Consumer Homes.

Question:

+<<<I explained that I had bought my tile at Lowe’s and couldn’t cut it at +an angle with the tools I had, and he went into a rage, saying "that’s +what they do, they sell you a bunch of tile and then when you can’t +cut it they tell you ‘I know a place that has a wet saw.’ >>> + +Maybe he could have handled it better, but I think you had big balls to bring +in tile you DID NOT buy there, and ask him to cut it. Maybe you oughta read a bit more carefully before you fly off the handle. He stated that he offered to pay to have the tile cut, and was refused. *That* is unreasonable.

Response:

>Maybe you oughta read a bit more carefully before you fly off the handle. >He stated that he offered to pay to have the tile cut, and was refused. >*That* is unreasonable.

What’s your point? The point I made is that it IS unreasonable. As someone posted earlier; what would have been a fair price for cutting the tiles? This guy shopped price and now he’s looking to get the service he’s lacking because of it. Well the guy at Tile World is probably more expensive because he includes his service and expertise in his price. You get what you pay for. I think the guy was right in not cutting the tile for him. It’s a matter of principle.

Response:

>that he’s lost a lot of future business.  I wonder if you would REALLY >have been willing to pay a fair price to have him cut the tile, or >whether you’d have started an

I’m curious to know what you consider a fair price for this job, especially since someone has posted you could buy the tool to do the job for $129 at Home Depot. I once paid $5 to a tailor to hem a pair of pants I bought.  He also sold pants at his store and he didn’t have a hissy fit when I asked him to work on my third party pants.  It took him approximately 2 minutes to complete this task.  I would have gladly paid 5 times that since I can’t sew and I need my pants to look nice.  I am sure the poster would have gladly paid a premium price to have the tile cut so he could get his project completed and looking perfect. Sounds to me like the guy has just been stewing sour grapes ever since Lowe’s and HD came to town.  He’s not going to score too much new business alienating people like this.  Part of the job of being an expert is to help out the amateurs, or at least bail them out when they screw it up.  How do you think electricians, plumbers, wallpaper hangers, etc., get their bread and butter? — Will Bell — wbb at netcom dot com — DeepinahartaTexas Spamblock removed since it wasn’t doing any good anyway.

Response:

+>Maybe you oughta read a bit more carefully before you fly off the handle. +>He stated that he offered to pay to have the tile cut, and was refused. +>*That* is unreasonable. + +What’s your point? The point I made is that it IS unreasonable. As someone +posted earlier; what would have been a fair price for cutting the tiles? This +guy shopped price and now he’s looking to get the service he’s lacking because +of it. Yes, and he’s willing to pay for it. What’s your problem with that? Well the guy at Tile World is probably more expensive because he +includes his service and expertise in his price. You get what you pay for. I +think the guy was right in not cutting the tile for him. It’s a matter of +principle. You’re still missing the point.

Response:

>You said yourself that this was your first and only tile project. >So it’s not clear that he’s lost a lot of future business.

I did NOT say this was my only tile project.  In fact I am beginning several renovations on my house, and I have two bathrooms and a kitchen to deal with.  Yes, he DID lose lots of future business from me. >I wonder if you would REALLY have been willing to pay a fair >price to have him cut the tile, or whether you’d have started >an argument about how he was gouging because he wanted to >amortize the cost of his equipment and facilities against >the service, instead of against the merchandise he might >have sold to subsidize it.

Maybe that’s something YOU would do, but I can’t fathom why any rational person would do that.  That’s such a bizarre notion that I won’t even attempt to understand why you would ask this. >How can you even expect him to come up with a fair price for >the advice and for using his special expertise to bail you >out?

