I need more customers like this.

[knight_toolworks]

I got a email from a local company to cut some shelves. really simple 9 curves shelves of a sheet of 1/2" plywood. I think it took 15 minutes and I told them 60.00
they drop- the wood off when I am not in the shop then pick the shelves up while I was at lunch and they left a check. I jsut checked it as I was going to deposit it and it was for 540.00 not 60. I was thinking the job was 54.00 and had to look it up. I found they invoiced it at 60.00 a shelf.
I wonder if my original contact thought it was 540 or it got messed up somewhere along the time.
they were sure happy when I called and told them about it.

[myxpykalix]

so did you keep the 540 or give the balance back?

[knight_toolworks]

they are sending me a new check. I wanted to cash it and give them back the rest as I am broke. But I wonder if it was a mess up on the billing and he goofed up or he thought that's what I was charging.

[kubotaman]

Doesn't make any difference why the mix up. It boils down to the fact that you were honest! Lot's of people wouldn't have been. Most likely it will bring some more work!!

[knight_toolworks]

Doesn't make any difference why the mix up. It boils down to the fact that you were honest! Lot's of people wouldn't have been. Most likely it will bring some more work!!

I agree it did not matter. but I wonder if he was willing to pay that much?

[Acmeaviator]

Vnice - I agree with the others...no need to bring bad karma (or whatever) on yourself:eek:

[michael_schwartz]

most people wouldn't do that these days. Hopefully they bring you more buisness.

[CNYDWW]

I had a similar situation last year accept it was simply double payment. Billed their credit card and they sent me a check after. I obviously returned the check marked void paid in full. Ever since they've been a regular customer.

[knight_toolworks]

hopfully it will pay off but it needed done no matter what. But man I needed that 60.00 today.

[kartracer63]

You did the right thing Steve. I corrected a $15.00 error with a local realty company that led to a $675.00 order. More than likely, it'll lead to even more because they were super happy with that order.

As much as I could possibly need the money... honesty is far too important to me.

Sleep well my friend!

[curtiss]

In politics, one is considered honest (and re-elected) if they say...

"Hey, I'm honest, I said I took the money..."

[MogulTx]

Gee Curtis,

I always thought of this as a NICE website. Why would you want to go bring politicians into this?

[MogulTx]

Eric,

I am with you ( and all the others who are responding in this manner) but you said it well: As much as I might need the money, I need my honesty more. (And I expect the same from my customers. And very few of them ever let me down.)

All the best to all of you botters! ( not the politrickians!)

Monty

[magic]

The opposite usually happens to me. The customer arrives to pick up THEN decides to haggle over price.

[curtiss]

Hope you did not take my above comment the wrong way....:)

Mr. Knight certainly took the proper action.

[backyard_cnc]

Honesty is always the best policy.............except when the wife asks who ate the last piece of cheesecake. Then I fib and blame it on the dog! I figure as long as I let the dog finish a few crumbs from the plate, it isn't a total lie :-)

Does this make me a bad person or just a coward?:eek:

Gerald

[beacon14]

I took a deposit from a repeat customer last week, and was discussing the installation schedule since both they and I will be out of town over the next few weeks. He looked at me and said, "don't worry too much about it, take your time and do it right"! I just looked at him in stunned disbelief for few seconds; it's been a long time since anyone said anything like that to me. Usually it's "when can I have it and can I get a discount?"

I sure could use more customers like that.

[Brady Watson]

If you didn't earn it, then it is stealing. Plain & simple. Integrity is by far, the most valuable component in your life regardless of whether it involves a business decision or not. Shoot straight, do your best, and do what you say you are going to do - when you say you are going to do it!

The latter is often difficult these days I find, because most of the new & repeat orders coming in are 'rush orders' - which I feel is a product of all this economy mumbo-jumbo. Places working on tight margins, lean manufacturing paradigms and big promises in order to get the job in the 1st place - topped off with the convenience we have all come to expect from a 24/7/365 world.

I've gone back to charging for rush fees. This gives ME the option to charge more for working nights and weekends away from my family, but more importantly, it weeds out the truly needy and those that just want to have their stuff sooner. Taking on a rush order from a good existing customer, or even a new one, often means I have to put aside someone in the schedule...I feel bad about that with empathy, "What if that was me that had to wait?" - I find a 20% premium on rush orders weeds out those that really need things quickly, and gives me some wiggle room to discount the customer who might have to wait another day or 2 to get his stuff because of the rush order. So...the rushee gives 20%, the waitee gets 10% off, the house keeps 10% for the hoop jumping. Everybody wins.

Remember... Pigs get fat - Hogs get slaughtered.

-B

[michael_schwartz]

I had a contractor ask the other day of I would be able to deliver a custom kitchen by the end of the month. Apparently their client was set on that deadline and they were not interested in a quote if it couldn't be met.I suppose larger shops that stock the necessary materials, and hardware could pull it off but its not like they are going to drop what they are doing to place the job at the top of their production schedule.

Still I have a suspicion that deadline will come and go and these folks wont have a kitchen.

[Gary Campbell]

I like to test my "need it right now" clients by asking if I coud write down their reasons.

When asked why, I tell them that "should my next potential rush job client use the same reason, I will know that you will understand why I put aside your job for theirs". Most non commercial clients reconsider. Most commercial clients explain the situation and negotiate a premium similar to that in Brady's post above.

[knight_toolworks]

Well I asked my customer because they redesigned the shelves so I cut them again. it was a clerical error. though I told him I could cut several sheets for the original price.
Myself must of my customers are rush jobs. so it is not much of an issue and not usually a problem. only weh nI have full days booked and that does not happen enough really.