the rest of his “help”) ” look it dummy–what are ya–retarded—ya left half of it in the wall—- what ya got is all chewed up but I can’t do nuttin for ya unless ya go back home,see—and take the rest of it out of the wall you freaking moron”

helpfull huh!, LOL

Luckily—- I have the other hardware store to fall back on—-but it is on the other side of town—but(valiantly) off I go

Into Hardware store B WITH the exact part I took to the first store

clerk #3 says—” hmmm–what ya got there?– Hey Fred( his co-worker)—do you know what this is?”— Fred says” hmmm– that looks like a stem somebody tore up taking it out of the wall— it’s XYZ brand part #141–look in that blue catalogue”— sure enough that’s what it is

I mention” I bet this isn’t the first time you have seen this?”—— ” Oh-we see it all the time–people aren’t exactly sure how the thing comes apart—-they just pull it out and it gets mangled— you need a deeper socket to pull that fitting out of the wall—- maybe this new stem will fit right in the old fitting—— OR you can just screw this whole assembly right back in.”

BTW folks— this thing dates to 1941– I buy 2 of them– one for hot one for cold— the whole thing counting dis-assembly,drive time, being told I am a retard—and assembly and clean-up—- cost $100 EXACT–and 2-1/4 hours

Now— sure maybe I did something a bit dumb–not remembereing exactly how it came apart— I ain’t a plumber— but it wasn’t THAT big a deal—–and it was EASILY solvable for $100 and about 2 minutes polite conversation.

where do you think I am going NEXT time– no matter HOW far away it is?
BTW- I have FOUR bathrooms—so it is only a matter of time before I need to do more plumbing,LOL

Best wishes all–
stephen


Edited 10/14/2009 4:01 pm ET by Hazlett

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Replies

  1. Piffin | Oct 14, 2009 11:33pm | #1

    NOW I know how to make you leave me alone!

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

    1. jimAKAblue | Oct 15, 2009 12:26am | #2

      I used to drive by an ERB lumber because the guy always barked at me when I walked up to the counter to order something.

      1. frammer52 | Oct 15, 2009 01:17am | #3

        I used to ignore a lumber yard here in town because of the ignorance of my presence.  Went next door, where I was treated like royalty!  Guess where I went to buy my 1000sq of shingles a year?>G<

        1. User avater
          Dinosaur | Oct 15, 2009 02:18am | #5

          I've got three yards to deal with. One I ignore 99%; the other two take turns being on my S-list.

          Figure this: Walk up to the materials counter. Six 'counselors' behind the counter; two serving someone else, three yakking amongst themselves, the last drinking a coffee and looking at his computer. How long will you stand being ignored before you walk or squawk?

          I give 'em one minute, then I make a rude noise or drop my clip board or something. If that doesn't do it, I give 'em a month's worth of 'Time Out'...and let the owner know.

          Doesn't do any good in the long run, tho; nobody good can stand working with the brain-dead brigade for more than a few months.

          Dinosaur

          How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....

  2. maverick | Oct 15, 2009 01:58am | #4

    when I built my house some 14 years ago I stopped at a liquor store on my way to my house and I stood in line behind 5 customers. I got to the register and the owner said to me he would not take a 50 dollar bill

    been driving past that same store for 14 years. never stopped there again. the guy recently went out of business

    1. DonCanDo | Oct 15, 2009 03:57am | #10

      been driving past that same store for 14 years. never stopped there again

      Glad to hear you quit drinkin'...

      oh wait, maybe I missed the point of the story :-)

      1. Griffin12 | Oct 15, 2009 06:09am | #11

         What I noticed was that it took 14 years of poor customer service to drive him out of business!

  3. dovetail97128 | Oct 15, 2009 02:23am | #6

    Ok here's mine.

    I know revenge isn't a good thing but sometimes it can be sweet....

    Back in the late 70's I contracted a house and used my usual plumber.
    A disaster... work not done to spec, over charges, fighting to get damaged goods replaced and new ones installed and the final straw being a toilet supply pipe that slid out of the toilet tank because the apprentice forgot to put the brass washer compression on it. This happened the first day of the owners possession of their new custom home.
    Toilet flooded the bath , entry and sunken living room.Plumber excused the whole thing as these things happen and it is what general contractors have insurance for.

    After some serious arguments/threats of lawsuits etc. with the plumber I got it all repaired on his insurance but told the plumber he would never see me in his office again and I would never do business with him again.

    Fast forward to last year .. Owner of the project I did last year insists I get a bid from this same plumber despite my objections. So I have to at least drop off prints and get a bid.
    Sitting in his estimators office discussing the $100k plumbing job and in walks the man himself, at first he doesn't recognize me then it comes to him who I am and he gets all friendly and says: "I haven't seen you in years..."

    Turning slightly towards him I replied "Ed, that was no mistake and it will be years before you see me again if I have anything to say about it..more than once every 30 years is too often."

    The look on the estimators face was priceless as the man himself slunk out the door because by then he really did remember who I was and the last time we had talked...

    Life is Good
    1. VinceCarbone | Oct 15, 2009 02:28am | #8

      Moron,  ....... just practicing in case I ever get a job in a plumbing supply place

       

         Vince Carbone

      Riverside Builders

      Franklin,NY

      Edited 10/14/2009 7:30 pm ET by VinceCarbone

    2. mrfixitusa | Oct 15, 2009 03:09am | #9

      Really enjoyed your storyI just wish I could do it to a few people I'm dealing with right now

  4. User avater
    PeterJ | Oct 15, 2009 02:28am | #7

    He really called you a retard? I'da had a hard time keeping my cool... maybe retard his face some... 

