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  • Clever motivational tools... oh Pdub, a question

    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.

    Doing it all wrong since 1966

  • #2
    I've figured out somewhat how to motivate myself.

    I haven't figured out how to motivate others...at least, if I do motivate them, I don't know how I did it.

    But I've also learned that depending on others to get parts "ordered" for me in today's internet world, is a path I don't want to take, if I can possibly avoid it. And usually, I can.

    My fabulous web page

    "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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    • #3
      Originally posted by SuperBuickGuy View Post

      So, what clever ways do you use to motivate children, employees, suppliers or strangers?
      I'm overly assuming that this is the "question." There are a number of ways. Embarrassment doesn't seen to work these days and whipping their ass is no longer socially acceptable.

      All of the plasma stuff is way far above my head so if it boils down to psychology the only solution is to pry your way in and make them "want" to do the right thing. If they don't want to, they never will.

      It pales in comparison, but when we were putting the blower on Red (months of rookie struggle), the last legible step on the poorly written directions was, put this hockey puck looking thing in the electrical line running from the MAF sensor going to the car's computer. I looked over in the Santa Claus-sized box and there were no parts left in the box.

      I had already spent more time at Ace Hardware buying rubber hoses and fittings they did not send, so I was not surprised. I raised, uh, a ruckus and they airlifted the miracle hockey puck. As soon as I saw it out of the box........I've seen something like this before.

      I had taken that piece out of the Santa Claus box and set it on a shelf in the garage. This was about a $300 part by itself. I apologized to them and sent the extra one back. And they were glad to get it, I'm sure. And probably more glad than me that the car cranked after we had used up all of the parts.

      Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

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      • #4
        Customer service blows nowadays. Hard as heck getting a smart alek behind the counter
        Aimee is great! Gets exactly what I want/need... All the rest in the store and other stores are hard to work with...

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        • #5
          It may be easy to motivate a person but you're trying to motivate a company. The way that has to be done is from within by people at the top.

          You have, by pointing out to them that their service is lacking, done your part in trying to motivate the company. Now it's up to them if they wish to keep you and other customers.
          Tim
          Melbourne Australia

          65 Hardtop Impala, 70 GTS Monaro, 93 "80" Landcruiser

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          • #6
            Originally posted by 65RHDEER View Post
            It may be easy to motivate a person but you're trying to motivate a company. The way that has to be done is from within by people at the top.

            You have, by pointing out to them that their service is lacking, done your part in trying to motivate the company. Now it's up to them if they wish to keep you and other customers.
            Still trying to address the question - if the boss doesn't believe it and live it, nobody else will.
            Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

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            • #7
              There is such a thing as integrity. It's all tied to honesty, but that's all been lost in our internet Smart Phone society. Business as done reflects society. I for one have lost trust. For the most part. There are sectors, local businesses who still do transactions as friends. The younger the employees get, the more emotion is lost.
              Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

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              • #8
                So, Air gas doesn't stock the cup for your unit.
                Maybe it's because It isn't something many of their customer base need?
                Maybe, pick up 2 next time, so when you need to replace the one on the unit/tool, you have the spare, and can order a new spare,without work stoppage, before you "need" it.
                Businesses today don't stock stuff on the hope that you'll be back to buy another. not today. were most online shop. If it isn't a part that those that weld for a living need, they are not going to keep it in inventory. That is smart business. Same reason an auto parts store doesn't stock cap and rotor for an amc401 in the hopes that someone will be in to buy it. And even if a customer does come in and buy it after they get it in from the local warehouse, they are not now going to stock a set, in the hopes that, you'll be back to buy another,


                But If I knew no one stocked a part that I'll need to replace from time to time, I'd have a spare on hand, in MY stock/inventory. , some call that being prepared. but YMMV.
                Last edited by Eric; January 22, 2019, 01:53 AM.

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                • #9
                  Why Airgas doesn't make it easy to get consumables (operative word, "consume") for a machine they sell/stock in the showroom, I don't know but they do seem to focus on commercial accounts not the walk-ins. For TD I've had better luck here: https://www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.c...ermal-dynamics The last thing I bought from them was $400 when Airgas wanted $500 and shipping took less time than Airgas's "special order" process. The only trick is, you're kinda on your own to figure out exactly the part you need.

