Hello,
My name is Patrick James. I am the President of Pro Systems. I don't usually come on these boards as they are typically inflammatory and really tend to hurt business more than help.
Jeremy is not imaginary or made up, he is a real person, he is someone I know as a customer and he contacted me prior to posting. His facts are correct (except that I did not hang up on ERA 626...I don't think...read on).
ERA 626 was probably one of the shortest tempered customers I had ever known in the 30 seconds we spoke on the phone. He had just received my e mail informing him of his incorrectly supplied information and now he was aware he had shipping fees (see below) so he was already mad when he got on the phone. But he should've been mad at himself. I did not raise my voice to him, I did not act arrogant. I simply informed him of the facts that are very clear and because he realized that I could not fix his carburetors he was then attempting to bully me into fixing them, when that did not work he demanded I return them at my cost as it was my fault he sent them or else he would spread horrible rumors about our company and he did.
If ERA 626 was a kinder person I would have certainly paid for these small shipping fees. But I elected to fight his terrorism and not buckle to his demands. For that my company is getting a bunch of press. However, like they say apparently there is no such thing as bad press and as a result of this thread, quite a few members have contacted us for work as they see the facts and can make decisions for themselves.
ERA 626's last words to me were "Well its been nice doing business with you" I replied "Alright, Good enough" and there was silence so I hung up assuming he was done with his tantrum (I was in the car with my very young daughters and his voice was coming through very clearly).
There was no yelling on my side and I did not act arrogant in any way. I also did not state we don't do "small jobs". Small jobs is what we do.
Unfortunately, he either just does not understand the way things went down, he doesn't listen or he is continuing his terrorism to prove a point that bullying people does get results.
Apparently it does with some of the folks. But terrorism is not the proper way to go through your life and get what you want. A little kindness goes a long way and if you know me you'll know I am probably one of the nicest guys in the business. I was shown zero kindness only bullying tactics and threats after he found out that I could not fix his carbs. His first thought was if they were on the way there then I would be forced to fix them. But I no longer have the custom Super Stock plates we need to do the job right and I am not going to take money from someone if I can't do the job right.
I know that the folks that have attacked our company and me just don't know me or they are the competition as we are 100 percent in the right on this. All that facts support my explanation of the situation. If I had the parts I would take the job. I don't so I can't. I e mailed him the moment I got back to the shop (7 pm that evening) to tell him his facts were incorrect and that I could not fix the carbs and NOT to send them. But he already had. Thats all I can do. What else should I have done? The offer still stands to ship them back at my cost but only if he agrees to my statements as being true (this is to negate the effects of his terrorist tactics). These employed tactics are regularly used on the internet and someone has to take a stand. I'll take the first one, hopefully others will follow.
I am deleting Club Cobra from my favorites and I will no longer be returning. This event has cost me a lot of lost sleep (If I don't read it, I don't think about it) as I care about what people think of me and its very disheartening when you know you are in the right. But I can't buckle to terrorism. Its a moral decision.
Here is a copy of the E mails I have sent him that same Saturday he contacted me to ship the carbs (I went to the shop to review his facts and e mailed him right away. Here are also the e mails from the following Sunday. I am sure people who really want to can somehow find an angle to twist these into evil, but I can assure you they were sent to inform the customer and be sympathetic to his situation. In no correspondence was I ever arrogant or uncaring.
Sat, 18 Mar 2006 19:01:15 -0800 (PST)
From: "Patrick James"
Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Subject: RE:
To: mlagrone@pacbell.net
Hi Michael,
I thought I was correct and that I could no longer
work on those type of carbs. We talked in February of
last year. As of this year, I no longer have any of
the plates available that I use to repair your
condition. They were all purchased by the Super stock
racers. So do not send the carbs in as I cannot
repair them.
Please e back that you received this E mail.
(Michael then E mailed me back infomring me that he sent them and asking me to do the work anyway or build him new ones. I will not reprint his mail without his permission)
Sun, 19 Mar 2006 04:58:20 -0800 (PST)
From: "Patrick James" Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Subject: RE:
To: "Michael LaGrone"
Sorry Michael,
I do not have the plates. They were a custom run of
CNC plates and they were all used up by the Super
stock guys. If call becomes high enough to do antoher
run (its very pricey and requires you to build about
100 plates to justify the setup time at the cost of
about $8,000). At that point I can do them.
However, please when referencing E mails include the
fact that we talked over a year ago as when you call
the after hours tech support line for sales
information I am at your mercy for data concerning
programs and conversations.
This avoids this situation.
(In Michaels next E mail he still does not understand why we cannot put our program in his carbs and he is aware that his carb will be returned to him)
Sun, 19 Mar 2006 08:11:59 -0800 (PST)
From: "Patrick James" Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Subject: RE:
To: "Michael LaGrone"
Hi Michael,
We no longer have an available program for you, so
they will be returned to you.
Your best bet is to get your tracking number and
contact your shipper to return them to you.
If in the future we offer these plates again I can add
you to the list of Super stock racers that are
requesting them. They could be available next year.
Club Cobra members.
This is all the correspondence we had other than the 30 second phone conversation we had which was a venting release for him on me.
Thats all I have to say.Thank you.
Patrick James
President Pro Systems
Oh and...thanks to some of you for the blind faith that you exhibited in me and my company.