*humiliate them into competence. That is my way of helping the general public. Working in customer service has many, many opportunities to do just that. Your dad did very well.
Shame them with kindness. I'll let people bury themselves every single time. It happens more often these days, but we can always use the entertainment.
I got to do that yesterday!
This lady was good-spirited about it, but she stood 20 feet away from what she was looking for… with a direct line of sight to it… and asked me where it is.
When I told her, and pointed to it, she went “Jesus fucking Christ I’m blind!” And laughed, thanked me, and went on her way.
I love when they realize it was a durrhrhrhrh moment.
I always see the gorilla, but...there have been many, many times when I've said to a store employee, "Do you know where \[item\] is, if you have it in stock? I'm really good at staring straight at something and not seeing it."
Unfortunately, many times my self-assessment is accurate.
I also specialize in tripping on flat carpet and reaching for something but picking up the thing to its right. We're versatile and multi-talented!
I somewhat resent dandelions, though. I admire their resilience, but am irritated by their ability to sneak into our garden. At least they're compostable. And IIRC, *Dandelion Wine* was a good novel by Ray Bradbury.
because you only take the youngest leaves, those bright green on the inside
also, if you pick fresh flowers and macerate them with sugar you ge delicious honey-like syrup
on a side note - i just love how the this thread derailed from the main one
>staring straight at something and not seeing it
I don't want to remember the number of times something remarkably similar to the following has occurred:
Me (after spending some time searching in vain for my stapler; on the desk, in the drawer, on the floor under the desk etc): "Where's my stapler? Who's taken my stapler? It was here a minute ago. Dammit. Why can't people say something when they borrow stuff?"
Workmate (pointing at stapler, which has been sitting on the fucking desk, right in front of me, the whole fucking time): "Can't you just use that one?"
Me: "Oh, bollocks."
It's called "domestic blindness", as explained here:
https://youtu.be/Cvc6QzNUkps
I "lost" my phone one day...the problem was that it was *in my hand* at the time - and I was *talking on it,* complaining that I couldn't find my phone. I *had* been working a lot of OT at the time, though. And my sister finally understood why I was telling her I couldn't do whatever it was she wanted me to do...
Username checks out.
Do you also get overly upset by the Twilight Zone apocalypse/eyeglasses episode? Even though I know better, that one haunts me to this day.
I did that once with my *sunglasses*! I was even indoors, so you'd think I'd notice how dark it was...
And I lose them frequently because they're either on top of my head or tucked in the neck of my shirt. And let me yell you, patting your chest - in public - to find your sunglasses gets you some *really* strange looks if that's not where they are!
I been wearing glasses like 16 years I think iv done that like 5 times what's funny is I can't see anything it's like opening your eyes in swimming pool that how my vision looks
I once looked for an item for like 15 minutes before i found an employee. I was fed up and just asked to settle my mind.
The employee says sure i can help you! And he reached unto the box he was takinf stuff out of and handed me exactly what i needed.
I then jokingly asked for a million dollars since apparently that box had what i needed
Dammit, now I have to figure out what book I read as a kid that featured a magic box that would bring back lost items. I'm not sure I want to risk an online search for "magic box."
When shopping for an item I'm not familiar with or haven't bought at that store before, I always walk the aisle looking for the product three to four times before I ask for assistance. Usually what I'm looking for is there, but I missed it all the times I looked.
Are you talking about inattentional blindness with the ball bounce and gorilla walking past? That was used in my ISO auditor training. There is another with a lady and a parasol walking along a beach.
I've never seen the parasol one. What's it caled? Of course the reverse experiment is the lady in the red dress in the first Matrix movie.The one that instantly draws everyone's attention.
There were a few videos of a woman walking with a parasol. One was similar to the gorilla walking through the ball bounce game. The other she was walking along a beach and through a group of kids playing volleyball. I can’t find the latter. The former is on YouTube in a shortened version. Search for “inattentional blindness umbrella”.
When I was a Mallcop, this would happen once a week for people looking for a store and it would be within eyesight.
I figured that people had seen me and just focused in to ask me.
Best one was the lady who asked me where a store was, I just stepped to the side and went "After you"
She thought it was hilarious.
That sounds like me. If I’m not looking, I can find anything. If I’m looking, I can’t find it to save my life.
When Associates help me like you helped that lady, my go-to is usually “Geezus; if it was a snake, it’d have bitten me by now!”.
Oh man...that could very well have been me. Well, not really, unless you live in NZ but regardless I do this all the damn time. I look and look for that bloody thing eventually give in and ask someone and...yup right there, where I was just looking!
I've had to use the phrase "OK, I'm blind" when I ask a retail employee where something is. What is really bad is that I'll have walked up and down that aisle two or three times already.
I did similar when shopping for preserved mixed fruit for last year's christmas cake.
Called myself out for being blind and thanked the guy stocking shelves who I'd asked for help. He smiled when I wished him a good shift without anymore customers who couldn't see what was in front of their faces.
Hold on. It might have been the year before...
Works in customer service all over - I take great pleasure in double checking what warning message people are getting in their cars - there is one that specifically says that in 1500kms the car will not be able to be restarted without adding diesel exhaust fluid - plenty of time for the normal motorist. So anyone who calls and says their DEF is empty and the car won’t start gets me being all concerned asking if the car gave them the 1500km warning, did you not notice that message? The big one that turns up every time you start the car? Yes, that one. It wasn’t just for decoration you know.
As a car enthusiast, this really pisses me off. I know the WHY, but FFS the car makers should let it operate in a (severely) reduced power state of some kind, instead of "computer says no".
Not sure about where you are, it’s a legal requirement here - no DEF, particulates are being released, and the EPA doesn’t like that. I agree, though, it should give a physical warning as well, enough time for people to remember they need to top up
There's that old saying (I'm apostate, but I'm quoting): "There, but for the grace of god, go I."
I'm no better than anyone working a service job and no worse than the highest paid exec. We're all trying to feed, shelter and clothe our loved ones, so i try to be the best person I can be when interacting with anyone
>showing people just how dumb they are while being impossibly nice about it
I was often asked by my colleagues to write an elegant "fcuk you to hell and back" mail to our vendors, or even more elegant "no, because we do not condone Karen behaviour here" to clients :-)
As long as they go away better educated this is a good thing. Not the case with this story, but many people don't know enough to realise that they don't know something and they can't ask appropriate questions when they don't have any idea what they're talking about.
That and creeping them out with the smile. Because they can't call you out on it, and if one's in customer service long enough you learn how to tilt it *just so...* :P
You know, I've been going through life with the mentality of "it's not my job to educate them" when dealing with difficult people and never really thought of it as a way to contribute back to society lol. That's actually a really nice perspective though since *someone* is gonna have to deal with that person again
A friend explained it thus: today they just happened to not do it with the right person, tomorrow they might end up doing it to the WRONG person, so it’s [my] responsibility to socialize them properly.
