Why are some people incapable of a yes-no answer?

My call just now with a vendor who's sole business is selling stuff for competitive motorsports:

"I need to know if the order will be on my porch by Saturday"

"we'll try"

"Please don't misinterpret my tone as anger, OK, but I need a simple yes-no answer - Can. You. Ship. My. Order. For. Delivery. No. Later. Than. Saturday.? - If you can't I need to source it locally, and I need to do that right now.?

"we should be able to"...

"Yes, or no. Either you can, or you can't. I'll happily pay for Fed-Ex overnight - it's only die-cut vinyl so it can go in a Fed-Ex overnight tube. It's Monday noon - can you ship this on Thursday or Friday in a Fed-Ex tube, overnight with no signature required so I get it?"

"Umm...we generally tr"

"YES OR NO?"

"Ummm...yes"

"Thanks"

This particular vendor who's big, big, big in the autocross community F'd up the last time I used them and I only tried again as I was ordering the #1 thing they're know for - class and number stickers.

No.

I'm gonna swing by Next Day Signs and buy 4' of black, under the table. I have an X-acto and went to art school.

I should just open a warehouse and store all kinds of "I need it tomorrow" kinds of stuff in it for numerous vendors because it does seem that they can never guarantee anything when it is being shipped across the U.S.

Because if they say "No.", you will immediately go elsewhere. And if they say "Yes." and it doesn't happen, well you won't buy from them again. So in this country of middle of the roaders, the middle of the road is the best place to be.

PHeller wrote: I should just open a warehouse and store all kinds of "I need it tomorrow" kinds of stuff in it for numerous vendors because it does seem that they can never guarantee anything when it is being shipped across the U.S.

So exactly what McMaster Carr does?

My job affords me the ability to get those needed answers out of people rather quickly. When you have to deal with me to do your job, it is imperative you keep from giving me the wrong answers. When you yell, you get put into time out. So far one truck driver has been put in time out.

McMaster does a really good job of drop-shipping. So does Amazon. I'll give the edge to Amazon. They can get something to me overnight from 120 miles away even though I pay regular shipping prices.

I once ordered a seat-post for my bicycle because it was 100 miles away from me. I thought "hey, they'd have to move really slow to ship this in more than a week."

Well, the seller did not say on the part description that the part was located somewhere else. They said "In Stock" and "Ships Today". They didn't tell me "In stock on other side of country and will not actually ship from our store until next Friday." No, they sent that little disclaimer along in the order confirmation email that they don't actually have anything in stock at their storefront 100 miles away.

Needless to say, after a 10 days I complained. Miraculously the part showed up two days later.

The alternative would be Germany. An American company will get it to you in 2-4 days. Almost certainly 3. Hopefully 2. No more than 4, unless something goes really really wrong. They won't be able to guarantee exactly when it will arrive, but they'll do their darndest to get it to you as quickly as possible.

A German will get it to you in 5 days. Not 6. Not 4. 5. It will take longer than an American company, but you will know exactly how long it will take.

You ordered something from an Amazon-Networked-Business as I call them. Basically, someone is selling stuff on or for Amazon that lived right down the road from you. They may also be a drop-shipper for Amazon. So you ordered something locally, more or less.

motomoron wrote: I have an X-acto and went to art school.

If that's not a cry for help, I don't know what is. Don't worry little Emo, the sun will come out tomorrow!

And really, that sounds more like an issue with the salesdroid, not a company policy.

You would be surprised at the hoses and what we have shipped next day. We (Minneapolis) lost an order for a Wyoming refinery to our competitor (Cleveland, Ohio) as they need 20 hoses same day delivery.

I now have my sales guy sourcing freight companies that can pickup and deliver anywhere in the country the same day. UPS RED 8:00am delivery is not good enough.

Oh yeah, my wife suffers with the yes/no answer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67wm09fYOwY

"...miraculously the part showed up two days later."

I hope that was meant with a large dose of sarcasm.

If you think it's bad here, go live in Japan. The whole country is based on the idea that giving a definite answer, right away, especially if it's a no, can not be done. They will often say yes to your face while KNOWING that no is the more appropriate answer....some folks just don't like conflict.

I think my main point is that this company is about exclusively in the business of selling things to people who participate in competitive motorsports.

These people have a drop-dead-line, namely some specific time counted backward from when a guy waves a green flag or says "send the car".

If you do nothing but sell to racers - having anyone on you staff who answers a yes/no on time delivery status question with anything other than "yes - it will be in the shipper's hands on time" or "no, we can't make it" - isn't good enough.

For what it's worth, I placed the order for stick-on vinyl number and class stickers 10 days before the deadline, and authorized shipping by any means necessary to make that deadline.

Someone asks me a yes/no question, I say "yes" or "no" - then ask if they want any additional information that may be relevant.

integraguy wrote: They will often say yes to your face while KNOWING that no is the more appropriate answer....some folks just don't like conflict.

Thats what I call a "Can Do" attitude!

They "can do" even if they can't!

Per Schroeder wrote:

motomoron wrote: I have an X-acto and went to art school.

If that's not a cry for help, I don't know what is. Don't worry little Emo, the sun will come out tomorrow!

HAHAHAHA. You owe me a keyboard.

Why would anyone expect an ironclad committment when a third party is involved?

A committment to same-day shipping? Yes!

A tracking number? Yes!

Anything after that, the shipping company is the responsible party.

I really need to start selling car numbers.

In reply to oldsaw:

Agreed, 100%. I asked if they could ~ship my order for delivery no later than Saturday~ not if it would be delivered. FedEx in my experience is reliable close enough to 100% - particularly overnight shipments.

I'm wondering which place it is. There's one my cousing went too that dicked him around for a few weeks on an intake.

oldsaw wrote: Why would anyone expect an ironclad committment when a third party is involved?

Because you're in the business of making it happen, if you say you can. If you take my money and claim you can do it, you are responsible.

In reply to Per Schroeder:

Hahaha. I love you guys.

Have you ever seen the monkeys that swing in these trees?