Article Number : 2278 |
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| Date | 8/15/2007 8:05:06 PM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | http://www.floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=2278 |
| Abstract | I’m going to share with you a situation from a dealer that you may find as upsetting as I did. It is a situation that fits the proverbial “straw that broke the camels back... |
| Article | I’m going to share with you a situation from a dealer that you may find as upsetting as I did. It is a situation that fits the proverbial “straw that broke the camels back.” This dealer had some other age old issues I’ll not share but his primary complaint is unique to say the least. The other day this dealer received a 12x13 piece of Berber carpet from one of the major carpet manufacturers. He personally picked the carpet up, wrapped in plastic, from the trucking company. The carpet had human feces on the side of it about a foot in, he said. It seems near impossible, unless someone intentionally sabotaged the carpet, for this to happen. The entire process of finishing, inspecting, rolling and wrapping the carpet are done out in the open, and this is a continuous process. The carpet does not sit still at all during these procedures. It would be impossible for someone to relieve themselves on a roll of carpet without being seen or caught. Since this was such a small piece of material it would have had to have been cut off a larger roll. If the roll was stored in a rack it would have been possible for someone to crawl back on it and perpetrate this dastardly deed. However, the roll would have had to have been taken from the storage rack, to the cut and measure area, unrolled, measured cut and re-wrapped and with at least two to four guys working in this area someone was going to see this, notice it, freak out and not be touching it. It would have been very difficult indeed for this to happen at the point of manufacture. This repulsive act could have occurred between the mill and the trucking depot where the dealer picked up the product but again, chances are it would have been seen and no one would have wanted to touch the carpet. Obviously someone did this somewhere without being seen and it had to have been from the time the piece was rolled and wrapped. We can only assume, from how the cut order process works, that the roll got picked, the order cut, wrapped and shipped and delivered to where the dealer could get it in a matter of a day or so. As if the situation weren’t disgusting enough, it becomes more disturbing. When the dealer called the manufacturer to complain they said it was not their responsibility and seemed indifferent to the dealers dilemma. They told him to take it up with the shipping company. This dealer didn’t say in his correspondence what he did about the shipping company but the fact that the manufacturer didn’t care is disrespectful. However the feces got there someone should be appalled it did and immediately do something about it be it the manufacturer or the carrier. If I sent anything to anyone that had a disgusting encounter, a traumatic experience to be sure, I’d do everything I could to make it right. After all, we’re only talking about 16 yards of carpet here that was not a designer product. Even if it went in the trash and was replaced it wouldn’t have been costly for the supplier. This is a situation that warranted immediate attention. I would have gone up the ladder as high as I could to voice my disgust, if I were him. No manufacturer of carpet wants to have a customer left with an experience and memory like this. In this case I’d be calling and making all the noise I could. In fact, I’m making the noise for this guy. How could anyone be so indifferent towards this guy and his situation on so little a piece of carpet? No business should ever be so big that they don’t care about all their customers whether it’s a big customer or a small one. The dealers money, continued business and loyalty is what keeps manufacturers in business. If a supplier does not give you the satisfaction you feel you are absolutely and justly entitled to you should make the effort to do business with someone who cares more about you. There are still plenty of suppliers of carpet in the industry who would love to have this guys business. In this case, I don’t care where the feces came from, it was on the manufacturers carpet and they should have replaced it without question. How could they want it to wind up in the consumers home this way? Isn’t this an embarrassment to them? Have they no self respect? Granted it was just a claims analysts decision to rescind this guys plea but they should have carried his plea to a superior who should have done something. Come on, 16 yards of carpet and you can’t have empathy for a dealer who got your product with poop on it! Give me a break! When there are extenuating circumstances such as this, regardless of how it happened, there should be no hesitation to make things right. I’ll bet if it was Home Depot or Lowes the response would not have been the same. Shame on you for not helping this dealer! |