Posted: 1/13/2011 11:18:05 AM EDT
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Sorry but I need to vent.
I got a customer who wanted to have his Browning threaded and buy a suppressor from me. I gave him simple instructions that I work a day job and do the gun job in the evenings or weekends. I told him I could meet him at the store after 1800 in the evenings. He shows up at 1300 the next day demanding to see me. The personal at the store told him I wouldn’t be there until that night. They called me on the phone and I had my wife meet him and get his pistol and information. I proceeded to disassemble the pistol then take the barrel to Andy to have it threaded. When I found out the cost of the threading I quoted the price back to this person. He then went on to say he could get it done cheaper up in Dalton. ($15) I go back to Andy’s a couple days later to pick up the barrel and this ass calls me back saying to go ahead and get it done there. Now I go back to Andy and give him the barrel again. This time I tell him “no hurry”. Now this same customer is supposed to have an attorney up there make his trust but ends up calling me for my attorneys info since his couldn’t/wouldn’t do one for him. I pass the info along to him. This was all 3 to 4 weeks ago. Fast forward to last weekend, I get a call from my friend and attorney that this person had called demanding that the attorney change the way he does the trusts in order to accommodate him. Unfortunately he was talking to the attorneys wife and ended up fussing her out and upsetting her. When my friend called me and told me this I was extremely pissed. I called Andy and told him NOT to work on the barrel. My first inclination was just to give the guy back his Browning in parts but I thought that would not be very professional. I do know one thing, I will take all the self control I have to keep from plowing this SOB’s face when I do give him back his gun. What he did to my friend and his wife is intolerable and I damn sure don’t need the 60 to 70 dollars I would make off this sale. Fuck him. I run into folks like this every now and then but this one really pissed me off. |
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That's pretty messed up considering how accommodating and easy to work with you are.
Sorry you had to endure it. Look at the bright side, there are other customers that don't take it out on you and even let you laugh at them when UPS looses their rifle for 5 days... 
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I'm not worried about myself, I can deal. What really pissed me off was how he talked to my friends wife and made her upset. I understand that some times you gotta deal with stupidity and can cope. unacceptable. Kick the dipshit to the curb and be done with it. |
Nope, not yet. 
Believe me, I said fuck and a whole lot of other four letter words when I got off the phone last weekend. I tend not to type like I talk when I'm pissed. Whats funny is Sandy said she knew this guy was going to be a PIA when she met him. As usual, she is right. At least she doesn't rub it in. 
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Cull him out, he's not worth the money in his pocket, as stated prior, you are way to easy to work with. No remorse for this loser! Ah....... the charms of small business ownership, look at it this way, even an asshole can be used as an example, albeit a very bad one. FWIW, pretty good rant. |
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The older I get the less tolerance I have for BS customers. I have finally come to the realization that I can go broke just as fast, and with far fewer headaches, by weeding out the horse's hindends ASAP. Life is way too short to have to deal with the likes of him.
I often get to use the following technique on low-life pawn customers, as well as on hoity-toity high dollar jewelry repair customers, but seldom with the regular folks, thank heavens. FWIW: I'd put his Browning back together, and tell him, with a huge smile on your face, and in the most pleasant voice imaginable, that he no longer has anywhere near enough money to make it worth your time to put up with his antics. Make sure that sugar won't melt in your mouth when you tell him this! Lay the pleasantry on so thick you can't cut it with a machete, all the while letting him know that he is basically a Piece of Manure and completely unworthy of your attention. The angrier he gets, the bigger you need to smile at him, and the nicer you need to be. Then, when you have worked him into a rollicking rage, ask him very politely to leave and not to ever come back, if he hesitates, dial 911 to have him removed from the premises. Works EVERY time!!! And I always sleep SO much better that night! It's the smiling part that'll really get his goat, 'cuz he's all about making other folks miserable and you'll be refusing to play his game with him. On first impulse I ALWAYS want to get in their face and cuss them out. But when I do it the smiley way, I've taken the high road, pissed them off royally, and later that night the revenge tastes SO much sweeter 'cuz you never lost your temper and were always in control of the situation. Durn you, if you haven't just made me absolutely start looking forward to my next Piece of Manure customer.... <sighs>
Best of luck! Just keep smilin'!
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Just yesterday guy brings in item to pawn.
