Well this ordeal makes three now in the past few years, I know I didn't handle it right, but in the end nobody really cares, least of all me, sorry for the complaint session but here goes anyhow. We've all had it happen, places we've done business with for decades, thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of business and the place get sold off to someone larger and before you know it, your a number, not a person, pretty typical as of lately and maybe I'd had enough but these last two got me. The first one was a company that started their own financial institution and the local dealers no longer handled the accounts, payments to be made to some corporate office states away and anything charged on the account, payments had to be mailed in, not tough, almost any idiot can handle that, guess I'm not a normal idiot, I must be some sort of special idiot who just couldn't achieve it on time, even if I mailed off the payment the day I got the bill, always a late fee charge on my account, every single time, I tried to send it off certified with signature confirmation, nothing seemed to work. So I opted for plan B, cancel the account, take the business elsewhere, runner up business number two can seem to cash my check on time and I've never had a single late fee yet in over two years now. But this next one got me, done business for decades, and I mean like almost 40 years, they know me, always have, when we have issues, I register a complaint and things move forward, but it seems I overlooked a bill I forgot to pay, so their billing department called, didn't recognize the woman at all so I asked who she was, was told her name and what she wanted, asked what it was for and was told after some hassle, which seemed to be an inconvenience to her, but got told anyhow. OOPPs my bad, totally forgot, said I was sorry and when I went by there again I'd drop in and pay it, not much anyhow, a few hundred bucks and I figured that was it, about to hang up and I got blasted with questions, so being in the wrong I was cordial and started to answer them while standing out on a jobsite and doing work. They started pretty simple like, when are you going to stop by, answered with the truth, have no real idea, is this bill going to bankrupt the company and put you over the edge which went unanswered and she kept badgering me for a time and day I'd pay it. Well I know bookkeepers have a bad job collecting, not a job I'd want ever but since she was persistent I told her the truth, I'm in the middle of nowhere, been here for weeks, get up before dawn and go make it back home long after the sun goes down and a couple hundred bucks isn't something I'd lose sleep over and when I got that far I'd take care of it, pay my interest and service charges and do better next time. Then as they say the conversation turned ugly pretty quickly, seeing how I'm old enough to be her dad, maybe even grandpa and she's not yet old enough to legally drink, didn't feel it was quite right to get a half arshed lecture about responsibility from her which she seemed to feel I needed and so I got anyhow over the phone, which was ok to a point, but then came the lecture about reading my bills and paying them on time, promptly told her the next time I went in to get something, the parts guy would tack it onto my parts list and it would get paid anyhow in full then, which could be in a couple days, maybe a week, a month at most and seeing how I'd done maybe 40k in business there this year alone, paid in full each time, didn't feel too concerned over it, probably do another 10-20k before years end, being a month late on 200 bucks wasn't alarming, I'd pay it in full when I got that far. Well then I was told people do mail in the bill when notified via phone, the mail still worked I was told................................................... long pause on my end and I told her I'd have to remember to do it when I got home, seeing how I'm not responsible enough to pay on time, doubt I'd remember it when I got home that night to do it, which was followed by a lecture on setting a reminder on my cell phone and how all responsible ADULTS should know how to do that......................................... which brought about a conversation on cell phone usage and how I could set a text message reminder on my phone to remind me to pay the bill................................................................................................................... followed by I don't text message anything, anyone for any reason, I talk to them, which brought about the next topic of conversation which was email alerts she could send me and the use of a credit card and on line banking......................................................................................................................................... Well I'd had about enough so I told her I'm totally in the wrong, I know that, it hasn't happened often, won't happen again and I'd do better in the future and promptly hung up. Well a few minutes later the remaining phrase rang in my mind "Is there anything I can do to help get this bill paid quicker" So I called her back and reminded her of her statement and she said absolutely anything to correct the delinquent account........................... ok anyhow I went onto to tell her, it would save valuable time on my part looking for the bill at home, or even to remember about it when I got that far, I know it was kinda out of the ordinary to even ask, but it wouldn't cost her a thing, take only a second of her time and she said sure whatever it is considered it done. I told her to call me that evening to remind me of it and with the amount I had no pen or paper on me now to jot down the address or amount. A very long pause on the other end and knowing it wasn't a good thing to even ask, I was somewhat ashamed to even have asked it, but then came the response I wasn't quite prepared for, I'd thought I'd heard them all while trying to get paid myself, but she spurted out reasons why she couldn't do as I asked, dozens of them, none I can print here and most I'd never heard before from even the worst dead beats I'd ever had the misfortune to do business with in the past. Now to tell me no would have been one thing, but to come up with total BS excuses as to why she couldn't was another altogether. The more excuses she came up with the madder I got, so to add insult to injury I told her it was simple, just text message herself a reminder, email herself the reminder, set an alarm on her phone to do it at such and such a time, any responsible adult should be able to do it, and pretty much retold her what she told me moments before, turns out she didn't take it well and hung up on me. The longer I've had to think this over, the less sympathy I have for any billing department anywhere or anyone trying to collect a bill no matter the circumstances, but one thing did happen, if you make a person mad enough, they do remember, so I did get the