People that yell at the scrapyard employees

Do some scrappers not know that the scrapyard is actually the buyer and the scrapper is the seller? Today some person was just being a complete tool to the people at the small scale - just randomly yelling at people in uniforms "Is everyone here deaf? Why hasn't anyone helped me yet? I need help unloading all this and no one will help me!". Probably frustrated cause he needed $$ so he could buy drugs and was suffering from withdrawals.

Even if the guy was paying for something - still no way to talk to people. I saw the whole situation happen he had no reason to be such a complete tool.



I always make sure I treat them as my customer since they are buying from me, yes there are other buyers and scrapyards but you get more flies with honey than poo.

Good advice

I'd rather they just let me do it.

Theres a difference between "scrappers" and "tweekers".

Theres alot of people where i go (Blue Island) that pull those rolling tote garbage cans around with them. I drove past one guy on the way to the yard, he had a full size fridge on top of one, pointed at it when i drove past him and yelling some non sence, ok what ever bud. Then on my way home, he started yelling at me when i drove past him because i didnt stop, load his fridge in my truck and drive him the remainder of the way to the scrap yard.

Different yard today (100x more "tweakers" at this one) and someone did basically the same thing. Someone yells at another seller "THEY DIDN'T GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT?! TAKE IT BACK AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! I TAKE IT BACK STUFF FROM THESE GUYS ALL THE TIME!"... while he was waiting in line. I was thinking... wow, you really don't want to get anything for that little bit of scrap you have do you? Pretty sure it was a "tweaker."

I also saw someone basically stealing and getting caught. While in the scrap pile unloading my truck - me and one other truck are the only ones there - I see out of the corner of my eye the other guy unload a washer or dryer (couldn't quite tell), the door pops open and I hear the un-mistakable sound and then I turned and saw a BUNCH of plastic parts falling out and hitting the ground. I see the yard guy walk over (I know the yard worker but don't want to post his name on an open form), who was facing the other way at the time cause he heard it too, he starts talking to the scrapper and I hear him (offender) say "I didn't know they were in there, i'll make sure it doesn't happen again" LOL yeah sure you didn't. With the price of scrap going down, this is going to happen more and more I bet.

In my business I need the scrap yard to unload scrap. They have used magnets, claws, loaders, skid steers, etc. Getting on their bad side would cost me money because they could dilly dally around all day before they found time to unload my trailers or try to damage my equipment as payback. The need for machinery to unload means little worry about tweakers holding up the line. I love it when I arrive after employees have been harassed by scrappers because they appreciate my attitude even more.

Treating the staff right will get you many benefits in the long run. Some consider employees over looking part of a load for a better price a real benefit. A bigger benefit for me is moving from the back of a line to the front to be unloaded. They know there will be no problems with the load and they know I can move safely through working machinery. You know you are a valued customer when employees will stop working to visit with you and the boss does not mind. This type of treatment does not get extended to those that demand it, only to those that earn it. If an employee stops you on the street to visit outside the yard you know something is going right. Yes I believe in karma - is that a religion?

Originally Posted by 520

The guy who works the small scales(non ferrous) at the yard I go to has a stone face. I think that is why they put him there. He is either getting sweet talked or yelled at and his face never changes.

I try making friends with him to hopefully get my stuff graded a little higher but no. He is all business. There is one other guy who sometimes works the small scales I'm friendly with and he will grade my #2 wire higher and turn a blind eye if my brass or alum is a bit too dirty to get clean prices.

It's a similar situation when i'm doing a hand count on nickel deposit bottles that the customers bring in for redemption. The way i see it ... everybody has a personality.Some people are easier to get along with than others. Some are really difficult to deal with. It sucks to be them ... i'm so thankful that i don't have to live their life !

At the end of the day business is just business. It's got nothing to do with personality.You can't take the stupid things people do personally or it will drive you crazy.I make my best effort to be fair & impartial. I try to treat everyone that comes through with dignity and respect. See ... it's not about them and whether or not they deserve it ...it's about the kind of man i aspire to be.

The most difficult customers quickly find out that it's best not to test my limits though. I expect to be treated with dignity and respect in return. I won't hesitate to send them on their way with bottles in hand and no money in their pocket if they can't manage to be at least halfway tolerable to deal with.

~I rarely have to do that twice with someone.~