It’s his business.  I’m sure he could manage to figure out how he could turn a profit on three minutes’ work.  I was so frustrated at the time I’d wasted so far, I’d have paid $20 very happily. In the end, it’s moot.  I went to Home Depot after work today and they cut the three pieces for $1.50 total. When I got home there was a message on my answering machine from Clay Nicholson of Nicholson Tile in Durham, whose answering machine I had left a message on this morning describing my problem.  Clay’s message said he’d be happy to cut the tile for me for free, just bring it on by his job site.  Now THAT is the attitude that gets you more business.  Guess who I’m going to call for my next tile project.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >I agree…..chances are, if you needed tile again…you would have gone >back to LOWE’S since you probably THOUGHT you were getting a better price. >So, it’s doubtful that he would have been out much business….the bottom >line is…he makes money on the sale of the product (for the most >part)….you chose to give the EASY part of the job to Lowe’s….in >essence, Lowe’s CHERRY PICKED the most profitable part of the sale >(well…you did it for them) and you gave him the scraps. >Certainly, he’s used to customers (or "would-be" customers) who will always >price shop…and, It’s pretty certain he can’t compete with the buying >power of Lowe’s….No doubt, he can pick out the people who want to save a >few bucks by buying from a "superstore" and knows what you were doing.  In >your mind, you were throwing him a bone..and he should be happy with a >meager profit…

You have not the SLIGHTEST idea what was going on in my mind, apart from what I posted in my earlier message.  Which it might do you good to go back and read again, as you’ll find that I already told you that I didn’t know Tile World existed at the time I "chose to give the easy part of the job to Lowe’s," and that I also already told you that when I walked into Tile World my first thought was that, due to their wide selection, I would go there for my next tile project. >…while, in his mind, you chose to take the bulk of your >business to LOWE’s (a do-it-yourself store) and expected HIM to give the >value added service when he didn’t get the profit from the original sale.

You and Mike really are a couple of strange fellows with strange ideas.  I wish you both luck with your customer base should you ever decide to go into business for yourselves.

Response:

The point that some folks keep overlooking is that 1)  You were NOT AWARE of Tile World when you made the purchase 2)  You offered to PAY for having the pieces cut Having done lots of tile work in my shop and homes we’ve owned, I know exactly what you’re talking about with nibbling.  I solved my own problem years back with a $200 wet tub/saw I purchase from Harbor Freight.  The tub/saw is incredibly rugged for the price and does accurate cutting with ease. Even if the fellow’s wet saw had been out in his truck, it only takes a matter of a couple minutes to set up and make the cuts. If the fellow at Tile World had been reasonable, he would have offered to make the three cuts for FREE, while showing you his inventory and skill.  He SHOULD have told you, "I’m a local businessman and would love to have your future business."  You would then have probably posted a favorable comment about this and the fellow would have gained some business and free advertising.  Instead, he smarted off to you and lost business. — Tom Gauldin, Raleigh NC -NetMeeting   ils.four11.com,   Live Birdfeeder Action ICQ 7022136     fax (919) 676-1404 ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/pub/users/scoundrl/gauldin1.htm Here’s to the land of the Longleaf Pine, The Summerland, where the sun doth shine, Where the weak grow strong, and the strong grow great, Here’s to Downhome, the Old North State. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->You said yourself that this was your first and only tile project. >So it’s not clear that he’s lost a lot of future business. >I did NOT say this was my only tile project.  In fact I am beginning >several renovations on my house, and I have two bathrooms and a >kitchen to deal with.  Yes, he DID lose lots of future business from >me. >I wonder if you would REALLY have been willing to pay a fair >price to have him cut the tile, or whether you’d have started >an argument about how he was gouging because he wanted to >amortize the cost of his equipment and facilities against >the service, instead of against the merchandise he might >have sold to subsidize it. >Maybe that’s something YOU would do, but I can’t fathom why any >rational person would do that.  That’s such a bizarre notion that I >won’t even attempt to understand why you would ask this. >How can you even expect him to come up with a fair price for >the advice and for using his special expertise to bail you >out? >It’s his business.  I’m sure he could manage to figure out how he >could turn a profit on three minutes’ work.  I was so frustrated at >the time I’d wasted so far, I’d have paid $20 very happily. >In the end, it’s moot.  I went to Home Depot after work today and they >cut the three pieces for $1.50 total. >When I got home there was a message on my answering machine from Clay >Nicholson of Nicholson Tile in Durham, whose answering machine I had >left a message on this morning describing my problem.  Clay’s message >said he’d be happy to cut the tile for me for free, just bring it on >by his job site.  Now THAT is the attitude that gets you more >business.  Guess who I’m going to call for my next tile project.

