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Gotta VENT!!!!

Donny

Well-Known Member
Local time
12:35 AM
Joined
Aug 28, 2009
Messages
3,206
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539
Location
North East San Antonio TX
Sorry, but, I'm pretty steamed right now, and want to get some of this out with you car guys! Here it is, pretty much sums it up, if you take the time to read this, and opine, awesome!!! But, as such, it's a vent. I omitted names and business names as this is prudent.

Dear *******:

I wish to inform you of my recent transaction at your facility on 7 July 2010. ****** emailed me on the 5th of July asking about me Media Blasting a Volvo hood. I called ****** and we spoke, he told me only blast the surface of the hood, not the underneath section. I told him it would be ***** which is half the price of a hood, which is already a wholesale price I give you. I then mentioned to him if he had any other fenders, etc. that needed to be Media Blasted, because driving out there for just under a $***** job would necessitate a delivery fee unless he had other items for me to bring back on the return trip. I came out to your shop yesterday, took possession of the hood, and asked ******* when he needed it back, he said as soon as possible. To me, this means immediately. I told ******* no worry about a delivery charge as you will be sending me items per your verbal communication on the return trip. So, as such, I turned the hood around in one day.

I called your shop today en route from my shop attempting to speak with ******* to discuss price; delivery fees, and if parts were ready to go back with me. I got ** on the phone, and was put on hold for about 10 minutes. I hung up when I was nearing your shop. When I got there today, I asked ******** who painted the car, he said “We did”, I said, well, you all have some problems with that car, and handed him a large piece of paint that came off the hood as I was media blasting. This was no small paint chip; this was the size of a piece of paper in your printer! I said that you guys need to send me your cars and parts; Media Blasting is the ONLY way to prep a car for paint.

I then asked ****** if he had parts ready for me to take back, he said no, I said that’s fine, just cut me a check for $**** which includes a $** pick-up and delivery fee as there will be no parts going back with me. Ronny said “No problem” and I assumed he went to tend to that detail. When he came back, he had ** with him and started to give me grief about charging a different amount than on the receipt. I said to ****** why is it I always have issues with your shop each time I do business with you? I offer a fair price on excellent service, I am available, reachable, and take enormous pride in what I do! Then, ******** proceeded to read my own email to him whereas I indicated to him that I would just tack the $***** delivery charge on the next round of services we contract with *********** However, since ********** secures my Media Blasting services every 7 months – I was not going to wait another 7 months to collect this fee – and this is why I was calling *******, to tell him this.

What really upset me greatly was that I am dealing with (from your own website) “*******is the face of ***********” the manager, foreman, spokesman, etc. sitting there upbraiding me, and attempting to mock me by reading to me my own e-mail to him over this fee which I mentioned in detail in the previous paragraph! Plus, the very contract ********* signed I state: “DRBlast reserves the right to change prices, modify contracts as needed, i.e. Automobile won’t mount up on Rotisserie, or, vehicle structure is too weak to support itself as needed for Media Blasting operations or excessive rust which may require more blasting media to complete the contract.” I told ***, ******** and anyone else that heard me that from now on, *********** will be charged full price, minimum $150.00 invoice, and, any communications I have with ************ will be with the owner, as I am the owner of my own shop and don’t have time to deal with the berating insults from your staff. ** then said after I stated this “that will never happen”. I said fine, pay me my $*****, and I will leave. ** pulled out the cash, payed me, I indicated paid in full on your copy of this receipt.

So, ******, as owner of ***********, each time I deal with your “face” I get sideways over silly stuff, basically nickels and dimes. And, is a bad word of mouth worth $******* dollars? You should know that word of mouth is priceless; I know you are aware of this, but, each time I deal with your shop, something gets screwy! I don’t have this problem, or any problems with any of my other customers, in fact, 80% of my business is repeat business! I never let anyone get away that is not Completely Satisfied with my services, and level of quality of my workmanship; never! But, with *********, I leave upset, angry and feeling cheated – which should not happen.

From now on, if you need Plastic Media Blasting services, I would request you deal with me. ********, your Media Blaster should be your best friend from a business point of view. Sure, you can secure other vendors for this service as ******** was quick to point out to me, but you won’t find a better value anywhere in town. I punch out the rust whereas the Soda Blasters don’t and can’t. I use low air pressure whereas the Sand Blasters don’t and can’t and, I can blast plastic, fiberglass, aluminum and other soft substrates whereas some others can, but not one vendor can do it all -- as I can, and at the rate of $******* per hour which is what I have been charging you – which is far below what I charge walk-in customers.

If we are ever to get back straight again, and deal with each other from a business point of view these kinds of situations will not be tolerated, I will just wish you well in your endeavors and business.