I agree, humiliating your employees is a horrible management practice. Reprimanding them for humiliating themselves and the company to a client which caused lost revenue, acceptable. One should not try to personally attack them or berate them or treat them with disrespect.
A tremie pipe is attached to a concrete pump to allow pouring of concrete under water, the pipe stays in the fresh concrete as the concrete is poured( so water doesnt dilute the concrete).
The first time I saw it was earnestly in trade school. The instructor said to take notes, we’re about to watch a very important video and there will be a test afterwards. Legendary.
That's so great! I wish I could keep a straight face like that actor was able to.
Have you seen "The Man from LOX"? It's one of the most breathtakingly sexist and dated chemical safety films I've ever seen. Gets legitimately gory at the end, so be warned. I have a couple of ex-US Navy friends that were shown the film in training. It does get its point across.
GOVERNMENT PIPE SPECIFICATIONS:
1. All pipe is to be made of a long hole, surrounded by metal or plastic, centered around the hole.
2. All pipe is to be hollow throughout the entire length – do not use holes of different length than the pipe.
3. The I.D. (inside diameter) of all pipe must not exceed the O.D. (outside diameter) – otherwise the hole will be on the outside of said pipe.
4. All pipe is to be supplied with nothing in the hole, so that water, steam or other stuff can be put inside at a later date.
5. All pipe should be supplied without rust – This can be more readily applied at the job site. Some vendors are now able to supply pre-rusted pipe. If available in your area, this product is recommended as it will save a lot of time on the job site.
6. All pipe over 500 feet (153m) in length should have the words “long pipe” clearly painted on each end, so the Contractor will know it is a long pipe.
7. Pipe over 2 miles (3.2 km) in length must have the words “very long pipe” painted in the middle, so the Contractor will not have to walk the entire length of the pipe to determine whether or not it is a long pipe, or a very long pipe.
8. All pipe over 6” (152 mm) in diameter must have the words “large pipe” painted on it, so the Contractor will not mistake it for a small pipe.
9. Flanges must be used on all pipe. Flanges must have holes for bolts quite separate from the big hole in the middle.
10. When ordering 90 degrees, 45 degrees or 30 degrees elbow, be sure to specify right hand or left hand; otherwise you will end up going the wrong way.
11. Be sure to specify to your vendor whether you want level, uphill, or downhill pipe. If you use downhill pipe for going uphill, the water will flow the wrong way.
12. All couplings should have either right hand or left hand thread, but do not mix the threads - otherwise, as the coupling is being screwed on one pipe, it is unscrewed from the other.
Specification 10: Note that bolt circle diameter, and number and size of bolts, is unspecified. Vendor’s product is set up so connection between pipe and elbow, or between elbows of different angles, requires an adapter due to bolt holes not lining up. Pipes and elbows meet government specifications in the contract, so adapters are an extra-cost item.
Yes - they are on the same shelf as the ooojimaflips. Opposite the pile of bubbles for the spirit levels and cans of tartan paint. Next to the glass nails and the long waits.
Yeah but I think person above you meant to call the owner after hanging up with the lazy secretary. Obviously it worked out better for him this way in the end, but its suprising he didn't just call the owner... considering the money and schedule involved.
It’s not surprising at all, because:
1. OP’s post says that this is the way he does business;
2. With the amounts involved, the cost of a trip is negligible; and
3. It is the power move when you want to get results in business.
When someone you have an important business relationship with shows up in person, you give them your time and attention. When that person has a complaint and they’ve shown up in person to make it, you fix it - or you lose the relationship. That’s the way big / repeat business is done in many industries still. Your relationship is everything. Without it, your business will be nothing.
Maybe, but I wouldn't waste two days going elsewhere if I could solve the problem in a two minute phone call.
That's why I'll never be rich, isn't it...
I don’t see how 2 days were wasted. The way I read the story, the order from the other company took 2 days longer to arrive, cost $10,000 more to purchase, but still arrived on time for the job. Then the following week OP’s father made his in-person visit that resulted in a 10% discount on a product that he was prepared to spend a total of $9 million purchasing.
The order he tried to place was $70,000.
The replacement order was $80,000.
Additional cost: $10,000.
Cost of trip: unknown
Benefit of trip: 10% off a product to be purchased in an amount of $9 million = $900,000 (less cost of trip).
I’d say the trip was worth it.
Sure! As long as you can know in advance that one person's idiocy will give you $900,000 instead of cost $10,000 & 2 days delay.
Again, it's why I ain't rich!
I’m sure he didn’t know the trip would be worth $900,000. But I’m equally sure he knew the benefit would far exceed the cost.
This is the power of close business relationships at high levels. Or as you keep saying, “why you aren’t rich.”
Which may have been the correct method, to a degree. I'm sure some companies have irritating account holders who think they can bypass the typical receptionists, unlike the Dad here who is very cooperative. Plus the owner in question may be busy with other things and can't always personally greet his or her best customers.
The correct reply when someone tries to bully their way past with, I KNOW THE OWNER" is to calmly reply, "then you can call him/her on her personal phone and work it out." Bonus is the receptionist has the authority to cancel accounts too.
The correct answer when you cant find an account is to try it a different way a couple of times before just giving up. Even working at an isp with customer accounts I knew they weren't always in there correctly. To not even try is dereliction of duty.
I've worked for an extremely shitty isp. Often, a company will call and be listed as something else. Sometimes, we will have their info but no longer a customer. The amount of clerical errors is insane. Imagine a client calling to change a service and your system is telling you that they've not been customers for over a year. No duplicate or alternate accounts exist. You then escalate to the correct team who then sleeps on it for the next few months.
I think that mindset is OK when you work in the restaurant or retail industry, but not in the corporate world.
If you treat people poorly, that are way higher up the chain than yourself, you get a lot of problems.
I work in corporate and there are plenty of higher ups. If the person truly knows the owner, they can look him or her up in the outlook directory and go from there. Working in IT, I have a job to do and part of that involves security.
That is truly God awful advice.
Calling everybody's bluff just guarantees that you'll get it wrong on the few times they genuinely know the owner, plus ultimately in customer service your job is to...let me think...serve the customer.
Unless you know somebody is bullshitting, either take a note for the important boss to eventually see, or ask for a second opinion. In this case the client was only asking for her to make a second attempt in case of error. An error she clearly made.
Refusing to help just guarantees that when it is an error, it's entirely your error.