Response:

The tailor analogy is not a good one.  The tailor’s primary business is being a tailor…not selling pants.  The tile store’s primary business is selling tile. > I once paid $5 to a tailor to hem a pair of pants I bought.  He also > sold pants at his store and he didn’t have a hissy fit when I asked him > to work on my third party pants.  It took him approximately 2 minutes > to complete this task.  I would have gladly paid 5 times that since I > can’t sew and I need my pants to look nice.  I am sure the poster would > have gladly paid a premium price to have the tile cut so he could get > his project completed and looking perfect.

It is very difficult to compete with superstores like Home Depot & Lowe’s. While it may have been in his best interest to assist this customer…don’t you think that he has been faced with this time and time again?  If he were in business to cut tile for people who bought the tile elsewhere, he’d quickly be out of business.  Certainly, he could have handled the situation in a more diplomatic manner.  It is like buying your satellite system from Best Buy and asking Satellite City to install it….or buying a computer from Sam’s and trying to pay a computer store a pittance to install a piece of software. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Sounds to me like the guy has just been stewing sour grapes ever since > Lowe’s and HD came to town.  He’s not going to score too much new > business alienating people like this.  Part of the job of being an > expert is to help out the amateurs, or at least bail them out when they > screw it up.  How do you think electricians, plumbers, wallpaper > hangers, etc., get their bread and butter? > — > Will Bell — wbb at netcom dot com — DeepinahartaTexas > Spamblock removed since it wasn’t doing any good anyway.

Response:

> Part of the job of being an > expert is to help out the amateurs, or at least bail them out when they > screw it up.  How do you think electricians, plumbers, wallpaper > hangers, etc., get their bread and butter?

Actually, bailing out the amateurs is the type of work I try to steer away from. The majority I’ve found are bargain hunters, not interested in the value added service I offer. If you give them a bargain price on their first purchase, they expect a bargain on their 2nd purchase. If they don’t get a bargain the 2nd time, they go shopping. Bargain hunters have no loyalty. My bread and butter comes from people who want a quality job and aren’t afraid to pay for it, and I have many more of these than I could ever handle.

Response:

>…and, It’s pretty certain he can’t compete with the buying >power of Lowe’s….

Here’s something interesting I heard from my wife’s grandfather, who owned a office supply store, which took a beating (but didn’t go out) when Wal-Mart/Office Depot/Office Max came to town.  According to him, the smaller stores actually pay about the same as the superstores for products.  Evidently, the smaller stores usually join together in large buying blocs and get basically the same prices as larger stores. The biggest trouble for smaller stores came from two sources: 1) Employee costs, particularly if medical insurance is involved.  Larger    stores tend to have a greater number of part-timers, also. 2) Lower volume per employee.  This lets the larger stores have a lower    profit margin per item, but still generate profits. I’m not sure how universally true these principles are, but I thought it was pretty interesting. – John Keyser

Response:

>The tailor analogy is not a good one.  The tailor’s primary business is >being a tailor…not selling pants.  The tile store’s primary business is >selling tile.

Hmm, don’t tell the tailor this, since it was a big store full of suitcoats, shirts, and pants. — Will Bell — wbb at netcom dot com — DeepinahartaTexas Spamblock removed since it wasn’t doing any good anyway.

Response:

: The point that some folks keep overlooking is that : : 1)  You were NOT AWARE of Tile World when you made the purchase Even though he didn’t know about TILE WORLD, and even though he was willing to pay for the tile cutting…what we’re missing here is…. 1.      The shop owner was in a NO-WIN situation…if he had charged enough to meet some of his overhead…he would have been lambasted for being too expensive….or…if he refused to cut it because he made NO PROFIT off of the original sale…he’s a bad businessman. We still haven’t determined was the guy believed a fair price would be…are we talking about $2, $5, $10, $20???? And, if he wasn’t aware that this store existed…why should the store owner be a partner of his misfortune?   He may not have spent another dime in the store, the store owner may have assumed that he was ONLY interested in the lowest price.   The guy is NOT in the business of cutting tile purchased elsewhere…he is in the business of SELLING TILE.  That does not excuse his rudeness…but, as it becomes harder and harder for small business to compete with the Home Depots, Walmarts, etc…people expect them to provide only the value added service….and make no money off the original sale.

Response:

>Even though he didn’t know about TILE WORLD, and even >though he was willing to pay for the tile cutting…what >we’re missing here is….

