A telephone cal that made me chuckle!

[petercharlesfagg]

After a long absence from the woodturning scene I am just getting my brain back into gear!

Anyway, the telephone call!

......................................................................"...........................................................

Telephone rang, nice gentleman asked if I was the owner of "Peters Platters", "Yes" I replied.

"I've been studying the items for sale on your web site"

"I particularly like the one that is marked "not for sale", would you sell it for £20.00?"

I said, "That item is not for sale, it is my company logo, it is placed centrally at every show that I attend to catch the eye, if it were for sale it would cost somewhere in the region of £100.00 because of all the time, effort, insurance and timber costs!"


Long pause!



He then said "Oh! Would you accept "£25.00 then?"

I chuckled under my breath, then stated that "You are definitely not listening to a word I say but if you would consider your offer again?"


Another long pause!




"OK" he said. "£30.00, that's my last offer!"



Concealing my frustrations I gently suggested that he consider studying all the other items in my gallery, that some of them WOULD come within his budget.



"I've looked at all the others but I don't like them, I want that specific item" He continued "If you are going to be so awkward I shall take my business elsewhere!"



Replacing the receiver, I fumed quietly, and chuckled at the same time!

No pleasing some people, what does "Not for sale" mean to you?

Regards, Peter.

 

[Grahamshed]

As I used to say when I still worked for a living..... I understand the world is full of idiots. What I don't understand is why they all congregate around me.

 

[Bodrighy]

Oh go on let him have it LOL. It is surprising the things that people lay to you at times. I have a big sign for shows saying Bodrighy Wood Wood turner and yet get asked " Did you make this" quite often.

Pete

 

[CHJ]

......get asked " Did you make this" .....

Had example of this last year after someone asked for my card and then proceeded to ask several very sceptical questions inferring that I could not possibly have made them.

After a long absence from the woodturning scene I am just getting my brain back into gear!
Anyway, the telephone call!

Good to see you back posting Peter, hope you find the return to spinning some bits of wood satisfying, had a similar experience via phone with an individual who persisted in trying to talk me into a marketing venture, no way could I get over to him that I was not prepared to work in the shed for £1 an hr. just so that he, the gallery or wherever and the taxman could take a 90% or whatever cut of the proceeds.
Even when I pointed out to procure a specific piece of wood to satisfy a commissioned piece may cost me more in petrol, material and time before even starting to create, than the prices he was quoting as being able to market them at.

 

[Paul Hannaby]

It's true what they say - some people are too stupid to shop!

 

[Doug B]

Ever considered folks do this just to wind you up ?

 

[Paul.J]

It wasn't you phoning was it Doug :lol:

 

[bugbear]

No pleasing some people, what does "Not for sale" mean to you?

It means the price is high, and to be negotiated.

My experience in business says that, essentially, everything is negotiable, and view
any claim that something is non-negotiable as merely a negotiating position.

BugBear

 

[Rhossydd]

No pleasing some people, what does "Not for sale" mean to you?

It means the price is high, and to be negotiated.

My experience in business says that, essentially, everything is negotiable, and view
any claim that something is non-negotiable as merely a negotiating position.

Given that Peter did engage in some negotiation, you're correct.
What I found curious is that Peter first offered it at a price the same as other pieces in his gallery.
If it's marked 'not for sale' surely you'd start negotiations at a much higher price than anything else you offer.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I had a turning things stand at our local school in the summer for their charity and had made up this logo just to give myself an identity. Some pleasant old bird studied it for about 5 minutes and then perused the mostly magic wands (junior school gripped by Harry Potter mania still). She then asked: "Are these made in China"?

I had to go to the bar!

 

[Grahamshed]

Doesn't actually say WHERE they were hand made Bob

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I knew you'd say that

 

[bugbear]

Doesn't actually say WHERE they were hand made Bob

And don't some market vendors hide behind THAT figleaf...

BugBear

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

lol...they were hand made by machines in a Taiwanese factory you mean

 

[Grahamshed]

or by children sitting outside their houses turning pole lathes with their feet ( would that be hand made or foot made ? )

 

[bugbear]

lol...they were hand made by machines in a Taiwanese factory you mean

Well, hand made, but by someone other than the vendor...

BugBear

 

[david123]

I often have SOE companies ring me up saying that they can boost my website higher up the ratings I tell them all the same thing, that for my product Iis already at the top of the list on all the main search engines! And has been for some years ( within the top3/4 that is, unpaid for results) one guy paused for a while then said, in that case you should go for our premium package.......wonder where he went to school....if he did that is #-o

 

[Grahamshed]

You cannot help but think these people are working to a script and someone has estimated what your response will be and written down the salesmen's next comment.... which they sprout out regardless of what it was you actually said.

 

[david123]

Spot on, it seems asn through the are not allowed to take a breath until the entire script is read out. And then to ignore anything but positive comments. Strange world.

 

[Grahamshed]

These call centre jobs must be the most soul destroying job there is.