Airgas is a welding supply store in my area. I like them, but it took them 6 weeks to get a cup for my plasma - this isn't the first time, and mostly it's them dropping the ball*. That said, I like them - but I'm going to have to change suppliers unless I can figure out a way to motivate them.
So, what clever ways do you use to motivate children, employees, suppliers or strangers?
*details for those interested. I went in before Christmas and asked them to order consumables for my Thermal Dynamic plasma - the first round, I got in a week or so (4 total SKUs, 3 arrived)... but no cup. They have to "order" it. okay, no worries. 14 days (holidays) and the wrong cup arrives.... mind you, the other parts work fine, but are unique to Airgas (which I didn't know when I bought it years ago). "We will get it for you" 10 days, nothing. I stop by. Manager tells me he'll get it for me. 7 days, go back, "sometimes it takes awhile" (remember this line). 10 days, I finally drop an e-bomb on Airgas corporate. Next morning, I get a phone call from the manager "I'll airfreight them in" then he pauses like I should be saying thank you? "okay" then he says is there anything else.... okay, now I'm detecting attitude - and I tell him (mind you, he never mentions corporate - which, we find out had emailed him a few minutes before) that I don't know what to say - it's been a month (no, actually 6 weeks) since the original order and quite frankly I don't get why he thinks I should thank him for screwing me over. It's on reflection, I realize that he could have next-day-air the part 4 weeks ago. Then I get a phone call from someone else at the Airgas store saying my part has arrived. *Deep breath* does Steve know this? "yep" and "he's not here now".... so I need the cup, and they're the only game in town - so I go get it. "Oh we didn't get both of them".... I know Airgas, this isn't the first time this has happened so I pre-plan my $500 consumable purchases to calculate for their recaltrance at getting stuff.... but this time, 6 weeks? how do you plan for that crap? At the store, the regional manager is standing there and I'm all about going, getting the part and leaving with maybe a pleasantry - after all, there's little I can do and I don't trust myself to say anything nice. So the RM says he's 'sorry' I look at him like he's grown a third head (and his eyes don't track so I avoid looking at him because I have no idea what that eye is looking at).... but that overcame my reluctance. I said "you know, this isn't the first or even the second time this has happened and quite frankly I'm done with this - I'm stuck with you because of that stupid torch and I'm unwilling to spend $400 to buy a torch that takes common consumables - but not just that it defies my common sense to purchase something to fix your incompetence" You asked me if there's anything you can do? there's nothing you can do because if I accept anything from you then the implication is I'll continue being a customer and everything is fine.... but that just isn't going to happen. Praxair is looking to be my supplier for parts and since I'm in the market for a new Miller 220 and potentially a bit stronger Plasma machine - I suspect they'll do whatever I want. And consider this - when I went in their store, the 220 was available AND $200 off retail. I asked you to bring 220 in and you haven't yet done it.... I get it, *uck Aaron... so no, there's nothing you can do except keep these parts on hand. And the other bit about the Airgas torch is their tolerances aren't that great so for every 4 SKU 1 won't work when new....
There are a couple happy things, though. ESAB bought Thermal Dynamics - so parts availability will be better (TD was not a financially stable company), and second, my exact machine Cutmaster 42 is still being sold and about $1200 more then what I paid for it.... so if I do update, it'll be good for me.
So, what clever ways do you use to motivate children, employees, suppliers or strangers?
*details for those interested. I went in before Christmas and asked them to order consumables for my Thermal Dynamic plasma - the first round, I got in a week or so (4 total SKUs, 3 arrived)... but no cup. They have to "order" it. okay, no worries. 14 days (holidays) and the wrong cup arrives.... mind you, the other parts work fine, but are unique to Airgas (which I didn't know when I bought it years ago). "We will get it for you" 10 days, nothing. I stop by. Manager tells me he'll get it for me. 7 days, go back, "sometimes it takes awhile" (remember this line). 10 days, I finally drop an e-bomb on Airgas corporate. Next morning, I get a phone call from the manager "I'll airfreight them in" then he pauses like I should be saying thank you? "okay" then he says is there anything else.... okay, now I'm detecting attitude - and I tell him (mind you, he never mentions corporate - which, we find out had emailed him a few minutes before) that I don't know what to say - it's been a month (no, actually 6 weeks) since the original order and quite frankly I don't get why he thinks I should thank him for screwing me over. It's on reflection, I realize that he could have next-day-air the part 4 weeks ago. Then I get a phone call from someone else at the Airgas store saying my part has arrived. *Deep breath* does Steve know this? "yep" and "he's not here now".... so I need the cup, and they're the only game in town - so I go get it. "Oh we didn't get both of them".... I know Airgas, this isn't the first time this has happened so I pre-plan my $500 consumable purchases to calculate for their recaltrance at getting stuff.... but this time, 6 weeks? how do you plan for that crap? At the store, the regional manager is standing there and I'm all about going, getting the part and leaving with maybe a pleasantry - after all, there's little I can do and I don't trust myself to say anything nice. So the RM says he's 'sorry' I look at him like he's grown a third head (and his eyes don't track so I avoid looking at him because I have no idea what that eye is looking at).... but that overcame my reluctance. I said "you know, this isn't the first or even the second time this has happened and quite frankly I'm done with this - I'm stuck with you because of that stupid torch and I'm unwilling to spend $400 to buy a torch that takes common consumables - but not just that it defies my common sense to purchase something to fix your incompetence" You asked me if there's anything you can do? there's nothing you can do because if I accept anything from you then the implication is I'll continue being a customer and everything is fine.... but that just isn't going to happen. Praxair is looking to be my supplier for parts and since I'm in the market for a new Miller 220 and potentially a bit stronger Plasma machine - I suspect they'll do whatever I want. And consider this - when I went in their store, the 220 was available AND $200 off retail. I asked you to bring 220 in and you haven't yet done it.... I get it, *uck Aaron... so no, there's nothing you can do except keep these parts on hand. And the other bit about the Airgas torch is their tolerances aren't that great so for every 4 SKU 1 won't work when new....
There are a couple happy things, though. ESAB bought Thermal Dynamics - so parts availability will be better (TD was not a financially stable company), and second, my exact machine Cutmaster 42 is still being sold and about $1200 more then what I paid for it.... so if I do update, it'll be good for me.
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