NO, the MOST IMPORTANT POINT that all of you are missing here is that we are talking about a guy that runs a TILE STORE and therefor is probably a complete IDIOT! If the guy had any brains he would have went to college or not purchased such a business that must compete with Home Depot (and can’t). Yes, the guy was rude and lost some business. Do you think he gives a shit? He probably went home that day, beat his wife, kicked the dog and has a misrible existance because he’s a COMPLETE MORON! We’ll probably read about this guy in the paper next month when he gets caught trying to hold up a local Home Center or something and then turning the gun on himself. You people expect too much from Tile People!

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >NO, the MOST IMPORTANT POINT that all of you are missing here is that >we are talking about a guy that runs a TILE STORE and therefor is >probably a complete IDIOT! >If the guy had any brains he would have went to college or not >purchased such a business that must compete with Home Depot (and >can’t). >Yes, the guy was rude and lost some business. Do you think he gives a >shit? He probably went home that day, beat his wife, kicked the dog >and has a misrible existance because he’s a COMPLETE MORON! We’ll >probably read about this guy in the paper next month when he gets >caught trying to hold up a local Home Center or something and then >turning the gun on himself. >You people expect too much from Tile People!

 Gee, I didn’t go to college and am simply an HVAC contractor. But, I’ll compare my net worth with you anytime. He CAN compete with Home Depot, but not on price. With the right attitude, the little guy can blow the big boys away. The big boys can’t provide the personal service and certainly not the expertise the little guy can. But Tile World is certainly not interested in servicing cheap pricks like you who will beat them up for a nickle. I think they’re looking for someone who has a little money to spend and appreciates QUALITY service.

Response:

>In other words you cater to the "sucker’ trade who don’t know what they >want and are willing to pay dearly for what they get.

No, I cater to the people who KNOW what they want and aren’t afraid to pay for it. They know they can call me at 2 in the morning and I’ll take care of them. Try calling Home depot at 2 AM after they sold you a furnace. My customers pay a fair price, maybe not by your bargain hunter standards but certainly fair by most people who appreciate good service. And in my trade, the DIY type is thrown to the hacks of the trade. A quality conscious contractor has more work than he can handle, and doesn’t need the scraps you provide.

Response:

In defense of Joe Potochnie, owner and proprietor of Tile World: A couple of years back, I decided to tile the backsplash in my kitchen.  I went to Lowe’s, the HOME of marginally qualified sales personnel, and to a couple of other places, including Tile World.  I ended up going with Tile World, partly because of the selection, and partly because of the service.  Joe, the owner of Tile World, was VERY HELPFUL, and did his VERY BEST to make my tile project successful. 1) He gave suggestions on tile layout, techniques, etc. 2) He LOANED ME THE TOOLS to do most of the work, including    a float and toothed trowel. 3) He had me set everything but the tiles that needed cut,    and he then cut them for me for free. (The tile I picked    was handmade and could not possibly be cut by scoring/snapping) 4) When I came to pick up the grout and the mastic, I forgot my    checkbook, and he just handed it to me and said, "We’ll settle    up when you bring the tools back." My point is this: in the world of head-up-their-ass college kids that work at places like Lowes and Home Depot, Tile World is a cut above the rest.  Joe spent more than an hour talking with me about my project, and then he even cut the damn tiles for me.  He’s kinda gruff, but he knows his shit, and he really tries to help.  And I can understand his stance on cutting tile that some yuppie dude bought at Lowe’s.  If he does it for you, pretty soon everyone will be going to him asking for the same service.  He cuts tile when he SELLS tile.  Who knows… as far as he knows you could be giving him some sob-ass story, just trying to save 20 bucks.  Joe’s from New Jersey, and I’m sure he’s heard a lot of lies and stories.  Bottom line is, if you buy product from him, he’ll take care of you.  If you don’t, he won’t. I’m posting this to to let folks know that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Tile World as a place to do business.  I’ve often found the Triangle area to be FULL of people who pretend to be competent and are simply idiots.  When I run onto someone that can actually help, and then DOES, they get my recommendation.  If you disagree, you need to wipe your "He was mean to me!" tears away and realize that "no bullshit" does not mean the same thing as "bad place to do business."  Joe is honest and he means what he says.  I can’t ask for more than that. -alan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Even though he didn’t know about TILE WORLD, and even >though he was willing to pay for the tile cutting…what >we’re missing here is…. >NO, the MOST IMPORTANT POINT that all of you are missing here is that >we are talking about a guy that runs a TILE STORE and therefor is >probably a complete IDIOT! >If the guy had any brains he would have went to college or not >purchased such a business that must compete with Home Depot (and >can’t). >Yes, the guy was rude and lost some business. Do you think he gives a >shit? He probably went home that day, beat his wife, kicked the dog >and has a misrible existance because he’s a COMPLETE MORON! We’ll >probably read about this guy in the paper next month when he gets >caught trying to hold up a local Home Center or something and then >turning the gun on himself. >You people expect too much from Tile People!

