Firing a customer

There may be a recession on and there may be people looking for work, but today we are in the process of firing a new customer.

The customer in question has told us, the delivery company all kinds of lies about their products in order to get them delivered. As an ethical company, we have explained to them we do not deal with dishonesty in clients – we need mutual trust and respect.

What does the company do that is so bad? And how can you not manage it? I hear you ask…

…Well, lets start at the beginning, the company call for a quote, they have read our website and they have read our blogs, like our style and would like us to quote for their deliveries and it will be several hundred consignments a week.

BUT they don’t want to pay for the warehouse space they will use, they don’t want to pay for the forklift truck drivers use and they don’t want their goods stored long term, they want a next day delivery service. In other words they would like our existing customers to pay for their use of our services. They don’t tell us this until their first load arrives.

We don’t work like that. Customers cannot and do not subsidise each other in our business. Share resources when appropriate, but it should not be assumed. What happens when their deliveries finish? We are a greener company, we use what we need. We do not waste resources and we do not have a stockpile of surplus resources.

They want high value service, and our skills but don’t want to pay for it. So we talk some more and we make an agreement.

Straight away that company breaches that agreement. We point that out to them that we value honesty and transparency in our relationships, and they have been less than honest. They admit they have lied, they have lied about the amounts, the consignments themselves and the service that they require. We point out we are not happy with this, we have no trust. They are not bothered.

We agree we will deliver the good for them this week. We are reluctant to do so, they have lied this much so far, what’s next?

We get phone calls asking where the goods are on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Thats right, they want the budget delivery but have decided they are entitled to a different style of delivery. On their paperwork, they have given no numbers for us to call the customers meaning our drivers have to pull over, google the address and then contact them that way. It adds nearly 20 minutes to every delivery taking place. We call the company and and explain to their head office what is going on and they deny calling us to ask where the goods are!

Getting your goods delivered professionally is a two way street, the information has to flow and we trust you to answer honestly. If the service you are getting isn’t what you wanted, think back to what you actually asked for.

Did you want the budget option? did you tell the courier company the true nature of your consignments? Did you give them the information to do the job correctly? Did you turn up on time when you were delivering to their depot? Did you take it for granted that the company would confirm to your way of doing business with no regard to their own business?

Quite simply we deliver, we look after your goods as if they were our own. We are not going to cover up and lie to your customers too – we don’t work that way. Being honest and respectful to your customers and in our working relationships is what our company is about.

Quite simply you get what you pay for. We pay our drivers well, they deliver professionally, they are trained and developed and have been with us some time. If you want to pay cheap rates, go to a company with a high staff turnover, go and have no continuity and no relationship – it seems that’s what you want.

In seven years of trading working with companies of all sizes and capabilities this is our first run in with people who operate so unethically and unprofessionally, we are pleased to be firing you.

Sarah

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Tags: Business, Company, Couriers and Messengers, Customer, Good, Regional and Same Day, Transportation and Logistics