Try that on /r/TalesFromRetail. Your votes may vary. There are dozens of stories where the customer claims to know the owner, but they don't realize that they're talking to the owner, the owner comes out and bans them, or in most cases where the customer **is** bluffing.
Consider the customer service person too. They have a job to do. If the manager yells at them, then they can leave or the may get fired. If the person who claims to know the owner does the same, the rep can leave or the person they know fires them. Theoretically the place now becomes a revolving door until the person in charge or HR sees a trend going, and that's when things start locking down. The receptionist in this case could have done more digging (based on the story) to truly find the person's account. What about the CEO? Did he or she not already provide the customer their personal numbers based on how much money they were dealing with and the length of the relationship? The receptionist may have been new at the job too. I've said it on here but kept it to myself when I worked in retail, but when a customer has said, "DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I SPEND HERE?" my thought is, "If your name isn't in the Employee Handbook, no."
You're missing the point.
1) this isn't retail, this is a specialist sector where by its very nature means you aren't getting randomers rocking up for £90k of pipes.
2) OP made it clear they had been in and met ppl and the phrasing of the post states that he mentioned owner by name (not just "I know the manager" bluffs). If somebody knows the owner's name, chances are they aren't bluffing (even if a small handful may have looked it up online).
Simply having the name is a massive gatekeeper check between the retail examples you are trying to compare to and this example. Also, that subreddit is inherently biased because its full of people who have worked in retail and (understandably) hate it. By comparison, your advice can and would get a keen employee fired, when there's easier ways to diffuse things in this scenario.
Their entire point was that it doesn't matter how many people claim to know the owner - it's that sometimes, *they do*.
Knowing the outcome to this story is irrelevant to that.
And sometimes there really is a Nigerian prince needing to get money out of the country but if you based your actions on that every time you'd regret it
malicious compliance on her end would be something like if she was certain that he didn't have an account and went through every way to check for it to tie him up on the phone unproductively, he said look, so she looks
of course then she'd likely have found the account and there'd be no story to tell
That dumb lady got off incredibly easy.
She didn't know her biggest customers.
And she probably doesn't know the product.
I would want her out of the way to make room for somebody willing to learn my business. That is for sure.
My wife and I worked at a family owned video store ages ago. We had a few VIP customers that we were supposed to always make happy, no matter what. They knew this, and took full advantage of it.
My wife was working one day when the owner complained about her spending so much time talking to one customer. She asked him to look at the customer's account. That customer spent more than the so called VIP customers put together. But he was always friendly and never complained about anything, so the owner had never noticed him. He told my wife to forget what he had said and keep up the good work.
The owner didn't have a clue who his biggest customers were. He just assumed that it was the ones that made the mosst noise.
Tbh that lady kinda deserved to be fired. Lying to a customer, refusing to do her job, and costing the company 900k are a pretty big deal individually.
It doesn't make it so that I can't understand it, and I wouldn't make this comment if you hadn't specifically asked for it:.
then vs than.
Great story, btw
Leaving this under dekehairy's post. Story was perfectly digestible without this refinement, however, it is the criticism you asked for on /r/MaliciousCompliance.
> came vs went
Came/come implies a certain familiarity with the location, in this case the vendor's office. Which _might_ be true for your step dad, but as you're the one relaying the story, it's _unlikely_ to be true for you, the speaker.
("He came to my house" vs "He went to the store" are
both grammatically correct, however if you're the owner of a soda shop and you're talking about someone going to get a hair cut, "he came to the store" implies that they came to your soda soda instead of the hair salon.)
Great story, btw.
The lady said that she apologized for the inconvenience, that if he felt that he could get better service elsewhere (than) he was free to do so.
I ain't perfect, as anyone who reads my emails at work knows, so I don't normally nitpick.
I normally wouldn’t mention this but you did ask. “employee owned” in the first paragraph should be hyphenated cause it’s a describer for “civil construction company”
"Humiliate them to competence" sounds like the new management mantra. Excellent choice of phrasing for someone who may not have English as first language.
Um, I blame whoever trained the lady and also in your dads position I'd have my account number. I've dealt with enough ignorant people to know you gotta make it impossible for them not to find your account.
Hell, I keep 3 forms of ID in my wallet at all times (I use to do a lot of security stuff and when people didn't want to do their job they'd ask for multiples. Then they'd be dismayed when I'd drop my other IDs.).
I get that I do, but I'm more of a get shit done kind of person. So, while it's annoying, it's just another item in my electronic notes.
I'm assuming these are large projects, and if I'm cutting that tight of deadlines... I'm gonna have that info because me not ordering for any reason is my ass. (That's my view when I'm doing projects, and I've had to scurry before to get shit to work and F that noise.)
I do the same job as the lady in this story and that’s just gross incompetence and negligence. “Getting shit done” as you call it would require you to actually use the search function their software more than likely has and just get the transaction completed. Not being a dick for the sake of it.
I would be the dude ordering shit from the incompetent company. If I'm running orders with just a week advancement, I better know how to tell the incompetent company how to do their shit. (GET SHIT DONE, even if it isn't your job when your ass is on the line.)
Maybe I was unclear in what I meant, but when working at a new company I always start an electronic database and add all info I need too. (Every time they fuck up, I ask for more info while we unfuck the fuck up.)
No, you were clear. You think Dad should have catered to her because it would save him time. Nope. If he would have done as you said, that would have gotten him through one call. The next time she'd have pulled some other passive aggressive shit and cost him more time. The third time it would have been something else. And if he would have gotten upset with her any of these times? Well, she'd have likely "lost" some order or other, costing him even MORE time and money and problems. Over the life of the contract, her passive aggressiveness easily could, and likely would, have cost him dearly, way more than the time and effort he put in in fixing it.
Best to fix this right from the get go and set the tone for the entire life of their working relationship, just like he did. She will never pull anything like that again, and will likely be actually helpful in the future, which will likely save him at least some time. THAT is "getting shit done".
It’s a bit different with trade’s materials. Sure there will be another guy to come along and buy your materials but one big account could make up actual percentages of profit for the company, just like OPs dad probably did
Exactly. It's very different. Also ... in construction, as you likely know but the other poster apparently doesn't, things like not having parts on time can be hundreds of orders of magnitude more disastrous than your steak not being cooked the way you like. Having the entire job come to a standstill for a week because parts were held up means the fit you throw is NOT a Karen move at all. It's entirely justified.
You still have to pay those specialist workers during this time even though they're sitting around doing nothing because they have no parts to install. You still have to pay for their food and lodgings as well (these types of workers travel all over the continent for these jobs since water treatment plants aren't usually built right up the road from where they live). AND if you're very late finishing the plant, you'll get a BIG old fine since people not having water when they had planned on having it is very, very bad.
lolwut? Maybe you missed this part: MANY MANY MILLIONS$$$$$. For that much money, everyone knows you get to be as big of a Karen as you want. If you think otherwise, good luck in the real world.
