Overcharged a Customer

[billbenson]

Purchasing agent got a quote from me in June. It must have been competitive because I put a 10% discount in the quote to him.

Several weeks later I received an order from someone else in the company for the exact same thing. I charged him full price as he didn't not the prior quote.

Long story short, the purchasing agent requested a receipt from me today. I noted that I hadn't charged shipping and told him I would need to add that in which was fine. When I went to send the receipt I noticed that I hadn't applied the discount to the order. After adding the shipping and taking out the discount I owed him $100.??

While the purchasing agent just wanted to clean up his books, when I called him and told him I owed them money and would apply a credit instead of charging him for shipping he was astounded. He said no one had ever made an error in their favor and called to give them a credit. I have a customer for life from giving the credit.
___________________________

Different story but similar. Years ago as a field sales guy I rented a car in Roanoke VA at night. Went to my hotel. Next morning I went to my car and there was a bank money drop bag in the door jam of the car I didn't see in the dark the night before. I opened it, and it was the drop bag for National Rent a Car. Over $2k in cash and a bunch of checks etc.

Obviously what had happened is an employee had been given the money drop bag and sent to the bank. Seems he / she forgot the go to the bank part.

So, with my customer, I opened the bag and counted it and then called National Rent a Car and asked for the manager. I said hmmmm you missing anything (thoroughly enjoying the moment)?

I got a lifetime free car rental in Roanoke although I have never been back and don't care to return. Just one of those funny things that happen in life, at least in my opinion.

[greenoak]

we have done that a few times over the years.....to me its just good business....and not too hard to do...and what you would want them to do for you....if a company did that for me i would feel so good towards them.....
we totally try to point out flaws when selling....thats also very appreciated....

[Steve B]

Good stories. It's funny how doing the right thing is also good for business.

[Blessed]

Doing the right thing is good for business!

Both of these examples are things that were very easy to do too - in costing yourself $100 by admitting a mistake you've gained a lifetime customer - worth far more than the $100! And in reporting the bank bag and giving it back to the car rental place you certainly made that managers day and saved the company a lot of headaches and money!

[Spider]

Not to mention that the purchasing agent may have remembered the discount and not mentioned it, or remembered it later. And the car rental people could have eventually tracked who rented that car after the money was lost. In both cases, had you not done the right thing, you would have lost two customers for life, and even found yourself facing criminal prosecution.

Doing the right thing is not only good for business, it's also a lot safer!

[KristineS]

Wow, I bet the car rental company was sweating that one. I'm sure there were some big sighs of relief when you called.

[billbenson]

Actually they hadn't figured it out yet, or at least the manager hadn't. The employee may have woken up and and realized his error though.

[greenoak]

we just had a call yesterday from a company, giving us an unexpected 1k.....we had paid 1000 and they had missed it and dh had missed it....made us pretty happy!!!
early summer, i made a christmas order a few hundred over our 3000$ credit limit with them....and they asked if i could put some of it on creditcard...i said sure ...and authorized 1000....now months later that caught up with their billing department and they realized we had already paid that much of the current bill..and called us... .... we probably never would have caught it because dh just deals with the things that come in the mail and he wasnt in on the credit card conversation.... and when he paid the credit card he would have figured it was just for current inventory, not the big christmas order......and i wouldnt have caught it becasue paying bills isnt my thing...
to me it makes that company pretty nice to do business with....gives me some faith in their accounting department....they want things accurate...

[Spider]

Actually, this sort of thing shouldn't be a surprise. And, in fact, I am not especially surprised at it. I think, by and large, people are honest and try to do the right things. Maybe sometimes there are two 'right things' that conflict or the right thing isn't quite so obvious. But people are basically good.

[greenoak]

i try to feel that way....and on a closer level where its face to face i get there most of the time..
.but i deal with lots of companies w hose mistakes are only in their favor.like generally sending out wrong info to get the order.or substituting something close but not quite....or forgetting a refund.....
..and in the auction world ive been called several times when they missed one of my buys and i owe them something but never when they charged me extra and they owe me....or i paid for something i didnt bid on.......
i just try to be careful...
ann

[Harold Mansfield]

I had something similar happen to me what I was driving limos here in Vegas. A guy paid me $1500 by mistake..he meant to give me the $100 bill that he peeled off, got distracted at just the right moment and gave me what was in the other hand, and put the $100 in his pocket and went inside the club with his dates (alcohol helps create these situations).

I noticed it right away, but just stood there as I watched him walk in. Took me a few minutes...I knew I was going to do the right thing, I just wanted to hold the money for a little longer..it was a slow month.

When I went into the club and told him what he had done, he just smiled and told me to keep it and asked for my card.

A lot of limo drivers are hustlers and most would have squealed tires getting away but I learned early that the real high rollers, if they like you and are thinking about keeping you as a regular driver..will test you to see if they can trust you..after all, you see people doing stuff that that needs to be in the strictest confidence. I've had guys leave $100k in the car with me while they were "taking care of business" in the hotel or at dinner.

I had two runs that particular night and made $1505.

Honesty pays.

[huggytree]

i had one 2 weeks ago

she needed a new garbage disposal and i gave her a verbal quote of $250...she called her husband and got the OK

after the install i checked my price sheet and saw it was actually $230 for the new disposal, so i discounted her down to $230....what did she do? she asked 'could you lower the price some more since you got it done so quickly'...my response 'no, sorry.....i already dropped the price $20 after getting the OK for $250. i did this because im honest and dont want to over charge you. most companies wouldnt have done this for you. I did it to get your business in the future'...

she wrote my name under her kitchen sink for future work, but didnt seem happy i wouldnt discount further...it left me feeling like i should have kept the $20 extra

most of my customers are great, but once in a while i get bad ones....i will be the low bid out of 3-5 other plumbers and when im done they still ask for a discount...i never give them when the customer asks

[Steve B]

I personally think you ruined the event with this statement, "I did it to get your business in the future"

[greenoak]

i kind of agree with steve...sounds a little stuffy, i probably wouldnt say much about what the other companies would do either... sounds l kind of braggy...
...also agree with huggy not to discount further...and try and do it with a smile....the media tells them to always ask for discounts etc, so we need to get good at saying no and still keep it comfortable.........
we get low ball offers a lot...and i use humor, if its someone friendly and who just can t help asking for more or too much.or after getting my best price... .....as in.. THAT WOULD BE SO WRONG....

[Spider]

One of my favorite negotiating replies that would serve to deal with the retail bargainhunter -- "If I do that for you (lower the price), what will you do for me?" Negotiating is a two-way street. Unfortunately, most people don't have a clue about negotiating.

[billbenson]

You can tell them what they will do for you. If I give you the discount I will need the terms to be prepaid.

[Paper Shredder Clay]

Great business and moral move. I applaud you. I'm sure you may have had to think about it briefly before you made the right choice.