[Towertalk] Misinformation - Misrepresentation - Missing the boat

[Robert Shohet]

> Having worked in sales and purchasing all my business life I can say that
> there is something which appears to be missing time and time again in
these
> posts...
>
> The relationship between the customer and the vendor....

I disagree.  The majority of posts that I have read seem to focus on this
relationship - that's part of what disclosure is all about - respecting the
relationship and each other.  What I have read seems to indicate that people
WANT to have their feelings respected and be treated like intelligent
people - that is - given ALL the facts without anything hidden, so that they
can make a good decision.

> If you do repeated business with a vendor, and it amounts to enough that
he
> knows you by name when you call...then you have entered into a business
> relationship.

Each transaction IS a business relationship in all respects.  If it
progresses to a first name basis, that's ever better.

 If you are just dialing 800 numbers to find the cheapest
> price then you are not are nothing more than an address and a VISA number.

We can see how much you value some of your customers who might do this.

> Business relationships are kinda like contesting - I know some friends
> overseas make an effort to call me in a contest because they are
> friends..some of them in  rare places.  We have a relationship, more than
> five nine five.

> A small sale is a small sale - in order to fulfill it a business must NOT
> lose money on it when Joe "800" number shopper calls around....now a
repeat
> customer that has bought in the past where his business has allowed the
> vendor to show some real profit he might just find that charge waived as a
> good will business gesture.

Often small customers become bigger customers when treated well.  If a
vendor with a chip on his shoulder looks down his nose at "smaller" orders,
then the condescension comes through and the orders will STAY small or go
away.  Pretty dumb business practice and unnecessarily insulting besides.  I
wonder how many Radio related businesses went out of business because they
made a regular habit of antagonzing people?  I can think of a few well-known
examples.

> Of course some people don't know about these things because they are rude
> and want the cheapest price - they do not have relationships - they treat
> their vendors like condoms - use them and then throw them out

Price shopping is not rude.  It is the American way.  Non-disclosure IS
rude.  As far as treating vendors like condoms, a vendor who displays some
of the attiudes and follows some of the practices you described above is
treating the potential customer like a condom.  I guess you don't see it
that way.

> In doing so, these same people unfortunately brought about the end of your
> local ham store....local hardware store...pick a business...if its only
> about price then you never learn what service is.

While some people behave this way, I am willing to bet that most DO NOT and
are willing to pay extra for service.  We could even take a poll on this
reflector to test that assumption.  I always pay more for service, I WANT to
support good people and good companies.  But I am going to be treated like a
piece of meat or worse, then I WILL price shop.  It would be foolish not to.

It is also naive to assume that higher prices mean better service, often the
opposite is true.  I think almost any rational person would rather support a
local business than a "chain" store, especially if they provide service and
reasonable (not cheaper) pricing.

> Mr. Me probably doesn't get much customer service...he also probably gets
> bent over on occasion, why - he doesn't have a relationship - he gets that
> warm feeling - someone should tell him its the mutt that just pee'd on his
> leg!

Are you suggesting that his getting bent over is ok?  I sure hope not.  I
don't think that anyone's getting bent over is ok - customer or vendor.
That just creates bad feelings and mistrust.  No one benefits from that.

 > Business relationships benefit both the buyer and the seller, if you
treat
> your vendor like a whore expect to be treated like a sleezeball back.

And vice-versa.  Several of the manufacturers discussed often on this
reflector treat us like a bunch of "w-----s".  I wonder what we did to
deserve that, except our misjudgment to spend a lot of money on their
products?!   If company's hyped their 2 - 5 month service turnaround policy
the same way they advertise and hype their "new and improved" products, many
of us would NOT buy them!
That's part of disclosure too!

> Sound like a marriage - a good business relationship is!

It all starts with honesty, disclosure and mutual respect.

Bob KQ2M