Business Etiquette

[Exigeowner]

Today I had a metting arranged with a local ish company , about 40 miles from me to discuss working on a website for me.

I made contact with the guy from a business forum and it took a few days for him to reply to my mails but eventually he did respond and I liked what he had to say.

I then tried for next 4 days calling his business number and mobile and it rang out each time, I didnt leave any messages for him to call me. fair enough I imagined he was probably a one man business trying to appear bigger from his web site details, I can live with that as Im hoping my site will do the same image for me.

He did call me back and apologised said he had been rolling out two new sites and was with clients all day.

Anyway at the start of this week we arrange a meeting at my place for 2.30 today, kinda planed my day around this meet, prepared a few simple bits for it, 2.40 / 3.00 / 3.2o pm comes and goes, I call his mobile, WTF are you ?

I then get a text back saying he is overrunning a meeting and will call me later, its now 5.20.

My thoughts are now if he does call to shove it ! should I be giving him another chance, dont wanna spite myself just to be awkard but im not happy.

Edited by Exigeowner on Thursday 7th February 17:25

[touching cloth]

Tell him to eff off. When doing sales people should be blowing smoke up your arse, if they can't even get to a meeting on time to try to win your business, then what are they going to be like when they have it. You are not spiting yourself to be awkward, you are making a decision that will save you frustration dealing with this chap in days and weeks to come.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Deffo bin him.

[RichBurley]

To the OP: You need to speak with UKBob, on this forum. He's the man for this kind of thing. And a top bloke. And he returns my calls.

[Plotloss]

I'm sure there are plenty of PHers with web companies who would be happy to discuss your requirements.

Its not like hes operating in a captive market.

(Obviously if you met this person on this business forum then the above may not be such an attractive alternative).

[JamieBeeston]

Impressions count, if he can't turn up to a sales meeting on time, what chance of actually working properly once you've paid him.

If you need some help with anything web related, drop me an email via my profile

J

[Exigeowner]

It was not this business forum, it was one that was mentioned on a post from here, Your all right there are loads doing it but I do like to keep business local if poss so I can meet in person and so on, wouldnt really want to try and sort a website just over the phone and email and frankly speaking the budget would not interest anybody enough to start travelling many miles for the business.

[simbax]

I wouldn't worry about a long distance business relationship. I've developed some decent sized websites for many clients far from where I live. In fact, I've developed a few sites for people without evening having spoken to them on the phone and it has worked perfectly fine. I would say that a large proportion of the sites I've developed are for people I've never even met in person. But obviously some people, such as yourself, prefer to meet face to face which I appreciate and understand.

Going back to your original post, I would say it is bang out of order. He either doesn't want your business so is purposely being awkward or is just naff. Good luck

Edited by simbax on Thursday 7th February 17:57

[UKbob]

Id love to help, or at least discuss how I might do so. You'll have mail in a minute and contact details, give me a shout and lets at least have a 5 minute natter. If you like what you hear enough to talk the whole thing through in much more detail, we can do just that.

Im far too honest for my own good (Eh Sinclair! ) but 97% of my clients are well serviced and happy, id say, and get the best treatment I am personally able to give them, 10-6 weekdays. My customer retention rate is probably 97% and of the three clients out of 100 who go elsewhere, Im usually the one to give them the boot Been in the game roughly 7 years now, and am full time customer support which is what you'd benefit by having (not reflected in the price) always available - I spend 100% of my time focusing on customers as opposed to getting swamped with the donkey design work itself.

The web game isnt fun, if you are on the client end. We frequently bail clients out after they get nowhere with one or two other web companies. Occasionally we are the third company they try, and less occasionally the 4th(!) to actually start, picking up where the last companies failed/left off. Far to many sub-standard web monkies out there Im afraid, I hear the horror stories all the time.

[Jasper Gilder]

You're the customer, he's the supplier. If it starts like this it will only get worse. He doesn't deserve your business - or anyone else's for that matter. Find a new supplier.

[TDIPLC]

Vote with your feet and consider yourself lucky to have escaped with cost.