Here is a question for the business owners out there.....

[Richard Maitre]

What is the proper way to deal with a customer who dropped his heads off atleast 6 months ago and was told it would be a wait but if he needed them immediately that I couldnt help him, he said no hurry I still have to put the motor together that you just did the heads for (the only other job ever done for him). Then when the schedule came around to him getting them done he said that he wasnt in any hurry please take my time. Then he calls a month or two later and says "Any chance you can sell them for me, I want to do something else", you all may have seen the Dart 220s I had for sale on the board here. Well needless to say, they didnt sell and he called sometime after and I informed him that there wasnt any bites but that I had listed them for him on multiple boards. So I asked what do you want to do with them....He then says go ahead and do them and as soon as they are done he will come pick them up, we agreed on the work to be done and I kinda hesitated to do because I felt he was short on cash and I may not get paid for that job when I have tons of other work that needs to go out the door and will get paid for, so I called him back with information about the heads and some spec info required to do, I then sensed he wanted them and was ready to pay. I told him that I will bring them with me to Atco's race to save him the drive down and he tells me he has to go out of town but he will pick them uop the following week. Well I finished them and they were ready to be picked up the week of the Atco race and invoiced on 4/27. I then called every day for the next month to get paid and everytime he avoided my phone calls. I left a message each time, told him the total and that if there was any problems to call me. Well a month's worth of phone calls and eventually letting him know that our policy is to sell any completed work left here after 30 days for the balance of the bill (as long as there was no deposit left on it). The gentleman had jerked me around 2-3 weeks on the prior job and thats why I was on guard. So Friday's message was told to him to be the last that if he did not call by Sunday his heads would be sold. Its now Monday and I felt bad about not trying one more time I called this morn and said if noone calls here by 2:00 that they would be gone!! Guess what time he calls...yep, you got it, 4:00, he said he just woke up and was out of the country for the last month and he just got ALL of the messages today....uh yea right, I had Jody call from his cell (different area code) and he answers. So I knew he was avoiding me. Well the heads are gone at this point, another customer came and got them, paid on his credit card and done. Now he is fighting with me, screaming and threatening both me and my wife and then slips and tells me the reason why he didnt answer my calls was because of the price of the bill, he had a problem with it, dont know why you wouldnt call and discuss but?? Now Since I cant handle any more problems or the chance of him bashing me and the series I am giving the $$$ back and the heads are coming backhe wants to argue the bill saying he wont pay me $280 of it because he didnt think it would be that much. Trust me the bill is half of what it should be, but like me, always try to give more than the customers $$$ worth, and all the customers always agree. But not this one, even though he is getting engine builder prices when he is not, didnt charge for flowing and a couple of other things and wants to beat me out of his discounted bill.

Sorry so long winded but..........What is the best way to approach this, I hate giving in, but the longer I argue the more $$$ it costs me and lord knows what else he may do after the threats he made. I am a small shop and cant afford to deal with a customer like that. I look at whatever I get, its worth my price of freedom from him EVER again. Am I wrong? This is eating me up. 

Rich

[Richard Maitre]

Most of you that know me, know I dont get out of control, today I was screaming at the top of my lungs outside on the phone because of trying to talk to this customer who was just all out impossible, going to bed with chest pains aint worth any amount of $$$ to me.

It just really sucks how ya work your ass off to make a dollar to have someone steal 2 from ya. I am so frekin sick of it.

Rich

[Richard Maitre]

While I am in the middle of my paperwork nonetheless


DAMMIT!!

Rich

[Rich Smith]

Man that sux......If its that bad, I think Id be inclined to do what you have to do to get him and his heads out of your hair.

[Jeff Chandler]

Hell no, I would tell him to take a flying leap and then agree to meet in a neutral place then pound him straight into the ground. If you have a policy stick to it. Considering the lies he's already told you he doesn't have a leg to stand on so he can't cause you any rep problems in my opinion. Seriously Rich, stick to your guns, giving in could cause more damage than not. Good Luck

[bfnjz52]

Rich,
I know it's easy to say "don't worry about it" and lot harder to actually not worry over a dumb ass like this guy.  I've only known you a little over a year.  What I've seen in that year is a first class guy with a first class reputation running a race series that is growing by leaps and bounds.  The growth isn't coming to the series because you treat people like dirt.  It's growing because your rep is spreading among racers and they want to come deal you. If this meathead bad mouths you, your work or your business he will only be hurting himself.   Everyone I've met in the drag race community has nothing but good to say about you.

