Behavioral Conditioning - Do South African suppliers prefer unpleasant customers?

[David Greyling]

I'm sure this has been dealt with before in some way, but I've had this experience a few times and am hoping that some of the retailers/ suppliers read it. It's not restricted to cycling purchases either, however as that is the majority of my spend, it is the majority of my experience.

 

I generally try to be as accommodating as possible. Having mates in bike shops I understand that we are at the bottom of a very big continent, very far away from suppliers. As a result, when someone asks me "when do you need this by" I usually reply something along the lines of "as quickly as is reasonable". I try to entertain the inevitable, "we're still waiting for our suppliers" comments and phone calls with the utmost decorum and a healthy dose of sympathy given above mentioned friends lamenting our position. I try not to think about the fact that an order from an international supplier would have been cheaper, and arrived faster, with less hassle (again, not cycling specific, motorcycle, clothing, books and DVDs all the same here)

 

Interesting then that only after multiple follow up calls, and when I start getting upset and demanding, that the retailer starts making a real effort to get it done. In fact, I appear to get better service when I'm angry, than when I'm relaxed and accommodating. The Pavlovian vestigial tail is wagging here, reward me for swearing at you and I'll do it again next time...

 

I know that it is natural in a service based industry (yes, I consider retail as service...) to deal with the issues (red faced shouting ones) first, but perhaps it would be worth looking after the quiet accommodating guys first, because they will often quietly take their business elsewhere and you won't have even noticed it arriving in the first place.

 

Rant over.

[Java001]

I'm sure this has been dealt with before in some way, but I've had this experience a few times and am hoping that some of the retailers/ suppliers read it. It's not restricted to cycling purchases either, however as that is the majority of my spend, it is the majority of my experience.

 

I generally try to be as accommodating as possible. Having mates in bike shops I understand that we are at the bottom of a very big continent, very far away from suppliers. As a result, when someone asks me "when do you need this by" I usually reply something along the lines of "as quickly as is reasonable". I try to entertain the inevitable, "we're still waiting for our suppliers" comments and phone calls with the utmost decorum and a healthy dose of sympathy given above mentioned friends lamenting our position. I try not to think about the fact that an order from an international supplier would have been cheaper, and arrived faster, with less hassle (again, not cycling specific, motorcycle, clothing, books and DVDs all the same here)

 

Interesting then that only after multiple follow up calls, and when I start getting upset and demanding, that the retailer starts making a real effort to get it done. In fact, I appear to get better service when I'm angry, than when I'm relaxed and accommodating. The Pavlovian vestigial tail is wagging here, reward me for swearing at you and I'll do it again next time...

 

I know that it is natural in a service based industry (yes, I consider retail as service...) to deal with the issues (red faced shouting ones) first, but perhaps it would be worth looking after the quiet accommodating guys first, because they will often quietly take their business elsewhere and you won't have even noticed it arriving in the first place.

 

Rant over.

 

So true - and often also present when you support friends & clients in their businesses. If you are Mr Nice Guy, the friendship gets exploited as they know that you are not likely to become aggro when your order or work is done after they have dealt with the screamers !