Date:         Fri, 17 Dec 2004 19:36:56 +0000
Reply-To:     Zach White <zwhite@DARKSTAR.FROP.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Zach White <zwhite@DARKSTAR.FROP.ORG>
Subject:      Re: List Vendors ignoring people (Was: Re: HELP My wife thiks the
              van              is unsafe)
In-Reply-To:  <000401c4e46b$b5a8d1f0$6501a8c0@tda>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

On Fri, Dec 17, 2004 at 11:07:53AM -0800, developtrust wrote:
>
> That is not a list phenomenon. With any vendor being so busy it is really
> up to the buyer to call often if he or she wants anything done. I have
> learned NEVER to depend on any vendor or service to call me back if I have
> anything important I want. Many do return calls but we are all human and
> when a shop is busy that piece of paper or log book entry can get lost or
> misfiled.
>
> Don't take it personally. Just follow up yourself. And NEVER depend on any
> clerk to take care of you and NEVER believe any clerk that tells you
> something is such or so. Call back and verify with another employee or the
> manager.
>
> I would say that 100% of the time when a clerk told me "You can't do that"
> I have caled back and talked to a different person who did what I asked.
>
> William

It's not something that happens to me after leaving just one email or message.
The most persistant I've been is 5 emails and 2 phone calls. You can't say
that the vendor just misplaced my message there.

Usually I'll give them 3 chances, spread over about a week. If I don't hear
back from them then they obviously don't want my business. I hold no ill will
toward them (although I admit it does irk me) but I don't attempt to continue
contacting them.

FWIW, it's only certain list vendors here who have completely ignored me.
Virtually every other industry that I've dealt with small business in (and
I prefer small businesses to large companies, whenever possible) has given
me the courtesy of saying "Sorry, we can't do that" and not outright ignored
me. Perhaps I've just been lucky until now.

So, like I said, I hold no ill will towards them. It's their business and they
can choose to run it how they see fit. I'd just like to see some better
communication from some of them.

It's all about choice. I choose to do more business with those vendors who
have done me right. I choose not to do business with those vendors who have
ignored me. From my perspective, it's their loss. From their perspective,
perhaps what I needed to buy was not worth the cost of getting the part
and shipping it to me. That's their choice. I'd prefer they tell me they
can't help me in this instance, but again, it's their choice not to.

-Zach