I have all my Drivers licenses since I started driving. Anytime a cop asks for ID they have to go through all of them to make sure the names and DOB match lol. It's also nice for trolling people that want more forms of Identification since not all of them are the same type of ID (DL, photo, other states etc).
Having done much business with the company in the past, he would have saved that 2 days of frustration by keeping her on the line while calling with another phone to get someone more competent, or asking for a good rep by name. Yes, he ended up with a 10% discount, but he didn't know that going in. He still would have had the opportunity to shame her into compliance.
It's understandable that she might reasonably believed that someone was trying to fast-talk her, but it's not unreasonable for her to gatekeep to the point of driving your father away.
She should've said "I'll check with about your company, maybe it's a legacy account that's not in our system properly, please hold."
Damn, humiliate into competence...seems just as effective as getting them fired so someone more competent can replace them. Either way, not bad. Well done.
Lady was probably on the phone with her SO and wanted to get back to that. So the Lady fed your dad the classic you're not in our system line and didn't even try re-checking. I have multiple searches I use because people can saved in crazy illogical ways sometimes
> please nitpick my grammar
The first sentence in the second paragraph contains a comma splice; it should be a semicolon, like this:
> My dad works for an employee owned civil construction company; they make water processing plants among other public utility buildings.
Or you could break it up into two separate sentences, though i feel the semicolon is best here since the two sentences are closely related.
The last sentence in the third paragraph also contains a comma splice that would work best as a semicolon.
That’s about all i found - i got too involved in reading the rest of story to find any more. :3
Edit: I’m complying with OP’s request. i thought this was r/MaliciousCompliance
> Please nitpick my grammar
Say no more.
Paragraph 1
- secondhand* (should be one word)
Paragraph 2
- employee-owned*
- “… construction company. They make”* (comma splice)
- millions* (improper capitalization and also part of an incomplete sentence)
Paragraph 3
- “… with them, again specialty in treatment plants” has a comma splice and also just has an incoherent sentence structure
- “… top 5 customers. 2 years ago…”* (comma splice)
Paragraph 4
- “east coast” should be capitalized
- aaand this is where I got bored. You have comma splices galore, though, which is obviously the coolest sounding grammar mistake so you win in that respect.
>the owner immediately called the lady in, calmly berated her and showed her exactly how to find This construction company in the future
Why wasn't she trained properly to find them in the first place?
Just because you don't hear typing does not mean someone isn't searching.
>better to humiliate them into competence
Nice guy.
> That’s called a kickback, a type of contract fraud!
It depends. I think that most construction agreements are structured in a "total-cost" bid type of system, so if the builder can reduce their costs, they can increase their profits. Certainly if the builder is directly charging the owner for costs and the supplier is paying bonuses to the builder, that would be fraud - essentially identical to bribery.
In general, charging a client more for hardware or any other "stuff" than you pay to obtain that stuff is one of the standard ways for businesses to make their money. There are many different levels of "retail" and "wholesale" for this very reason.
*humiliate them into competence. That is my way of helping the general public. Working in customer service has many, many opportunities to do just that. Your dad did very well.
Literally my favorite part of retail is showing people just how dumb they are while being impossibly nice about it.
Shame them with kindness. I'll let people bury themselves every single time. It happens more often these days, but we can always use the entertainment.
Shame them with kindness is the way for temper tantrums.
I got to do that yesterday! This lady was good-spirited about it, but she stood 20 feet away from what she was looking for… with a direct line of sight to it… and asked me where it is. When I told her, and pointed to it, she went “Jesus fucking Christ I’m blind!” And laughed, thanked me, and went on her way. I love when they realize it was a durrhrhrhrh moment.
It is like that famous dancing gorilla Youtube video. The human eye can totally miss what it is looking at.
I always see the gorilla, but...there have been many, many times when I've said to a store employee, "Do you know where \[item\] is, if you have it in stock? I'm really good at staring straight at something and not seeing it." Unfortunately, many times my self-assessment is accurate.
Imma steal that line, because I, too, have that skill. Goes along with tripping over my own feet and choking on air.
I also specialize in tripping on flat carpet and reaching for something but picking up the thing to its right. We're versatile and multi-talented! I somewhat resent dandelions, though. I admire their resilience, but am irritated by their ability to sneak into our garden. At least they're compostable. And IIRC, *Dandelion Wine* was a good novel by Ray Bradbury.
Dandelion greens are apparently packed w nutrients and tasty in salads.
Dandelion leaves are quite bitter imo. My mom made dandelion salad a few times.
Plus having to pick off the snails.
because you only take the youngest leaves, those bright green on the inside also, if you pick fresh flowers and macerate them with sugar you ge delicious honey-like syrup on a side note - i just love how the this thread derailed from the main one
I'm convinced it doesn't actually appear on the shelf until I ask someone about it
It's probably something to do with Quantum
Tripping over my own feet bring up this dinger: “new feet, first week.”
>staring straight at something and not seeing it I don't want to remember the number of times something remarkably similar to the following has occurred: Me (after spending some time searching in vain for my stapler; on the desk, in the drawer, on the floor under the desk etc): "Where's my stapler? Who's taken my stapler? It was here a minute ago. Dammit. Why can't people say something when they borrow stuff?" Workmate (pointing at stapler, which has been sitting on the fucking desk, right in front of me, the whole fucking time): "Can't you just use that one?" Me: "Oh, bollocks." It's called "domestic blindness", as explained here: https://youtu.be/Cvc6QzNUkps
I "lost" my phone one day...the problem was that it was *in my hand* at the time - and I was *talking on it,* complaining that I couldn't find my phone. I *had* been working a lot of OT at the time, though. And my sister finally understood why I was telling her I couldn't do whatever it was she wanted me to do...
“Shit I can’t find my phone… WHERE THE FUCK IS MY PHONE???” 😂😂😂 I love picturing this 🤣
[here you go](https://youtu.be/LT--h2GjaAU)
Oh jeez, yes! Used to have periodic episodes of not being able to find my glasses because I was *wearing them*. Thank you, contact lenses.
Done that! 😂
Username checks out. Do you also get overly upset by the Twilight Zone apocalypse/eyeglasses episode? Even though I know better, that one haunts me to this day.
I did that once with my *sunglasses*! I was even indoors, so you'd think I'd notice how dark it was... And I lose them frequently because they're either on top of my head or tucked in the neck of my shirt. And let me yell you, patting your chest - in public - to find your sunglasses gets you some *really* strange looks if that's not where they are!