payment sent off via a registered letter and now I'm wondering if I go back to do business there again, can't imagine what it would be if I were delinquent for months or even years on an account or was a new person doing business there. Well word must have gotten out as to what a ***** I was and my local store called me to ask what's up, had a chat and asked what now?? Well after a long pause on the other end I was asked how I wanted it handled to which I replied, first and foremost I was in the wrong, I owned it and didn't get it sent in on time, totally my problem and responsibility but from then on maybe it went over the top a bit on their end and there was a long silence on the other end and after a few minutes was asked, will you do business with us again and what will it take to get you back into the door, we appreciate your business and don't want to lose you over this. What would you do?? Well while your thinking about it, I'll tell you what I did, I asked how much for a cash discount I get the next time and every time I come in the door, what's my business paid in full each time worth to them? 2%, 5%, 10% or how about I put down 10k or 50k on account and we just draw off it till its gone...............long pause on the other end again and I went on to tell them, yea I'd like to RECIEVE half of what they CHARGE each month or about .75% per month, I'd take care of billing them and they could pay me with a check each month for the interest on the unused balance, didn't get much of a response followed by I'm thinking on it, you might want to as well and said have a nice day.................goodbye. Well not sure who's more in the wrong on this one, or if I should be thankful, upset, ticked off, go elsewhere, close my account and trade off some equipment to a different brand, demand someone get canned over this, demand an apology, apologize to someone over this or what for sure to do??
Call and ask the person who originally gave you all the grief to lunch to lunch so you can apologize. Get her cell number so you can connect where you meet. Then continue your work, call her at the lunch meeting time on her cell and tell her you were told she was really fat so it would be unhealthy to buy her dinner. Sweet revenge, no witnesses. Actually I would send a certified letter to the parent company and copy the local branch. At the amount you are spending each week I would expect you will get a response if they give a crap at all. And if they don't they are probably not worth doing business with.
Well the only major hitch in this idea is corporate is now states away, not miles away, at first I didn't even recognize the area code on my caller id on my phone, billing is all done now at corporate instead of locally like its been done for decades. As for the store I do business with, the manager in charge isn't really to blame at all, it won't do any good to give him too much grief, its out of his hands now and over his head, it might help to complain to the higher ups, but doubtful and would only end up wasting time is about all. I usually pay the bill as I get stuff, but this time around they billed me for a core I sent in, which turned out bad they claimed, and automatically billed my account, the reason I asked in the first place what it was about. I was just curious as to what others would do if in my place, or have done when it happened to them, there's no way I can be the only one this ever happens to, but then again...............
Hence the reason I pay for everything over the counter. If a vendor does not collect for parts don't call me later becUse I will not even entertain the conversation. I do not have the time to keep track of all the different vendors I utilize monthly to make sure they are billing me correctly. But I'm just a small operation and have only been doing it successfully for about 10 years now. So kinda new at this.
Randy I have had the same scenario happen to me also over 38 cents! I talked to the big wheel that I know at the branch were the relationship is. It went nowhere... Seems like unless you do millions of dollars of business there you are fly poo on the wall. The small contractor dose not mean much these days.
close the account
If they are asking YOU what it will keep you coming to them, I wouldn't be too concerned over that phone conversation, sounds like they are worried about losing your buisness over that phone call. You are on the right track, discount over and above anything you already are recieving as a regular customer. If you get 5% off now, try for 15 or 20%. Saves you a few extra bucks. See what they will give you. No idea what sort of margins they have on parts, if it is consitant between different part classes, or what, but I'd rather pay jobber prices than counter prices. I'd also add an 'if I miss a payment in the future, I'd appreciate a reminder, not a chiding from somebody playing collection agent who isn't old enough to be your . Alex.
Yep, the core charge !!!!, I hand all cores in as I get the new part, deduct core charge from invoice and pay the bill. I learned years ago .
I would pay the bill and close out but I get worked up about that sort of thing.
The local store is worried about losing my business, but those in the corporate office could care less in my opinion, those in billing don't look at the volume of business anyone does, then compares it to what's owed at that moment, they only ever see what the amount you owe them, then do whatever it takes to get it collected and apparently whatever tactics it takes to get the job done. I've had issues with other places doing this to me in the past, once its sold out to a larger firm, or billing is moved out of the local store, we've had issues and some we've cancelled the accounts, others we've set up with the local store and when its billed its held in limbo so to speak, not submitted to corporate ever and I deal only with the locals. Some we have quit doing business with altogether, others we work with, but any way you look at it, I've never had it where once the business is sold off and billing/management is moved out of the locals hands, things are ever any better than before. I doubt I'll ever get much of a discount, let alone anything else I mentioned, but I was hoping for the manager to step up to the plate, make an offer to keep billing local for me and out of corporates hands and have a chat with corporate to never call me again concerning my account, which I doubt he has the authority to do at all, seeing how he's just an employee, like anyone else, and wants to keep his job and not go up against those in charge. I do know as of lately, I'm not really excited to open any new charge accounts anywhere, I've got a few places right now that I do enough volume of business with and don't have anything more than a cash account with and issues come up when I have a credit and don't have an account with them, they seem to set up one for me anyhow, not sure that's a good thing not.