                  ...

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                  • #10
                    Once I was at the local Toyota dealership buying a new pressurized gas line from their Parts counter and asked the guy if the hose clips required a specialty tool to install or if it was just a twist-lock connector. He says he doesn't know and will have to check with the Service department. The Service Manager comes by the counter and introduced himself, so I repeat my question. He looks at me and says; "So, you want access to our expert Technical Assistance for no charge"?

                    What .. no, really ?

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                    • #11
                      Toyotas need service? Huh....I'm shocked. I thought they were perfect and lasted forever, with nary a problem.

                      My fabulous web page

                      "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by squirrel View Post
                        Toyotas need service? Huh....I'm shocked. I thought they were perfect and lasted forever, with nary a problem.
                        Yeah, and they have Service departments for the other cars....
                        Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Eric View Post
                          So, Air gas doesn't stock the cup for your unit.
                          Maybe it's because It isn't something many of their customer base need?
                          Maybe, pick up 2 next time, so when you need to replace the one on the unit/tool, you have the spare, and can order a new spare,without work stoppage, before you "need" it.
                          Businesses today don't stock stuff on the hope that you'll be back to buy another. not today. were most online shop. If it isn't a part that those that weld for a living need, they are not going to keep it in inventory. That is smart business. Same reason an auto parts store doesn't stock cap and rotor for an amc401 in the hopes that someone will be in to buy it. And even if a customer does come in and buy it after they get it in from the local warehouse, they are not now going to stock a set, in the hopes that, you'll be back to buy another,


                          But If I knew no one stocked a part that I'll need to replace from time to time, I'd have a spare on hand, in MY stock/inventory. , some call that being prepared. but YMMV.
                          read the fine print again - the answer to all of your questions are there. let's give you the tl;dr - I had figured 10 days and gave them as much, but it took more then 6 weeks.... with nary a call, or even an order being submitted in 4 weeks.
                          Last edited by SuperBuickGuy; January 22, 2019, 08:16 AM.
                          Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Loren View Post
                            Why Airgas doesn't make it easy to get consumables (operative word, "consume") for a machine they sell/stock in the showroom, I don't know but they do seem to focus on commercial accounts not the walk-ins. For TD I've had better luck here: https://www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.c...ermal-dynamics The last thing I bought from them was $400 when Airgas wanted $500 and shipping took less time than Airgas's "special order" process. The only trick is, you're kinda on your own to figure out exactly the part you need.
                            I'm hoping Praxair can solve the issue because if I didn't have to go back to Airgas for awhile, I'd be okay with that.... but it's an Airgas-only item, at least, that's the story right now. Usually my answer to issues like this is 'simply' build it myself, but I'm not sure I can get the tungsten in the start cartridge .... so there is that.

                            Commercial accounts - can you imagine what a commercial account would say to this? I suspect that commercial accounts are having trouble too - they had to order in a cup for my Tweco MIG gun.... a Tweco gun.... I think a good tell of how Airgas is doing is their lack of stock - Praxair has a Miller 220 to put your hands on, Airgas doesn't.... heck, Praxair has all 3 machines in that class (ESAB and Lincoln) - Airgas .... zero.

                            hmmm.... I think you hit the true issue.... Airgas is struggling financially, just recently I bought tri-mix for aluminum welding and they had zero in stock - I know I'm not the only one who uses that mix because it was a boat builder (aluminum fishing boats) who suggested it.....

                            yet still - maybe the very root of the situation is employees who don't follow through... and for that, I'm not sure there is an answer
                            Last edited by SuperBuickGuy; January 22, 2019, 08:23 AM.
                            Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by SuperBuickGuy View Post
                              Originally posted by squirrel View Post
                              Toyotas need service? Huh....I'm shocked. I thought they were perfect and lasted forever, with nary a problem.
                              Yeah, and they have Service departments for the other cars....
                              Okay, yuck it up bozo's .. upon close examination of the part, it was determined that the damage to the line was caused by gray squirrels.

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