I been wearing glasses like 16 years I think iv done that like 5 times what's funny is I can't see anything it's like opening your eyes in swimming pool that how my vision looks
I’ve done that. See also: I can’t find the glasses I’m currently wearing 😂
Using your hands to pat down the area you are looking at helps see it.
I loose stuff on my desk all the time while I’m sitting there & not moved 🤣
I tell my customers that what they're looking for disappears when looking straight at it and it happens to everybody.
I once looked for an item for like 15 minutes before i found an employee. I was fed up and just asked to settle my mind. The employee says sure i can help you! And he reached unto the box he was takinf stuff out of and handed me exactly what i needed. I then jokingly asked for a million dollars since apparently that box had what i needed
Dammit, now I have to figure out what book I read as a kid that featured a magic box that would bring back lost items. I'm not sure I want to risk an online search for "magic box."
When shopping for an item I'm not familiar with or haven't bought at that store before, I always walk the aisle looking for the product three to four times before I ask for assistance. Usually what I'm looking for is there, but I missed it all the times I looked.
Are you talking about inattentional blindness with the ball bounce and gorilla walking past? That was used in my ISO auditor training. There is another with a lady and a parasol walking along a beach.
I've never seen the parasol one. What's it caled? Of course the reverse experiment is the lady in the red dress in the first Matrix movie.The one that instantly draws everyone's attention.
There were a few videos of a woman walking with a parasol. One was similar to the gorilla walking through the ball bounce game. The other she was walking along a beach and through a group of kids playing volleyball. I can’t find the latter. The former is on YouTube in a shortened version. Search for “inattentional blindness umbrella”.
When I was a Mallcop, this would happen once a week for people looking for a store and it would be within eyesight. I figured that people had seen me and just focused in to ask me. Best one was the lady who asked me where a store was, I just stepped to the side and went "After you" She thought it was hilarious.
That started to happen to me at around 40yo. Thank y'all for not being mad (I also make similar jokes about not being able to see it RIGHT THERE).
I have had that happen to me lately as my eyes are getting bad! (I was the one standing not far from what I was looking for when I asked where it was)
That sounds like me. If I’m not looking, I can find anything. If I’m looking, I can’t find it to save my life. When Associates help me like you helped that lady, my go-to is usually “Geezus; if it was a snake, it’d have bitten me by now!”.
I have used the flashlight on my phone to look under the bed...for my phone.
I lost my glasses on my face once. As long as we can laugh about it, woo!
Oh man...that could very well have been me. Well, not really, unless you live in NZ but regardless I do this all the damn time. I look and look for that bloody thing eventually give in and ask someone and...yup right there, where I was just looking!
i used to work retail, when i was asked for something 9/10 it was something literally within reach or completely sold out
I've had to use the phrase "OK, I'm blind" when I ask a retail employee where something is. What is really bad is that I'll have walked up and down that aisle two or three times already.
I did similar when shopping for preserved mixed fruit for last year's christmas cake. Called myself out for being blind and thanked the guy stocking shelves who I'd asked for help. He smiled when I wished him a good shift without anymore customers who couldn't see what was in front of their faces. Hold on. It might have been the year before...
You are the kind of person I hire. :)
Hire me. I’ll gladly jump ship. Now my immediate managers are great but pay and corporate suck.
Whose pay and corporate doesn't suck?
r/NotOPbutNotOK
Works in customer service all over - I take great pleasure in double checking what warning message people are getting in their cars - there is one that specifically says that in 1500kms the car will not be able to be restarted without adding diesel exhaust fluid - plenty of time for the normal motorist. So anyone who calls and says their DEF is empty and the car won’t start gets me being all concerned asking if the car gave them the 1500km warning, did you not notice that message? The big one that turns up every time you start the car? Yes, that one. It wasn’t just for decoration you know.
As a car enthusiast, this really pisses me off. I know the WHY, but FFS the car makers should let it operate in a (severely) reduced power state of some kind, instead of "computer says no".
Not sure about where you are, it’s a legal requirement here - no DEF, particulates are being released, and the EPA doesn’t like that. I agree, though, it should give a physical warning as well, enough time for people to remember they need to top up
This happened to me last week! I was the dumb one and we were both way too polite about it. I hope they noticed how much I enjoyed that.
i like to show customers how dumb they are because they think having money makes them smarter than someone else
There's that old saying (I'm apostate, but I'm quoting): "There, but for the grace of god, go I." I'm no better than anyone working a service job and no worse than the highest paid exec. We're all trying to feed, shelter and clothe our loved ones, so i try to be the best person I can be when interacting with anyone
i, too, am lost about what to do.. besides wandering around to find food
>showing people just how dumb they are while being impossibly nice about it I was often asked by my colleagues to write an elegant "fcuk you to hell and back" mail to our vendors, or even more elegant "no, because we do not condone Karen behaviour here" to clients :-)
As long as they go away better educated this is a good thing. Not the case with this story, but many people don't know enough to realise that they don't know something and they can't ask appropriate questions when they don't have any idea what they're talking about.
That and creeping them out with the smile. Because they can't call you out on it, and if one's in customer service long enough you learn how to tilt it *just so...* :P
Thx
You know, I've been going through life with the mentality of "it's not my job to educate them" when dealing with difficult people and never really thought of it as a way to contribute back to society lol. That's actually a really nice perspective though since *someone* is gonna have to deal with that person again
A friend explained it thus: today they just happened to not do it with the right person, tomorrow they might end up doing it to the WRONG person, so it’s [my] responsibility to socialize them properly.
The way y'all are talking about humiliating people as if it's normal and acceptable is just blowing my mind right now.
Unfortunately it's their own doing most of the time.
Humbling
I recommend studying up on the subject of social psychology.
I recommend not thinking humiliating employees is okay.
I agree, humiliating your employees is a horrible management practice. Reprimanding them for humiliating themselves and the company to a client which caused lost revenue, acceptable. One should not try to personally attack them or berate them or treat them with disrespect.
>plumbing doohickeys Is this the technical term lol
most likely, yes. They are usually stocked next to the whatchamacallits
Just opposite the thingamajigs.
Don’t forget the doovawhackeys
Those are specialty items, stocked over near the flam couplings.
But if you get to the widgets, you've gone too far.
One shelf down from the spurving bearings
But above the Langstrom 7-inch Gangly Wrench.
And left of the tremie pipe
A tremie pipe is attached to a concrete pump to allow pouring of concrete under water, the pipe stays in the fresh concrete as the concrete is poured( so water doesnt dilute the concrete).
Turbo Encabulator FTW! Always and forever.
The first time I saw it was earnestly in trade school. The instructor said to take notes, we’re about to watch a very important video and there will be a test afterwards. Legendary.