Sincerely,
Don Buswell
Owner
DRBlast, Plastic Media Blasting

I'm going to send it to him, the owner, I don't need their business every 7 months. They are supposed to be a premier hot rod shop in my town, but, they suck on all fronts. They blame the paint, DuPont for having shitty paints, b/c the el camino custom they painted started peeling, well DOH, look what I discovered, today, and bring this gem for them to gawk at; a chip you all have to see to believe, here it is to see!

IMG00187.jpg
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Whoa!!!!!! That is the worst adhesion problem I have ever seen ever!!!!!!
 
Heluva paint chip there Donny! I'm an electrician, and I've done contracting, so I feel your pain man. My rule of thumb is to wait 2 days before I hit the send button, or post a letter, then re-read it. It lets my Type-A[PLUS] personality calm down! I'm sure as a retired senior NCO, you are not accustomed to being spoken to in that way! I was just a buck Sergeant, but at least I was in a little pond! Call me alot of things, but accuse me of scamming and the gloves come off!
 
And here all this time I thought Dupont paints were good!! :black_eye:
 
Yup, letter written, not posted yet...will wait a few days, this is advice given by Abe Lincoln, when you are pissed, write it down, then put it in the drawer. He did this with GEN McClellan in the Civil War as McClellan was slow to advance Union soldiers in MD, President Lincoln was very upset at this cautious attitude. Oh well, the kicker is they get mad at their workmanship (reminds me of what my first wife used to say "A poor workman quarrels with his tools", and take it out on the sub-contractor. Needless to say, I'm done with that shop...and I will not recommend anyone ever to go there for anything! That my friends is what ANY businessman should shutter when faced with!
 
man, sorry about your bad luck with that shop .... sound like a bunch of A-holes anyway, i mean the paint job would have been perfect if dupont put out quality stuff !!!
 
Oh yeah, that paint chip is 0.48mm to 0.73mm thick in various places. Isn't that kind of thick? I'm going to put this to be tonight, no more dealing with them-ever again, this will make it easier, I don't need their hassle's and you are completely correct, they are A** Holes!
 
There is one in every crowd!

I had my own custom paint shop where my son did the most unreal artwork you ever saw. This one custom motorcycle shop we started to do work for was known to be one of the best in the area. Biggest bunch of ******** I ever delt with in my life! We thought we were really something special landing these guys for a new client but boy were we wrong! Who needs them I said! Don't need all of those headaces! I told them where to stick their shop and parts! Don't get me started...
 
...this 'face' of this shop just called and left me a voice message; tail tucked in between his legs asking me for my address to mail me the fee, amazing! Apparently, someone woke up over there!
 
What is the name of the shop? Let others know so they won't get burned!
 
donny,if it was me and they wanted to do business with you again,i would make them pay upfront first before you do any work until such a time that they can show you the respect on the work that you do.
 
Donny, what ever you do, don't cut off your nose to dispite your face.

If they want a prime customer price, then the business needs to do more with you, and pay when your service's are rendered.
See they have a problem paying the delivery charge, let them drop off and come get it themselves, and can only pick it up after paying.

Sounds like you need to have a good sit down with the owner (away from his business and you away from yours) Meet for lunch, dinner, or coffee, and lay a few ground rules out between the two of you.

Got to remember, it a two way street, they could also devert future customers away from you as well. Body shops talk to each other, and last thing you need is a bad rep as being hard to work with, or someone they cannot trust. (wheither it's the truth or not)
 
Good points all, well taken. I have thought about taking the owner out for a cup of Joe, just the two of us, iron it out, my expectations and his. They sing praises of my work, just today, a few hours ago, this same "Face" apologized in his email to me, and said my work is very good, and they would like to continue to use me. So, I didn't name names, so I don't have to worry about putting that Gennie back in the bottle. This is a small world this Auto Restoration world, and, having a good name is well worth defending! They can still be A** Holes, just pay me and don't jerk me around, and, send me something each month, Lord knows that shop needs some help in prepping their substrate metals before painting; since 08 they've had problems, how they can survive that record is beyond me!
 
Hey Donnie what's the delivery fee for Amarillo? :tongueflap: Hope this smooths out and business is great!
 
I can't maintain anger for long, it is not healthy. He apologized, I accepted. He won't change his stripes, still a Tiger, or a Rat, depends on perspective. If they need something blasted, it's full price, and better be about a grand, or, i don't have time for them.
 
Yeah life is too short to let A$$ holes dictate your mood. Just take time to kick back and smell the Mopars....

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A guy I use to work with, His father had a saying that he repeated after dealing with A**holes. "Keep your hand in their pocket".

Who care what repe they have, as long as they can keep giving you some business. cuss them in private, but smile and thankful when they bring you work.

I only wish I lived closer. You would definitely have my business.
 
Yeah, and with me being the only Plastic Media Blaster around, they come back around. What needs to happen is they need to send me all their stuff, and tell their customers that getting their cars Media Blasted is really not an option; makes it far cleaner to work on a car when you can see what's going on! If they call me again, I'll be polite, and take their work, if they send me work every month, then they will go back to wholesale prices!
 
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