I can honestly say I've never done this before. It's nobody's fault but mine.

I've made mistakes that cost much more, so I have plenty of perspective. This one was only 2800 bucks. And even that may change at some point in the future. (details to be discussed).

Received an RFQ (request for quote) for about half a dozen different parts. Faxed the quote.

Received an emailed PO. Didn't print it out. Didn't bother to read the body of the email where the PO was just for one of the parts in the RFQ....the cheapest part.

So, I busted ass and built ALL the parts. They were nice, too. Even paid for wire work (wire EDM....like an electric band saw that's really accurate).

Received a gracious email today listing what happened. Luckily the part they actually wanted will pay for the EDM work, so I'm not out actual cash. They said they want to treat me as fairly as possible, as I'm a valued vendor. Said they will be building this machine again at some point and would be able to buy the rest of the parts at that time. (at a re-negotiated price because they had someone who built them cheaper) Fair enough

So, I worked for a week for free but may get some "free money" at sometime in the future.

Oh, did I mention the wife's Jeep wouldn't start (she was down in town). So, jumped it. No dice. Down the street for a new battery. Still nada. Starter is kaput.

Now, I get to go to the scout committee meeting and argue that we should NOT be going on another 1000 dollar per person high adventure next summer, because it excludes some of the boys. They're prolly not gonna like my attitude if they push the issue.

Props for owning your mistake and maintaining perspective.

I been there before. If you relax, you can learn to enjoy it.

Ouch. When I had a subcontractor make a genuine mistake, when they were trying to do the right thing, I always tried to help them out, even if I couldn't make them whole.  But only the ones who I wanted to keep a relationship with.  This is a perfect example of why and how good customer relations can pay off tangibly.

Sorry to hear man, but way to go it oldschool

Not like he could really have done otherwise.

"Umm...  That's not what we ordered."

Oh, oops!

HA!

"Sure you ordered it.  I've got your email right here!"

Why I shop at Pilot Oil

I've seen people try to weasel out of just about anything.

It is somewhat irregular to order only part of an RFQ because it's quoted as a package. The quoter might have been relying on running certain parts in batches which are similar. Always a risk, and something you really don't do when quoting for certain companies KNOWN for cherry picking from your quote. This company, until now, hadn't played that way.

There's no hard feelings, either way. I'll just know to pay better attention with this relatively new buyer for the company.

I'd be like having someone quote putting windows in your house, and price them individually. You have a few different guys quote it. Then you pick the cheapest windows from each quote.

So, one window quoter sees a little bathroom window and just quotes the materials for it, figuring he'll make it up on the bulk of the job. OOPs.

There are some shops (and I've done this where the parts are all similar and the only way you can give a competitive price is to run them all together) which state on the quote that all parts must be ordered or price may change.

That's actually a pretty cool read for anyone in business.

Do things the right way, all the time. Had it drilled into me from the first day I stepped into the shop of a little old English guy. The kind of toolmaker who, when in apprenticeship, was given a sawn block of steel and a file and had to file and lap the block square and parallel to within .0005"

So I learned how to make stuff as well as how to treat customers. There were no corners cut in his shop.

That type of stuff is the meat and potatoes of our business.

1. Customer gets quote.
2. Customer orders part.
3. Someone in the office complains about price, even though it was approved.
4. We get it back.
5. No returns on special order items.
6. After 17 years, we have a shop with around $700,000 dollars worth of specialized yet outdated shit we will never sell and about $300,000 of stuff that turns over and is restocked.

7. We have no recourse with customer so we come back for more.

8. Yes sir, may I have another?

Well I did a job once where I measured the drawing s online and didn't catch that they changed the drawing size to 50% from one page to the next. So for the main room I only had 25% of the flooring covered in my bid. That cost me around 20k.

One time I was broke, I mean broke. I had a couple of bucks to last me till I got paid.

I went to the local self serve gas station and bought $2.00 worth of diesel. There were some bananas on the counter, asked the guy how much as I had some change.

He said "don't worry about it". Gave me $5.00 of diesel and the banana.

He said "You've been coming here for a long time. Times are tough. Don't sweat it"

Even though they're a few cents more expensive, I still go there to fill up.

I didn't forget what he did for me. Thats good business.

Well, at least the scout meeting went well. We have some great campouts/hikes/activities planned. And, the high adventure trip is doable/affordable for next summer.

I wish the boy and I could have gone to Glacier National Park, but it's just too expensive. Not to mention the fact that, I'm not sure I'd pay 2k dollars to spend a week with a couple of individuals who went. They're fine for a weekend, but...

High adventure for next summer is gonna be awesome and doesn't break the bank (nor does it need to).

Headed to the UP of MI. Kayaking around Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore. Ferry to Grand Island for fishing in Mirror Lake. Then over to Porcupine National Forest for a backpacking stint.

What's cool, is I've done the PRNLS and Grand island on snowmobiles in February several times. Traveling across Superior on snowmobile is not for the ignorant or weak of heart. One year was questionable and you could see the slush in the track of the guy ahead of you... The wife didn't like to hear that but it sounds worse than it really is.

I'm really lookin forward to this trip.

Pics of shop?

I guess I've posted pics of parts and the bench but not of the shop. It's not entirely fair because I just rent space from a much larger shop, so... My machines are fairly modest. They have quite the set up.

Different paths, I suppose. I enjoyed what I do which largely precluded me from having employees. Not many people do what I do. I also didn't like taking huge chances of over extending myself in buying expensive machines and relying on vast quantities of work coming in, steadily. Then there's the bureaucratic red tape that accompanies such endeavors.

So, I ventured modest and safely and got modest and safe returns. Would probably play the same way again.

Eh, I totally get that.  I'm at the point with furniture that I need to resolve whether I want to make things or run a company.  Not 100% sure which direction I'm going to go, but I don't want to get away from building things that I like for people that I like.  It's tough to do that AND run a company.

Well, they just gave me a package that I over quoted, and doubled their requested lead time in my estimate, today. 5K worth.

They like me.

Work's been tight. So, I actually asked for work (something I never have to do) and now, I've got it coming in from three directions.

Life is good. Always interesting. Sometimes stressful. Sometimes exciting. Always, what you make of it.