It sounds like the problem is with someone that you don't know and have never had to deal with before. Put yourself in a position where you don't have to ever deal with them again. Get a CC with reward points or miles and use it every time you buy from them- it adds up fast. If their service is good, keep using them. If their corporate credit department is a hassle, use credit of your choice. Let them take the 4-5% hit when you use the card and get some airline tickets out of the deal.
Around here the added cost of using the credit card is tacked onto my bill upfront, when I use the card, some call it a convenience fee, its stated up front and ranges from 3-5 percent added cost is tacked on above and beyond the original bill. How its done elsewhere I have no idea. Also most places will require me to call in with my card once a core charge is tacked onto my account, they won't directly deduct it from the card, even if its on file with them, some places will call to authorize its use if it is on file, but most won't at first, not until your past due, they can then collect 1.5 percent per month, then depending on how many months over due the bill is, then ask for the authorization to use the card at an added fee of 3-5 percent. Anyhow you look at it, business's don't lose money on any account, ever, they sort of have it figured out how to work the system in their favor. I've also noticed that if I have a credit card on file, or use a card to pay the bill, cores seem to always be bad, when its paid for with a check, they seem to be good, could just be my imagination, but I've noticed this over time this works out about 9 out of 10 times. Then while on the topic of core charges, this is added to roast most people, me in particular, this place does it and its becoming more common as time goes by elsewhere, lets say I buy a product that requires a core to get sent in, lets say on June 25th, the bill is paid and time goes by, the next month there is nothing on the bill, since the core hadn't been looked at yet and the billing didn't come through, another month goes by and now its into August, say around the 5th of the month, a call comes in I'm delinquent on my account, the core came back and was billed backdating it to the time of purchase, I'm now considered two months late on paying the bill, not from the date the core was found bad and billed off of that date, which is pretty much what happened on this ordeal. They viewed it as the month of June, July and its August and I'm 60 days past due on the 5th of August and I didn't have a clue I owed anything. Some refer to it as an open ticket, others have a different term for them but its about the same thing. Ironically I've done business with places that I didn't have a charge account with them, paid it up front and when this would happen, they open one in my name and call to get my information and bill me accordingly, or just take your information off your check or off your credit card info and set up an account for you and send out the bill, they'll do it the same way for a refund now as well if you return parts or anything and instead of giving you cash back, they set up an account and put into an in house credit on your account. A few places I deal with will refund your money after 60 or 90 days if you haven't used up the credit amount on your account, of course without any form of interest or paid fee's to me for the use of my money, but anyhow, its how things are done in corporate business today. As for using credit cards, and let them take the hit of 4-5 percent, must be nice, but beware corporate business might be coming your way soon and things could change to what they are around here, doesn't make those free tickets look quite so cheap after awhile, but rather the highest priced one's anyone could ever buy, depending on how much volume of business you do, also the last time I checked every business has a some sort of scam going on and nothing is ever free, you pay it all in the end somehow............or at least I do. I've always said charge accounts, credit cards a host of other things are a business's way to get more out of you over a longer period of time, not just upfront like it used to be done. I joked years ago to a few banks, that sooner or later I'd have to pay to keep my money safe within their walls, in the form of any deposit, account, money market account or form of a bond, not pay me for the use of my money in the form of interest, looking at it now, it may shortly no longer be a joke, but rather reality.
The only solution I have seen was carrying my check book with me and settling the purchase at time of pick up. I had accounts with a couple of hydraulic component suppliers and had no problems as long as the bulk of their customer base was paying their accounts on time. When I got a call one time about things tightening up and the credit lady was starting to turn into a dragon, I cancelled the account and just went back to using the check book again. Being on the other side of a transaction I had customers that were constantly over 30 days out and some consistently over 60 days. It was easy enough to just tell people to pay up before I could return. I had a bank officer tell me I was missing out by not using on line banking and wanting to know why I would not start doing it. The hard sell aggravated me some and my reply came out of my head before I could give it some thought. I told her that if there was a mistake I was more likely to get it corrected when I could grab the problem around the throat. I think it might have offended her but she shut up after that. Unfortunately the dragon ladies usually sit at a desk in a big building and feel they can say anything they want over the phone. If you want to keep the account, then pay it on time and the dragon lady won't be on the phone to you.
The sad part is they truly beleive that they are 100% right and you are just an ignorant working man that isn't kissing backside and doing as they say. "Be happy in your work."