Originally Posted by
BRASSCATCHER
My brother and I made a run today to scrap yard. He called up to check pricing before we left. Got quoted: sealed units-.16, mtrs-.20,insul wire-1.10,dirty alum-.55. Got a name we spoke with, wrote down prices and off we went. Get to scale put sealed units on and ask the guy how much today? Says .12# it's light iron....Then I ask about mtrs he says .15#:confused: At that point I tell him what I got quoted a half hr ago and who quoted the price. He asked again who I spoke to, told him again and asked to speak with this person. Scale guy called office and person my brother spoke with came to scale. Explained what was going on and showed him the quoted prices and his name on the paper. He honored the prices I was quoted no questions asked and told the scale guy to pull up pricing before giving a quote to a customer. Lesson is ALWAYS call to get current prices and ALWAYS get a name.
You put that scale man on the spot - your business ethics could use some polishing.
You could have avoided this and said that you had previously spoken to such and such and these are the prices he quoted over the phone. Instead you choose the role similar to being the Village idiot. Don't feel bad I've been there many times myself.
When asking for a quote over the phone you might also ask if that price will hold for the day. I agree always ask for a name to whom your speaking with then make a note on it. Next time you call ask for that person by name.
I deal with one yard in Winnipeg where the father and son both have an interest in the business, from personal experience I have always found the father more generous while the son is on the proving ground showing dad that he is able to make the company profit. Yes profits at my expense.
I avoid dealing with the kid and always ask for the father who will always give me a fair price. The last time I was there the father was not in and the kid tried telling me that my copper wire had 25 percent moisture in it because it had rained on the way into the yard. Needless to say Adam lost out on $8,000.00 worth of clean copper wire, which would have netted the company a substantial profit.
By having Adam trying to reduce my load by 25% also told me that the company is possibly in financial trouble.
I would have liked to have been the fly on the wall when his father was having words with him over the loss of that sale.
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