We agree on the loan amount and I enter his info into the computer including the SN, model number ETC on his collateral. He decides to change his mind the pawn ticket is printing. This POS has just wasted 10 minutes of my life that I will never get back. Time was I would have exploded on the POS and showed him the door but I didn't say another word and moved on to the next customer. It takes all kinds and we sure as hell ain't going like em all. TD |
| Knowing when to fire a customer is one of those skills I still need tons of work on. I have lost some stupid amounts of money on people before the thought kicked in "Wait... I'm supposed to be doing this for a living, right?". Instead of the smile mentioned above (which is very very effective and comical) I use a straight face when I do it. No reaction at all. For some reason zero reaction is the most frustrating thing I have ever done to anyone. |
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Just yesterday guy brings in item to pawn. We agree on the loan amount and I enter his info into the computer including the SN, model number ETC on his collateral. He decides to change his mind the pawn ticket is printing. This POS has just wasted 10 minutes of my life that I will never get back. Time was I would have exploded on the POS and showed him the door but I didn't say another word and moved on to the next customer. It takes all kinds and we sure as hell ain't going like em all. TD I did lose my temper at the drunk who pulled my chest hairs for not offering him enough on his ring once. I was VERY proud that I didn't shoot him, but it was close, REAL close..... 
Some many a whole lot of <sigh> most days I hate this business, but then I just consider the clientel and trudge thru another week!
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I use a straight face when I do it. No reaction at all. For some reason zero reaction is the most frustrating thing I have ever done to anyone. This tickled me. Try doing it on a $140 Million dollar deal. I still wish I had a picture of their faces when I pushed my chair away from the conference table and walked out of the room. OP- Sorry for the tangent, but his comment made me laugh, b/c it's very true. |
put his gun together send him packing . I had a c-3 dealer that did 2 of my transfers. He had a home office, His customer demand he get off a work related conference call and handle his transfer , Customer got shitty about it and the dealer canceled the approved form 4 and returned his machine gun back where it came from.  His real job paid the bills , Customer refused to wait 20 minutes and have a Coke. This guy was as nice a guy as you would meet
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Knowing when to fire a customer is one of those skills I still need tons of work on. I have lost some stupid amounts of money on people before the thought kicked in "Wait... I'm supposed to be doing this for a living, right?". Instead of the smile mentioned above (which is very very effective and comical) I use a straight face when I do it. No reaction at all. For some reason zero reaction is the most frustrating thing I have ever done to anyone. I have tried the non-emotional manner before, but I personally just don't get as much out of it, as when I'm happy and smiley and using my best sing-song voice while explaining all of their faults to them and why they need never show up ever again. I think it's the dichotomy of saying the things that one only says when one is angry, while being positively happy and pleasant towards them. Folks seem to have problems rectifying the polar opposites that just don't belong together, in their brains. And later they tend to choose to leave you alone instad of seeking revenge, because it's obvious to them that you just aren't quite right. It makes people uncomfortable when they can't quite figure out what you're really thinking, or where you're coming from. I feel MUCH safer when folks worry about whether or not I'm crazy!!! 
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I use a straight face when I do it. No reaction at all. For some reason zero reaction is the most frustrating thing I have ever done to anyone. This tickled me. Try doing it on a $140 Million dollar deal. I still wish I had a picture of their faces when I pushed my chair away from the conference table and walked out of the room. OP- Sorry for the tangent, but his comment made me laugh, b/c it's very true. I've seen it done. People would be surprised how big dollar deals degenerate into marble trading sessions amongst schoolboys. Most of the actors are keeping their bonus plans in the forefront of the negotiation, fuck everything and everyone else. It gets stupid. |
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I use a straight face when I do it. No reaction at all. For some reason zero reaction is the most frustrating thing I have ever done to anyone. This tickled me. Try doing it on a $140 Million dollar deal. I still wish I had a picture of their faces when I pushed my chair away from the conference table and walked out of the room. OP- Sorry for the tangent, but his comment made me laugh, b/c it's very true. No problem, I got a giggle while reading it too. Emu, I will do my best to do as you suggested, but remember, I did graduate from the University of Asshole with a PHD, at a little place called Paris Island. You know, to kill people and break things.
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I use a straight face when I do it. No reaction at all. For some reason zero reaction is the most frustrating thing I have ever done to anyone. This tickled me. Try doing it on a $140 Million dollar deal. I still wish I had a picture of their faces when I pushed my chair away from the conference table and walked out of the room. OP- Sorry for the tangent, but his comment made me laugh, b/c it's very true. No problem, I got a giggle while reading it too. Emu, I will do my best to do as you suggested, but remember, I did graduate from the University of Asshole with a PHD, at a little place called Paris Island. You know, to kill people and break things.   
Best of luck in keeping a big grin on your face as you pleasantly lambast the bastard!!!!
ETA: let us know how it goes! 
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