From: "Purcell Family" <purcell@bigfoot.com>
To: <balloon@balloonhq.com>
Subject: Bad Business...
Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 15:55:47 -0600

While working my usual restaurant gig this afternoon, one of the guests,
while waiting in line to order, sent her daughter to me with a business card
for a company that supplies balloons asking if I bought my balloons from
them.  I replied that I did not.  She then approached me and asked where I
did get my balloons.  I buy mail order from a supplier in my area who'll
remain un-named until after I figure out how to handle this.  When I
answered, she said, "Oh he buys everything from us -- give us a call, we'll
save you some money."

My concern is how to handle this.  I'm all for saving money.  And, apart
from other considerations, I'm all for trying to drum up new business.  But
her approach to me strike me as very poor business ethics since she is
trying to cut out my usual supplier who, if what she claimed is true, would
have to be one of her major customers.

Am I right or wrong to be bothered by this?

Seems to me that poor ethics in one area reflect likely ethical problems in
other areas as well, so I'm disinclined to do business on a regular basis
with her, even though she is closer to me and would save me some shipping
charges.  If she's willing to screw with one of her biggest customers, how
might she be willing to cut corners with me down the line?

Other considerations (stream-of-consciousness style):  Should I talk to
someone else in the company in case they don't know what she is doing (she
said she is the "Controller", whatever that means)?  Should I inform my
usual supplier so he knows what is going on?  She may even have been
lying -- I had always assumed that my supplier buys directly from the
balloon manufacturers.

Well, this should at least create some discussion.... Hope I haven't touched
anyone's hot buttons.

Thanks,

Scott Purcell
The Texas Twister
Round Rock, TX
http://community.webshots.com/user/texastwister