    Anyway, service just ain't what it used to be. The smart guys all went to work for HD and Lowes. ;-)

     

    Everything will be okay in the end.  If it's not okay, it's not the end. 

    1. Hazlett | Oct 15, 2009 02:29pm | #12

      I paraphrased it--- but that was the gist of it.
      stephen

      1. Hazlett | Oct 15, 2009 02:37pm | #13

        there is a roofing supply house which is convieniently located nearish to me------- but since they treated me badly one day 20 years ago i have avoided them ever since--
        i am by no means a large contractor--------- but I know for a FACT-- that that treatment has cost them over $1,000,000 in sales since that day-------------
        interestingly--- one the husband of my wifes' co-worker is a salesman at that roofing supply yard---- times are tough- the salesman now makes less than his wife( she makes what my wife makes-- which as a catholic school teacher isn't much)---and they may lose their house-----hmmmmmmmm. BTW--after I strted this thread yesterday--- I called the hardware store that treated me so well-on the phone-- talked to the guy that helped me-and told him how much I appreciated what he did and how smoothly the repair went.
        I almost certainley will be there in the next few days--as I have more plumbing repairs planned.
        stephen

  5. Oak River Mike | Oct 15, 2009 03:47pm | #14

    Stephen,

    Unfortunately, we don't seem to have ANY stores like that around so I don't even try looking for things I need.  I just search online and pay shipping.

    I figure if its wrong, its my fault for picking the wrong thing but there is no frustration involved with your experience at Store #1.

    Mike

  6. renosteinke | Oct 15, 2009 04:26pm | #15

    There have been a few times I've shared a similar story with someone - generally being a bit vague as to the exact merchant, unless it is critical to the story - and have been surprised by the response.

    The surprise comes when the audience tells me an opposite story, of a place that treated them well ... and it turns out we're talking about the same place, even the same person. Go figure!

    Many times I've encountered exceptional service, only to see that person quickly move on. Sometimes thaey have a better offer, sometimes thay get the ax (lack of seniority, too much 'personality,' etc.) The worst is when they're promoted into a position where they never see  a customer again.

    Then there are the places where it seems the sluggards do as well, or better, than the guys who use Horatio Alger as a role-model.

    Probably the worst thing a guy can do, IMO, is 'cheat for the company.' What's just as bad is when the company rewards it. For example:

    One job required us to get all manner of special hardware, and $8000 worth of special-order, cut-to-length wire. On the 'pick-up' day, the boss and I were there, together, loading materials onto out trucks. My guy hands me the papers to sign, and I notice one for the wire - which I had NOT received. I ask for it, he looks around, then tells me it's on my boss's truck. Well, the other truck is right next to us, contents in plain view, and I don't see any wire. He looks around some more, tries to get the boss to sign for it, tells us he'll find out where the wire is.

    Over the next week, both the boss and I make several visits to this place, either for other stuff on this job, or for other jobs entirely. At least twice the papers for the missing wire are together with the wires I sign. I don't suspect anything, because they are also presented with paperwork for other stuff we've ordered, but not yet picked up.

    A week later, after asking where is the missing wire, the supply house tells us we have it. Indeed, there's the paperwork, signed by the boss! Our troll had been slipping the paperwork in until someone accidentally signed for it.

    You can guess what happened next: emergency re-order, followed by an entire winter (5 months) of arguing with the supply house, which wanted payment for the wire we never received.

    The sun comes out, the snow melts, and back into town comes an electrician who was working all winter on some big job out on the frontier. He's bringing in a season worth of returns - including our missing wire, that had been accidently shipped to him. Oops!

    This is the very wire that the boss had been tricked into signing for. Our troll, meanwhile, has actually been promoted; it seems they really liked the way he looked out for the company's interests. He was even assigned to manage our account! As you can imagine, I insisted that be changed. In my mind, he violated the honor code, by continually trying to trick us (and finally succeeding) into signing for wire he knew we had not received.

    He should have been fired; he got promoted. Need I say more? 

    1. Hazlett | Oct 15, 2009 05:18pm | #16

      the hardware store where I was treated poorly---- has had a sign by the door for at least 3 years" Business for sale, owner wants to retire"---- interestingly-- the guy who treated me poorly-- I have seen there often before- I think HE is the owner! the place I was treated well at?---- talking on the phone with them yesterday the "clerk" mentioned-" BTW, I am not a plumber-- I just got lucky on that one- i am actually a retired carpenter!" unfortuneately-- my favorite place closed several years ago---and it is now a parking lot for a Mcdonalds which expanded---- I that was a great place- the same family had owned it since circa 1947-- the father and several sons worked there--and KNEW EVERYTHING---and as a bonus--- mather Father in law had actually BUILT the building the business was located in right after WWII
      stephen

  7. PKelton | Oct 15, 2009 10:12pm | #17

    My father, now deceased, stopped going to a hardware store near his house after one of the brother/owners freaked-out on him and accused him of shoplifting. Unbeknownst to him at the time, the man was mentally ill, perhaps was schizophrenic, and ultimately committed suicide a few years later. My father held a grudge about that incident and always chastised me when I would shop at the same store, though I never understood why. It wasn’t until a few years ago while visiting my mother, that she told the story about that incident, in which she accused him of overreacting and that he should have just let it go.

    Personally, I’m taking sides with my father. Any store that employs a person who accuses me of shoplifting and makes a big scene of it will never get my business again.

    PK

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