[Richard Maitre]

Thanx guys for all the support, but ya see even you guys have mixed emotions about it. I guess what I really should be saying is...........I have never found a reason to fight over anything.........until now. I think this is the most ill-logical I have ever been. I wont be pushed around on this and as stupid as it sounds may end up doing something I may regret later because I am so pissed right now. I am hoping a couple of these little pills may calm me down but man, noone ever gets my goat like this. Accusing me of planning to steal his heads from the beginning, ya know....just what I have been waiting a lifetime for....his 23 degree dart heads that he now tells me he spent 8K to purchase, yep steel valves and all. Now my question is, how did that guy shove it up in him that far, when I am just asking for whats owed and he is arguing. Oh yea and he reminds me of the favor he did me by meeting him near Great Adventure for him to pick up his heads. Did me a favor?

Oh well, hope the pills kick in soon,
Rich

[WATERMELON]

Sounds like this guy is a real jacka$$. I'll sell him my complete motor for 10k!

[Jeff Chandler]

I'd never resort to a physical encounter over threatening me but to threaten my wife! Nope, game on in my book, game on.

[68Rat]

Rich you are a stand up guy and i belive that as a business owner you gave him a estimated price  and he agreed to it and now he wants to beat you up on the price after the fact. Its amazing how low some people will go. From what i know of the situation you have been more than fair in every aspect. As far as threats that is where the line is drawn your wife and family have nothing to do with a customers failure to pay a outstanding bill, this just goes to prove his ignorance. Stick to your guns and get paid one way or another but Don't do something you will regret this guy can say what he wants but the people who know you know what is the truth and what is bull$#*t. I have had a few similar problems in the past and i know for a fact it sucks when you can't make the customer happy but you also have a family to feed so you can't let it get to you cause it will eat you up. What would another head porter do in this situation do? I think we both know the answer to that is So good luck man and stick to your guns.

[Richard Maitre]

Thanks Chris, you are aware of this crap I have been going thru, what a mess.

Appreciate everyone's support,
Rich

[1SlowFormula]

Damn Rich,

Sorry to hear that you have to deal with this kinda crap, I agree with a lot of the posts above, if you have a policy in place stick by it. Because there are those out there that you give and inch and they take a mile...

At least for me if it gets as far as threatening the family, I agree with Jeff at that point, it's on...

I know of at least one customer that won't try to screw you... 

[LarrySantucci]

That sucks.
I'd tell the guy, he has untill the end of the month to pay the full balance.  If the work is not paid for then the heads will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.  Hopefully you will recover what you have into them. 

What ever your policy is, you should stick to it.  You have already went out of your way to help this guy.  Try not to let it get to you.   

[badbee]

being in the towing and recovery and auto repair business for the past 40 years(family owned) we have a way to deal with these problems.  especially with the influx of new customers.  you have them sign on the dotted line.  we have a seperate paper that we have people sign that reads something like this.

name address phone number your shop
name address phone number customer
name address of a witness to signatures
work to be done----

date to be done roughly----

price quote----

then everyone sign  you and customer that way you are all on the same page.  at the bottom written if work is not picked up within 7 days of notification parts will be forfeited along with any deposits.  also on back of paper note times and dates when customer was called to pick stuff up.  its typically cover your ass paper.  and stands up in any legal bullshit

[Richard Maitre]

Customer walked in paid the full amount and acted as if we never had words. Easy enough 

Rich

[1SlowFormula]

Glad it worked out for you...

[K*A*B]

we would have done the same thing here
the hassle of doing it any other way always costs more than just giving them
their stuff back , it sucks but what are you going to do about it
lesson learned , tomorrow is another day

[sloride]

Glad that worked out for you, if it hadnt I could have sent you know who up there to take care of it for ya !!!!!!

[bfnjz52]

Glad it worked out ok Rich.  My guess is he has been
reading this board and realized what a
 
he has been.

[skunkworkx]

Rich,
Glad it all worked out. Lucky you didn't charge him storage and late fees 

I haven't spent the money some guys here have, but Rich treated me right and even through in a few extras knowing I was in need. Not too many shops, if any, do that anymore.

I have nothing but good things to say about Rich and/or his shop.

Thanks again.

[Jimmy Biggs]

I just saw this..... funny thing is I got a phone call about this a few weeks back..... story didn't sound a bit like this..... not knowing the story I said something doesn't sound right the way this guys "Friend" was telling me the story...... I told him I think this smells like crap(maybe a different word this isn't YB)  but if I had to choose a side it would be on yours (Rich) the way it was worded it wasn't close to how I've seen you run your business