Response:

There was a filling station I would frequent for both my van and pickup. I’d visited with the owner, had a tire repaired there one Sunday, and considered myself a regular customer of the place.  Previously, I would change the oil in our vehicles myself.  However, our van was simply too low to the ground, so I decided to ask the folks at "our" filling station to do it. I am a believer in synthetic oil- especially after a bad problem in a boat I’d owned, where synthetic oil saved my rump, so to speak. I went to the station in question and asked them if they’d change the van’s oil, replacing it with Mobil 1.  The manager looked at me and said, "We don’t sell Mobil products."  I asked if I could just pay for the labor and supply the oil myself, and he said, "NO- we only install what we sell." He may have made a point to the other customers there in the station that afternoon, but I never have purchased another thing from him. From the description of the reasonable "offer to pay for making three cuts," and the reaction of the tile man, I would feel the same way as the author of the original post.  I would never bother the gentleman again. — Tom Gauldin, Raleigh NC -NetMeeting   ils.four11.com,   Live Birdfeeder Action ICQ 7022136     fax (919) 676-1404 ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/pub/users/scoundrl/gauldin1.htm Here’s to the land of the Longleaf Pine, The Summerland, where the sun doth shine, Where the weak grow strong, and the strong grow great, Here’s to Downhome, the Old North State. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ><<<I explained that I had bought my tile at Lowe’s and couldn’t cut it at >an angle with the tools I had, and he went into a rage, saying "that’s >what they do, they sell you a bunch of tile and then when you can’t >cut it they tell you ‘I know a place that has a wet saw.’ >>> >Maybe he could have handled it better, but I think you had big balls to bring >in tile you DID NOT buy there, and ask him to cut it. As a contractor, this has >happened to me before and it infuriates me the nerve some people have.  I’m an >A/C contractor, and last summer this guy called me up (on a Saturday no less!) >and told me he just had A/C installed in his home, the crew had just left and >they left him no instructions on how to run the thing. So here he is, calling >me on a Saturday, my day off, and wants me to help him on a system which I DID >NOT install. That takes a lot of nerve I tell ya. Like I said, I can’t blame >the guy, but he could have been more diplomatic

Response:

I agree…..chances are, if you needed tile again…you would have gone back to LOWE’S since you probably THOUGHT you were getting a better price. So, it’s doubtful that he would have been out much business….the bottom line is…he makes money on the sale of the product (for the most part)….you chose to give the EASY part of the job to Lowe’s….in essence, Lowe’s CHERRY PICKED the most profitable part of the sale (well…you did it for them) and you gave him the scraps. Certainly, he’s used to customers (or "would-be" customers) who will always price shop…and, It’s pretty certain he can’t compete with the buying power of Lowe’s….No doubt, he can pick out the people who want to save a few bucks by buying from a "superstore" and knows what you were doing.  In your mind, you were throwing him a bone..and he should be happy with a meager profit….while, in his mind, you chose to take the bulk of your business to LOWE’s (a do-it-yourself store) and expected HIM to give the value added service when he didn’t get the profit from the original sale. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> You said yourself that this was your first and only tile project.  So it’s > not clear > that he’s lost a lot of future business.  I wonder if you would REALLY > have been > willing to pay a fair price to have him cut the tile, or whether you’d > have started an > argument about how he was gouging because he wanted to amortize the cost > of his > equipment and facilities against the service, instead of against the > merchandise he > might have sold to subsidize it.  How can you even expect him to come up > with a > fair price for the advice and for using his special expertise to bail you > out? > I explained that I had bought my tile at Lowe’s and couldn’t cut it at > an angle with the tools I had, and he went into a rage, saying "that’s > what they do, they sell you a bunch of tile and then when you can’t > cut it they tell you ‘I know a place that has a wet saw.’  Well, if > you’d bought it here, I’d cut it for you." > I told him that Lowe’s hadn’t sent me to his shop, that I’d found his > listing in the Yellow Pages.  I said, "So I can’t pay you to cut these > for me?"  He got a really nasty tone and said, "No way.  I’m not > cutting it unless you bought it here."  As I turned my back on him and > walked out, I told him I thought that was a hell of an attitude, and > that I would never, EVER buy anything from him. > I just can’t understand why merchants feel that they win by treating > customers this way.  He could have made a nice profit on 5 minutes’ > work cutting three small pieces of tile, and he could have sold me > lots of tile for future kitchen or bathroom projects;

