Affordable or A-force-able

On November 7, 2009, in English, General, My work, by Kok mING

Let’s not critic on my bad Mal-lish in naming this entry… I have something to share with you. This was happen two weeks ago, and until now, I still find it is hilarious.

Before we start, I have to explain to you about my role. As many of you know I am a person who handle the client engagement for example chit chat with them to find out what they want, prepare a quote / proposal and so on. My company (not my business) is a Software house… To simplify this, you can call me IT Sales-person and we start the interesting story-telling now.

A customer approach me a.k.a. the IT Sales-person to enquire a quotation for a application report customization. Without any delay, I reply with a quotation which is RM1,000. The customer was shocked and reply “Why so expensive?”. The customer start to challenge that the original report that we deliver to her was a piece of junk and why she has to pay for fixing the junk. I totally agree that we should not pay for junk! So I support her and request her to justify it. Sadly, she couldn’t. I couldn’t help her so I advise her to reconsider our quote.

Then she say, proceed with it and she will pay RM400… Ok… This is getting interesting. She wants the work to be completed but only pay 40% of the price? Immediately, I declined by saying that is not enough to cover the running cost and it will be a net loss for my company. Then the conversation start to be not-so-pleasant but I am generous enough to complete the work for her and to discuss the pricing later. But she is not agreeable to that and wanted to rebill me on the time she spent to speak with me… Now, let’s see who wants to deliver the work and who is trying to be ridiculous…

If you find something is expensive, you have 2 choices. Buy or Leave to another alternative. Simple as that.

Even that you own a piece of junk, you want to dispose it. You will still have to pay for the disposal fees, correct?

Again… apply the same situation on KFC Shrimp Stix . Can you tell KFC that your shrimp stix is only 20% of your advertising size, so I will only pay your 20% of the price? I believe the Uncle KFC will turn alive and dip you into the burning oil… :hahaha:

Another example, I am a very difficult customer for TMNET Streamyx. However, I still have to pay FULL subscription fees every month, otherwise they will terminate my account and charge me reconnection fees after I settle the outstanding bill! Yes! They terminate you and still charge you for reconnection… how ridiculous… furthermore the best effort basis is the worst in the world. I wish I have the power to demand but no…

You see, in a commercial world. We are the consumer, the best way to safe guard our benefit is to be a smart consumer. The provider can choose whether or not to deal with you too. So, there is nothing by force…

If the customer can set the price and the provide has to accept it. Then I will go to Japanese restaurant eat the abalone and salmon sashimi for RM1 / meal… because the restaurant are serving the dead corpses of fish without any cooking. I am so kind to go in and eat them all, save their money to dispose those junk too! :xd:


Hope you had a good laugh and able to find some learning points in this entry. 🙂

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