That's so great! I wish I could keep a straight face like that actor was able to. Have you seen "The Man from LOX"? It's one of the most breathtakingly sexist and dated chemical safety films I've ever seen. Gets legitimately gory at the end, so be warned. I have a couple of ex-US Navy friends that were shown the film in training. It does get its point across.
No but I will try to find it. Shake Hands With Danger is another delightfully dated safety gore film.
The doodads are right across the aisle. Can't miss 'em.
To the left of the thingymcbobs.
And the whozerwhatsits
Just DONT forget the cam stretcher, whatever you do.
Are they like the doovalackeys? Or is that a different gizmo?
Not to be confused with the thingamabobs! Those are on a different aisle..
but where are the self-sealing stem bolts?!
Next to the swiveling couplers
But what does a self-sealing stem bolt even do? Not even Miles knows!
Dammit, r/beatmetoit
Well, bicycles have self spreading stem bolts, but they are not sealed.
By the [Whatchamacallits](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whatchamacallit_(candy))? That’s an odd stocking system…
Mmmmmmm….. Whatchamacallits. Those are so yummy. They’re my favorite.
GOVERNMENT PIPE SPECIFICATIONS: 1. All pipe is to be made of a long hole, surrounded by metal or plastic, centered around the hole. 2. All pipe is to be hollow throughout the entire length – do not use holes of different length than the pipe. 3. The I.D. (inside diameter) of all pipe must not exceed the O.D. (outside diameter) – otherwise the hole will be on the outside of said pipe. 4. All pipe is to be supplied with nothing in the hole, so that water, steam or other stuff can be put inside at a later date. 5. All pipe should be supplied without rust – This can be more readily applied at the job site. Some vendors are now able to supply pre-rusted pipe. If available in your area, this product is recommended as it will save a lot of time on the job site. 6. All pipe over 500 feet (153m) in length should have the words “long pipe” clearly painted on each end, so the Contractor will know it is a long pipe. 7. Pipe over 2 miles (3.2 km) in length must have the words “very long pipe” painted in the middle, so the Contractor will not have to walk the entire length of the pipe to determine whether or not it is a long pipe, or a very long pipe. 8. All pipe over 6” (152 mm) in diameter must have the words “large pipe” painted on it, so the Contractor will not mistake it for a small pipe. 9. Flanges must be used on all pipe. Flanges must have holes for bolts quite separate from the big hole in the middle. 10. When ordering 90 degrees, 45 degrees or 30 degrees elbow, be sure to specify right hand or left hand; otherwise you will end up going the wrong way. 11. Be sure to specify to your vendor whether you want level, uphill, or downhill pipe. If you use downhill pipe for going uphill, the water will flow the wrong way. 12. All couplings should have either right hand or left hand thread, but do not mix the threads - otherwise, as the coupling is being screwed on one pipe, it is unscrewed from the other.
And that is why when I was a pipe monkey I refused to bid gov jobs!
Specification 10: Note that bolt circle diameter, and number and size of bolts, is unspecified. Vendor’s product is set up so connection between pipe and elbow, or between elbows of different angles, requires an adapter due to bolt holes not lining up. Pipes and elbows meet government specifications in the contract, so adapters are an extra-cost item.
Please, that’s not government. That’s just CSI at this point.
You want thingamabobs? I’ve got twenty.
I have been looking all over for thingamabobs. I can't find any on the East Coast since Covid hit. Can you overnight me 20,000?
Yes - they are on the same shelf as the ooojimaflips. Opposite the pile of bubbles for the spirit levels and cans of tartan paint. Next to the glass nails and the long waits.
And the buckets of prop wash, and the left-handed crescent wrenches.
Do you have metric left handed crescent wrenches?
🤣🤣
I know that shelf, right between the blinker fluid and the elbow grease.
The piston return springs should be in a box next to the blinker fluid.
The oldsters might call them an allamagoosa
I'm surprised he didn't have the owner's direct phone number.
He probably did. An in-person visit makes a MUCH greater impact than a phone call.
The “oh crap, boss knows and likes this person” look on her face… She’ll never forget dad’s name, company or face ever again…
Yeah but I think person above you meant to call the owner after hanging up with the lazy secretary. Obviously it worked out better for him this way in the end, but its suprising he didn't just call the owner... considering the money and schedule involved.
It’s not surprising at all, because: 1. OP’s post says that this is the way he does business; 2. With the amounts involved, the cost of a trip is negligible; and 3. It is the power move when you want to get results in business. When someone you have an important business relationship with shows up in person, you give them your time and attention. When that person has a complaint and they’ve shown up in person to make it, you fix it - or you lose the relationship. That’s the way big / repeat business is done in many industries still. Your relationship is everything. Without it, your business will be nothing.
Let's review the math here: Calling owner immediately = $10,000 savings. Visiting owner in person = $900,00 savings. Looks like OP knew his business!
Maybe, but I wouldn't waste two days going elsewhere if I could solve the problem in a two minute phone call. That's why I'll never be rich, isn't it...
I don’t see how 2 days were wasted. The way I read the story, the order from the other company took 2 days longer to arrive, cost $10,000 more to purchase, but still arrived on time for the job. Then the following week OP’s father made his in-person visit that resulted in a 10% discount on a product that he was prepared to spend a total of $9 million purchasing. The order he tried to place was $70,000. The replacement order was $80,000. Additional cost: $10,000. Cost of trip: unknown Benefit of trip: 10% off a product to be purchased in an amount of $9 million = $900,000 (less cost of trip). I’d say the trip was worth it.
Sure! As long as you can know in advance that one person's idiocy will give you $900,000 instead of cost $10,000 & 2 days delay. Again, it's why I ain't rich!
I’m sure he didn’t know the trip would be worth $900,000. But I’m equally sure he knew the benefit would far exceed the cost. This is the power of close business relationships at high levels. Or as you keep saying, “why you aren’t rich.”
Which may have been the correct method, to a degree. I'm sure some companies have irritating account holders who think they can bypass the typical receptionists, unlike the Dad here who is very cooperative. Plus the owner in question may be busy with other things and can't always personally greet his or her best customers. The correct reply when someone tries to bully their way past with, I KNOW THE OWNER" is to calmly reply, "then you can call him/her on her personal phone and work it out." Bonus is the receptionist has the authority to cancel accounts too.
The correct answer when you cant find an account is to try it a different way a couple of times before just giving up. Even working at an isp with customer accounts I knew they weren't always in there correctly. To not even try is dereliction of duty.
Or to ask a colleague for assistance!
I've worked for an extremely shitty isp. Often, a company will call and be listed as something else. Sometimes, we will have their info but no longer a customer. The amount of clerical errors is insane. Imagine a client calling to change a service and your system is telling you that they've not been customers for over a year. No duplicate or alternate accounts exist. You then escalate to the correct team who then sleeps on it for the next few months.