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > You said yourself that this was your first and only tile project.  So it’s > not clear > that he’s lost a lot of future business.  I wonder if you would REALLY > have been > willing to pay a fair price to have him cut the tile, or whether you’d > have started an > argument about how he was gouging because he wanted to amortize the cost > of his > equipment and facilities against the service, instead of against the > merchandise he > might have sold to subsidize it.  How can you even expect him to come up > with a > fair price for the advice and for using his special expertise to bail you > out? > I explained that I had bought my tile at Lowe’s and couldn’t cut it at > an angle with the tools I had, and he went into a rage, saying "that’s > what they do, they sell you a bunch of tile and then when you can’t > cut it they tell you ‘I know a place that has a wet saw.’  Well, if > you’d bought it here, I’d cut it for you." > I told him that Lowe’s hadn’t sent me to his shop, that I’d found his > listing in the Yellow Pages.  I said, "So I can’t pay you to cut these > for me?"  He got a really nasty tone and said, "No way.  I’m not > cutting it unless you bought it here."  As I turned my back on him and > walked out, I told him I thought that was a hell of an attitude, and > that I would never, EVER buy anything from him. > I just can’t understand why merchants feel that they win by treating > customers this way.  He could have made a nice profit on 5 minutes’ > work cutting three small pieces of tile, and he could have sold me > lots of tile for future kitchen or bathroom projects;

Clearly, with your negative and argumentative attitude, Tile World is for you. Enjoy!

Response:

By the way, speaking of Home Depot.  I’ve been doing my bathroom with there $129 wet saw that they’ve been featuring.  The thing works better than I expected.  It’s a real trip.  I’ve cut tile and marble with the thing.  Comes with a video tape which shows you how to make inside cuts and such that I didn’t even think was going to be possible.  Screw the damn nippers and scorers….

Response:

You said yourself that this was your first and only tile project.  So it’s not clear that he’s lost a lot of future business.  I wonder if you would REALLY have been willing to pay a fair price to have him cut the tile, or whether you’d have started an argument about how he was gouging because he wanted to amortize the cost of his equipment and facilities against the service, instead of against the merchandise he might have sold to subsidize it.  How can you even expect him to come up with a fair price for the advice and for using his special expertise to bail you out? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I explained that I had bought my tile at Lowe’s and couldn’t cut it at > an angle with the tools I had, and he went into a rage, saying "that’s > what they do, they sell you a bunch of tile and then when you can’t > cut it they tell you ‘I know a place that has a wet saw.’  Well, if > you’d bought it here, I’d cut it for you." > I told him that Lowe’s hadn’t sent me to his shop, that I’d found his > listing in the Yellow Pages.  I said, "So I can’t pay you to cut these > for me?"  He got a really nasty tone and said, "No way.  I’m not > cutting it unless you bought it here."  As I turned my back on him and > walked out, I told him I thought that was a hell of an attitude, and > that I would never, EVER buy anything from him. > I just can’t understand why merchants feel that they win by treating > customers this way.  He could have made a nice profit on 5 minutes’ > work cutting three small pieces of tile, and he could have sold me > lots of tile for future kitchen or bathroom projects;

Response:

