Re: What would you do?

[Tracy Boyington <trlyboyi -at- GENESIS -dot- ODVTE -dot- STATE -dot- OK -dot- US>]

> Matt Ion wrote:
> It's easy to see the extremes and assume everyone in the chain that
> brings you such tripe is a fool, but there's really a lot of middle
> ground to consider.  To use the construction field as an analogy again,
> a hack worker in a cabinet shop may turn out dozens of cabinets with
> some well-hidden flaw that doesn't become apparent until the cabinets
> are installed and used.

But we're not talking about well-hidden flaws here. We're talking
about their marketing materials. Wouldn't you assume that they would
have spent a little bit of time and effort on this? I mean, in terms
of cabinetmaking, I see this as a big crack in the door, not a hidden
flaw.

> So if you're a contractor who installs one of
> these cabinets for someone, and you find the flaw, do you assume that
> EVERYONE at the company that supplied the cabinets is an incompetent
> boob and just never buy them again, or do you inform someone there in
> the hopes that they can root out Mr. Fumblefingers and get rid of him?

I assume that the company doesn't have adequate quality control,
which is apparently true. And I assume that if I buy anything else
from this company, there's a chance I will get Mr. Fumblefingers'
work again. I don't automatically assume they're *all* fools, but I
do assume that if one slips in, so can 2 or 3. And no, I probably
don't buy anything from them again if I can help it.

Do I call them and explain why I'm not buying from them again? I
doubt it. Again, if they call me or if they send me some kind of
customer survey, I'll tell them the truth. But why would I want to
act as their quality inspector and call them up to explain
specifically what mistakes they made and how to fix them? I don't
have time for that... I'm too busy taking notes, making coffee,
and having long philosophical e-mail discussions ;-). And
furthermore, why would I want to help them clean up their "first
impression" when for all I know they really *are* a bunch of lousy
cabinetmakers (or writers)? Who am I helping by doing that?

So, Sue, have you decided what to do yet?

Tracy


==========================================================
Tracy Boyington  trlyboyi -at- genesis -dot- odvte -dot- state -dot- ok -dot- us
Oklahoma Department of Vocational & Technical Education
Stillwater, Oklahoma

My opinions belong to me and not ODVTE.

"I think I did pretty well, considering I started out
with nothing but a bunch of blank paper."
-- Steve Martin
==========================================================

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