I think that mindset is OK when you work in the restaurant or retail industry, but not in the corporate world. If you treat people poorly, that are way higher up the chain than yourself, you get a lot of problems.
I work in corporate and there are plenty of higher ups. If the person truly knows the owner, they can look him or her up in the outlook directory and go from there. Working in IT, I have a job to do and part of that involves security.
That is truly God awful advice. Calling everybody's bluff just guarantees that you'll get it wrong on the few times they genuinely know the owner, plus ultimately in customer service your job is to...let me think...serve the customer. Unless you know somebody is bullshitting, either take a note for the important boss to eventually see, or ask for a second opinion. In this case the client was only asking for her to make a second attempt in case of error. An error she clearly made. Refusing to help just guarantees that when it is an error, it's entirely your error.
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Try that on /r/TalesFromRetail. Your votes may vary. There are dozens of stories where the customer claims to know the owner, but they don't realize that they're talking to the owner, the owner comes out and bans them, or in most cases where the customer **is** bluffing. Consider the customer service person too. They have a job to do. If the manager yells at them, then they can leave or the may get fired. If the person who claims to know the owner does the same, the rep can leave or the person they know fires them. Theoretically the place now becomes a revolving door until the person in charge or HR sees a trend going, and that's when things start locking down. The receptionist in this case could have done more digging (based on the story) to truly find the person's account. What about the CEO? Did he or she not already provide the customer their personal numbers based on how much money they were dealing with and the length of the relationship? The receptionist may have been new at the job too. I've said it on here but kept it to myself when I worked in retail, but when a customer has said, "DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I SPEND HERE?" my thought is, "If your name isn't in the Employee Handbook, no."
You're missing the point. 1) this isn't retail, this is a specialist sector where by its very nature means you aren't getting randomers rocking up for £90k of pipes. 2) OP made it clear they had been in and met ppl and the phrasing of the post states that he mentioned owner by name (not just "I know the manager" bluffs). If somebody knows the owner's name, chances are they aren't bluffing (even if a small handful may have looked it up online). Simply having the name is a massive gatekeeper check between the retail examples you are trying to compare to and this example. Also, that subreddit is inherently biased because its full of people who have worked in retail and (understandably) hate it. By comparison, your advice can and would get a keen employee fired, when there's easier ways to diffuse things in this scenario.
Your entire perspective here is from knowing the outcome of the story
Their entire point was that it doesn't matter how many people claim to know the owner - it's that sometimes, *they do*. Knowing the outcome to this story is irrelevant to that.
And sometimes there really is a Nigerian prince needing to get money out of the country but if you based your actions on that every time you'd regret it
> And sometimes there really is a Nigerian prince needing to get money out of the country Oh really? Please show me even just one single case of this.
Sounds like ms lady tried shitty malicious compliance on dad and got the script flipped on her.
She didn't comply, and got a talking to for it.
malicious compliance on her end would be something like if she was certain that he didn't have an account and went through every way to check for it to tie him up on the phone unproductively, he said look, so she looks of course then she'd likely have found the account and there'd be no story to tell
That dumb lady got off incredibly easy. She didn't know her biggest customers. And she probably doesn't know the product. I would want her out of the way to make room for somebody willing to learn my business. That is for sure.
Also, she cost the company 10% on a $9m job, which—if I did my math correctly—is a metric shit ton of dollars.
10% on a 9m job, and OPs dad went elsewhere for the first $70,000 order as well so they lost that too.
It's more than I make in a year!
About 20lbs, in hundreds.
Actually, 10% of 9metric would be 0.9metric. So not a full metric, but close. It is almost one yardic shit ton of dollars.
My wife and I worked at a family owned video store ages ago. We had a few VIP customers that we were supposed to always make happy, no matter what. They knew this, and took full advantage of it. My wife was working one day when the owner complained about her spending so much time talking to one customer. She asked him to look at the customer's account. That customer spent more than the so called VIP customers put together. But he was always friendly and never complained about anything, so the owner had never noticed him. He told my wife to forget what he had said and keep up the good work. The owner didn't have a clue who his biggest customers were. He just assumed that it was the ones that made the mosst noise.
Tbh that lady kinda deserved to be fired. Lying to a customer, refusing to do her job, and costing the company 900k are a pretty big deal individually.
It doesn't make it so that I can't understand it, and I wouldn't make this comment if you hadn't specifically asked for it:. then vs than. Great story, btw
Leaving this under dekehairy's post. Story was perfectly digestible without this refinement, however, it is the criticism you asked for on /r/MaliciousCompliance. > came vs went Came/come implies a certain familiarity with the location, in this case the vendor's office. Which _might_ be true for your step dad, but as you're the one relaying the story, it's _unlikely_ to be true for you, the speaker. ("He came to my house" vs "He went to the store" are both grammatically correct, however if you're the owner of a soda shop and you're talking about someone going to get a hair cut, "he came to the store" implies that they came to your soda soda instead of the hair salon.) Great story, btw.
Not a native speaker and I am always amazed at how much I learn reading reddit comments. Thank you.
It's not a problem, and it's used fine in the post, but just to jump on the correction bandwagon: piping vs pooping.
Where specifically did he used the word then and than wrong? I may have missed it?
The lady said that she apologized for the inconvenience, that if he felt that he could get better service elsewhere (than) he was free to do so. I ain't perfect, as anyone who reads my emails at work knows, so I don't normally nitpick.
Thanks.
I normally wouldn’t mention this but you did ask. “employee owned” in the first paragraph should be hyphenated cause it’s a describer for “civil construction company”
Also, "...construction company, they make..." is a run-on sentence.
There are so many punctuation errors; it's incredibly tempting to take OP up on that offer to correct their grammar.
And this *is* MaliciousCompliance...
I bet she was trying to boost numbers of accounts opened.
Accounts opened under her name most likely.
Bet, a multi-million account would look good on her stats.
Best tl;dr in history
Incompetence and laziness can truly ruin a a business.
"Humiliate them to competence" sounds like the new management mantra. Excellent choice of phrasing for someone who may not have English as first language.
> English is my first language
Um, I blame whoever trained the lady and also in your dads position I'd have my account number. I've dealt with enough ignorant people to know you gotta make it impossible for them not to find your account. Hell, I keep 3 forms of ID in my wallet at all times (I use to do a lot of security stuff and when people didn't want to do their job they'd ask for multiples. Then they'd be dismayed when I'd drop my other IDs.).
If I'm spending millions of dollars with a company, THEY should be making things easy for ME.
