fyi, I will take the abuse Options

[914-8]

You took the e-mail communications between you and your customer, and started a thread on the internet with it (i.e., Post No. 1 in this thread)?!?

[r_towle]

I sell for a living.
These mistakes happen.
If its huge, or big enough to be impossible to eat the mistake, we do call and either work it out, or cancel.
If we can absorb it , we do, without any phone call.

Results.
If its small the mistake comes out of the sales guys money.
Or sales guy gets fired.
Pricing process is fixed.
Communication regarding pricing is very thorough.
We attempt to not do the same thing twice.

Rich

[drive-ability]

While you may run a good business, treat your customers right theres always someone dissatisfied with something. We have all been undercharged at some point from time to time. I'm sure many point out the mistake and pay the correct price. They made a mistake and had to correct it. Yes it was about the price, its a business and as such needs to act as one... I would love to get something for a price that seems odd but realistically speaking it should be understandable a correction needed to be made. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[grantsfo]

In my 27 years of owning 914's I have never purchased anything from AA. I suspect that wont change soon based on this crazy exchange?

[DanT]

In my 27 years of owning 914's I have never purchased anything from AA. I suspect that wont change soon based on this crazy exchange?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) a very sad exchange....I wonder why this thread was begun to start with?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

[MoveQik]

Your staff quoted me under $100.00 to ship the part to me and said they were in stock. I ASKED 3 TIMES IF THIS WAS AN OEM SWITCH After 3 yes's, I said I'll pay the extra and take the OEM. She takes the order, my credit card # and gives me a order confirmation #189135 I assume it's a done deal.

Welcome to the club. I had the same thing happen to me a couple of years ago. After several calls to get a straight answer, he had the nerve to call me a belligerent customer??? God forbid a customer expect what they were promised. I wish I was making this up...but I'm not. Like many, I will NEVER buy from them again. My car will sit on jackstands before they get a single penny from me.

[PRS914-6]

I want to be clear on something here.......

The Porsche retail price of this switch is $75.26 and I was quoted close to $100.00 delivered from AA. (a fair price for NLA and I was willing to pay) Aftermarket prices run as low as $28.00 from numerous sources.

I was not trying to cut a fat hog in the ass by taking advantage of a "misquote". It was my full understanding that I was paying MORE than Porsche retail but hey it was NLA.

George apparently paid $165.00 for the remaining 20 switches of Porsche stock and nobody but George knew that and I certainly didn't know. His staff and computers obviously didn't know either. It's understandable that nobody wants to take a loss but the way this was handled stinks. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sheeplove.gif)

As for posting the correspondence here..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) Bad business. I suspect George thought I might tell the story here and decided to jump out for damage control.. It's just too bad the effort wasn't put to better use. I just don't get it.

nuff said on this one....

[MoveQik]

Sorta funny...the Dr tried to come back on the scene and reinvent himself. You knew it was just a matter of time until the REAL Dr showed back up. Nice....really nice.

[So.Cal.914]

While you may run a good business, treat your customers right theres always someone dissatisfied with something. We have all been undercharged at some point from time to time. I'm sure many point out the mistake and pay the correct price. They made a mistake and had to correct it. Yes it was about the price, its a business and as such needs to act as one... I would love to get something for a price that seems odd but realistically speaking it should be understandable a correction needed to be made. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[addwestern]

I don't know how odd the price was.

IMHO- Sometimes, just sucking it up on one and fixing the problem is the best avenue. Sometimes, you have to look at the bigger picture and wear one if you make a mistake- that repeat customer will spend ten fold- I'm sure this exchange will end up costing AA much more than $65 by folks reading the thread.

I know the project Paul is working on- and I know he wants the best- I've supplied some of his parts. I've known others who want a new windshield- they can call there local glass supplier and get a PPG- but they want a factory spec windshield. Little differences in aftermarket parts frequently arise during early stages of use.

I've sold some stuff cheaper than what I have paid for it- but give the customer the option- even say- Hey- we screwed up on that one, but I want to make it right. That customer will leave feeling more than satisfied and will either tell others about it- or develop some loyalty toward you. There are many options of where folks spend their money.

[rhodyguy]

1. the thread is damage control. but before the shit storm starts.
2. if your pricing sheets are out dated, FIX THE PROBLEM. delegate.
3. bordering on 'Bait and Switch'.
4. remove the items from YOUR availability list.
5. how YOU can refuse to sell a part YOU list as available, because YOU feel it's too expsensive, is beyond me.
6. this thread could have been the complete opposite. you had the chance to sell just 1 of them, at the advertised price, ate the $80 some odd loss (chump change for a high roller. write the sale off as a - at tax time), change the pricing immediately after, and had a customer that was more than pleased. actually, this thread wouldn't even exist and the firm had the op to bank some love. you may have even had to endure a "george/aa did the right thing by me" thread. penny wise, pound foolish. your marketing director must be (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) .

k

[Johny Blackstain]

Perhaps the 2 of you have been married too long & it's time to face a divorce? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) Gentlemen... you sound like an old married couple. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)


(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool_shades.gif)

[TROJANMAN]

So the guy made a mistake.............BFD

I once made the mistake of paying twice the retail price for a windshield seal because the seller
misrepresented it as being NLA. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)
Personally, whether I was right or wrong, I would always try and do the right thing between me and another club/world member before airing it out in public.
This is a small community, and the profits made are not as important as the karma kept.

You live, you learn.

[SLITS]

What this comes down to is the same story that has been told on various boards over the years. AAs' philosophy is that we need them and they don't need us as demonstrated by their business practices.

So make it happen ..... don't buy from them.

You can post all the whines and bitches you want .... it isn't going to change the attitude or basic philosophy that AA operates on.

And George, don't take this as a personal attack .... it's just an observed statement of your philosophy of business that you hand down to your employees. It is neither good nor bad; it just is.

You nor any of your minions coming here or anywhere else with "new" propaganda will sell the pig. You can put whatever dress you want on it but it is still a pig.

[rhodyguy]

and that, as they say in texas, is "how the cow ate the cabbage".

k

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

I sincerely appreciate all of the comments. That is why I posted this so that everyone could have a say about our company good or bad and get it off of their chests.

[914-8]

Starting a thread on the internet, where you start by posting your e-mail exchange with a customer, is highly unprofessional and makes you look bad.

[black73]

Starting a thread on the internet, where you start by posting your e-mail exchange with a customer, is highly unprofessional and makes you look bad.

I disagree. I think George realized there had been a mistake, admitted it publicly and is now taking his beating like a man.

[914Tom]

Starting a thread on the internet, where you start by posting your e-mail exchange with a customer, is highly unprofessional and makes you look bad.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

WORD.

[KELTY360]

I sincerely appreciate all of the comments. That is why I posted this so that everyone could have a say about our company good or bad and get it off of their chests.

This doesn't wash at all. You just want people to vent without recognizing the validity of the complaint? That's the same as telling us to pound sand cause you'll do whatever you damn please anyway.

In this case you're telling the customer he's stupid for knowing exactly what he wants and having the gall to insist on being sold that item. If you're going to put a part into your computer inventory then you'd better be willing to sell the part. The fact is that a contract was made, and confirmed. Stand by it and don't make some pretense about protecting the customer from himself.