I m always shocked by this question, but maybe I shouldn t be any more. In my personal life, I m routinely surprised at how many times I have to call a company to get them to service my broken oven or to follow up on a bid. The other day, in frustration, I asked my non-responsive accountant: What do I have to do to spend my money with you??!! I then fired him. In general, I think ending a business relationship with people who treat you unprofessionally is the simplest and best response. But in the real world, that s sometimes easier said than done. For instance, the company might be the best fit for your needs. That s the reason so many consumers own the iPhone despite AT T s poor cell coverage. Or why we fly the airline that treats us rudely but takes us nonstop on the best schedule. I d say that we fire no more than one-quarter of the reps or companies we should.If you decide that firing the seller isn t an option, you need to go to Plan B: Making the company more responsive and respectful. The best way to do this is a two-step plan: First, contact your sales rep and explain that you ve been treated disrespectfully, and that you don t care for that. To make yourself perfectly clear, explain how you expect to be treated. (You might write all this out before hand, so you sound put-together.) Second, wait a short while to see how things change. If the relationship doesn t improve, go straight up the ladder to the owner of the company, with as many specific grievances as you can capture. Do this in writing, either in email or even better as a letter. I d be surprised if you didn t get the results you want. After that, if the problem is with the owner, you have only 2 choices: Change sellers or suck it up. Good luck!
Kevin has summed this one up perfectly, but I m going to chime in as I have also had way too many instances where people make it difficult for me to spend my money with them. I d encourage you to do everything in your power to find a new seller rather than suck it up. There are few situations where a seller is the only provider of what you need. One thing you can be nearly certain of -- if this is the treatment you re receiving when you re trying to become a customer, it can only become worse once you re already on board.
Find another supplier. If they re not acting professionally, don t do business with them. Don t feel like you have to prove yourself to them. They should be trying to earn your business.