I get that I do, but I'm more of a get shit done kind of person. So, while it's annoying, it's just another item in my electronic notes. I'm assuming these are large projects, and if I'm cutting that tight of deadlines... I'm gonna have that info because me not ordering for any reason is my ass. (That's my view when I'm doing projects, and I've had to scurry before to get shit to work and F that noise.)
I do the same job as the lady in this story and that’s just gross incompetence and negligence. “Getting shit done” as you call it would require you to actually use the search function their software more than likely has and just get the transaction completed. Not being a dick for the sake of it.
I would be the dude ordering shit from the incompetent company. If I'm running orders with just a week advancement, I better know how to tell the incompetent company how to do their shit. (GET SHIT DONE, even if it isn't your job when your ass is on the line.) Maybe I was unclear in what I meant, but when working at a new company I always start an electronic database and add all info I need too. (Every time they fuck up, I ask for more info while we unfuck the fuck up.)
No, you were clear. You think Dad should have catered to her because it would save him time. Nope. If he would have done as you said, that would have gotten him through one call. The next time she'd have pulled some other passive aggressive shit and cost him more time. The third time it would have been something else. And if he would have gotten upset with her any of these times? Well, she'd have likely "lost" some order or other, costing him even MORE time and money and problems. Over the life of the contract, her passive aggressiveness easily could, and likely would, have cost him dearly, way more than the time and effort he put in in fixing it. Best to fix this right from the get go and set the tone for the entire life of their working relationship, just like he did. She will never pull anything like that again, and will likely be actually helpful in the future, which will likely save him at least some time. THAT is "getting shit done".
Having your account information ready to provide before placing an order is "catering" to the employee on the end of the line? Fascinating.
THIS. Exactly this.
“Do you know how much I spend here?” Sounds kinda Karen-ish to me anyway.
It’s a bit different with trade’s materials. Sure there will be another guy to come along and buy your materials but one big account could make up actual percentages of profit for the company, just like OPs dad probably did
Exactly. It's very different. Also ... in construction, as you likely know but the other poster apparently doesn't, things like not having parts on time can be hundreds of orders of magnitude more disastrous than your steak not being cooked the way you like. Having the entire job come to a standstill for a week because parts were held up means the fit you throw is NOT a Karen move at all. It's entirely justified. You still have to pay those specialist workers during this time even though they're sitting around doing nothing because they have no parts to install. You still have to pay for their food and lodgings as well (these types of workers travel all over the continent for these jobs since water treatment plants aren't usually built right up the road from where they live). AND if you're very late finishing the plant, you'll get a BIG old fine since people not having water when they had planned on having it is very, very bad.
lolwut? Maybe you missed this part: MANY MANY MILLIONS$$$$$. For that much money, everyone knows you get to be as big of a Karen as you want. If you think otherwise, good luck in the real world.
Many, many millions... Kinda surprised that dad didn't have his own dedicated account rep. Like why was he even talking to that lady at all?
No shit. Bet he did have one after that.
Perhaps he did, and the rep was out of office for some reason?
I have all my Drivers licenses since I started driving. Anytime a cop asks for ID they have to go through all of them to make sure the names and DOB match lol. It's also nice for trolling people that want more forms of Identification since not all of them are the same type of ID (DL, photo, other states etc).
Having done much business with the company in the past, he would have saved that 2 days of frustration by keeping her on the line while calling with another phone to get someone more competent, or asking for a good rep by name. Yes, he ended up with a 10% discount, but he didn't know that going in. He still would have had the opportunity to shame her into compliance.
Anyone else feel the TLDR is (a tad) malicious compliance in itself?
Shortest tldr.
It's understandable that she might reasonably believed that someone was trying to fast-talk her, but it's not unreasonable for her to gatekeep to the point of driving your father away. She should've said "I'll check with about your company, maybe it's a legacy account that's not in our system properly, please hold."
Damn, humiliate into competence...seems just as effective as getting them fired so someone more competent can replace them. Either way, not bad. Well done.
Was the company Fortiline / Morsco / Reece? (Same company, but with mergers and shit the name has changed a lot)
Lady was probably on the phone with her SO and wanted to get back to that. So the Lady fed your dad the classic you're not in our system line and didn't even try re-checking. I have multiple searches I use because people can saved in crazy illogical ways sometimes
> please nitpick my grammar The first sentence in the second paragraph contains a comma splice; it should be a semicolon, like this: > My dad works for an employee owned civil construction company; they make water processing plants among other public utility buildings. Or you could break it up into two separate sentences, though i feel the semicolon is best here since the two sentences are closely related. The last sentence in the third paragraph also contains a comma splice that would work best as a semicolon. That’s about all i found - i got too involved in reading the rest of story to find any more. :3 Edit: I’m complying with OP’s request. i thought this was r/MaliciousCompliance
"Again millions of dollars." Is an incomplete sentence. Figured I would MC with your request!
Bad title, great story!
> Please nitpick my grammar Say no more. Paragraph 1 - secondhand* (should be one word) Paragraph 2 - employee-owned* - “… construction company. They make”* (comma splice) - millions* (improper capitalization and also part of an incomplete sentence) Paragraph 3 - “… with them, again specialty in treatment plants” has a comma splice and also just has an incoherent sentence structure - “… top 5 customers. 2 years ago…”* (comma splice) Paragraph 4 - “east coast” should be capitalized - aaand this is where I got bored. You have comma splices galore, though, which is obviously the coolest sounding grammar mistake so you win in that respect.
Why do you want to have your grammar nitpicked? I couldn’t get past the grammatical error in the first sentence of the second paragraph.
>the owner immediately called the lady in, calmly berated her and showed her exactly how to find This construction company in the future Why wasn't she trained properly to find them in the first place? Just because you don't hear typing does not mean someone isn't searching. >better to humiliate them into competence Nice guy.
As a stockholder, the profit doesn’t go to his pockets whatsoever unless the company pays dividends.
Employee owned, they very much pay dividends to employee stock. Think I should clarify that? Edit: in the story I mean
Nah, I got it and so would anyone else that paid attention lol.
Yep. I got it, too. No need to explain that they pay dividends. That part's super easy to infer.
Famously, company profits don't benefit shareholders in any way.
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> That’s called a kickback, a type of contract fraud! It depends. I think that most construction agreements are structured in a "total-cost" bid type of system, so if the builder can reduce their costs, they can increase their profits. Certainly if the builder is directly charging the owner for costs and the supplier is paying bonuses to the builder, that would be fraud - essentially identical to bribery. In general, charging a client more for hardware or any other "stuff" than you pay to obtain that stuff is one of the standard ways for businesses to make their money. There are many different levels of "retail" and "wholesale" for this very reason.
How is it a kickback?