<<<I explained that I had bought my tile at Lowe’s and couldn’t cut it at an angle with the tools I had, and he went into a rage, saying "that’s what they do, they sell you a bunch of tile and then when you can’t cut it they tell you ‘I know a place that has a wet saw.’ >>> Maybe he could have handled it better, but I think you had big balls to bring in tile you DID NOT buy there, and ask him to cut it. As a contractor, this has happened to me before and it infuriates me the nerve some people have.  I’m an A/C contractor, and last summer this guy called me up (on a Saturday no less!) and told me he just had A/C installed in his home, the crew had just left and they left him no instructions on how to run the thing. So here he is, calling me on a Saturday, my day off, and wants me to help him on a system which I DID NOT install. That takes a lot of nerve I tell ya. Like I said, I can’t blame the guy, but he could have been more diplomatic

Response:

Thanks for this information.  I was actually considering going there for some tile, but now I won’t.  If you see the jerk again, tell him your note cost him a sale. — Tom Gauldin, Raleigh NC -NetMeeting   ils.four11.com,   Live Birdfeeder Action ICQ 7022136     fax (919) 676-1404 ftp://ftp.mindspring.com/pub/users/scoundrl/gauldin1.htm Here’s to the land of the Longleaf Pine, The Summerland, where the sun doth shine, Where the weak grow strong, and the strong grow great, Here’s to Downhome, the Old North State. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >I recently decided to make a tile hearth in my living room for a >woodstove I had bought.  Never having done a tile project before, I >looked at the only places I’d remembered seeing tile for sale: Lowe’s >and Home Depot.  I found tile at Lowe’s very similar to what I’d >envisioned, so I bought it and various tiling supplies there. >For the angled rear corners of the hearth, where it meets the wall, I >needed to cut three small pieces of tile at an angle.  I had a tile >cutter which worked great splitting tiles vertically or horizontally, >but every time I tried to split the tile along an angled score, it >broke the way it wanted to, not the way I wanted it to (molded into >the back of the tile is a grid, which I suspect is the culprit). >After striking out with a Lowe’s supposedly-tile-cutting sabre-saw >blade and wearing out several cutting wheels on my Dremel tool, I >looked in the Yellow Pages under "tile" to see if I could find a local >tile company where I could take the tile and pay to have these three >small pieces cut with a proper saw.  I found Tile World listed on >Guess Road at the Carver Street intersection – right on my way to >work. >So, this morning I stopped in at Tile World.  As I walked in, I >thought to myself, "What a great selection of tiles!  I’ll come here >for my next tiling project."  I said to the guy, "I sure wish I’d >known your store existed before I went to Lowe’s."  He said, "Story of >my life." >I explained that I had bought my tile at Lowe’s and couldn’t cut it at >an angle with the tools I had, and he went into a rage, saying "that’s >what they do, they sell you a bunch of tile and then when you can’t >cut it they tell you ‘I know a place that has a wet saw.’  Well, if >you’d bought it here, I’d cut it for you." >I told him that Lowe’s hadn’t sent me to his shop, that I’d found his >listing in the Yellow Pages.  I said, "So I can’t pay you to cut these >for me?"  He got a really nasty tone and said, "No way.  I’m not >cutting it unless you bought it here."  As I turned my back on him and >walked out, I told him I thought that was a hell of an attitude, and >that I would never, EVER buy anything from him. >I just can’t understand why merchants feel that they win by treating >customers this way.  He could have made a nice profit on 5 minutes’ >work cutting three small pieces of tile, and he could have sold me >lots of tile for future kitchen or bathroom projects; he could have >had me out there telling people how helpful he was and what a good >selection of tile he had.  Instead, he had me telling one of his >potential customers in the parking lot what had just transpired (the >guy thanked me, got back in his car, and left); he has me on Usenet >advising thousands of people to stay away from his store.  Sure, he >loses some business to Lowe’s.  But his response doesn’t improve that >situation, it makes it worse. >So, bottom line: my advice to all of you is to stay away from this >jerk and his store.

Response:

He didn’t ask him to cut it for free. He was going to pay him for the service. The tile guy crapped in his own mess kit on that one. Jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – ><<<I explained that I had bought my tile at Lowe’s and couldn’t cut it at >an angle with the tools I had, and he went into a rage, saying "that’s >what they do, they sell you a bunch of tile and then when you can’t >cut it they tell you ‘I know a place that has a wet saw.’ >>> >Maybe he could have handled it better, but I think you had big balls to bring >in tile you DID NOT buy there, and ask him to cut it.

Response:

I recently decided to make a tile hearth in my living room for a woodstove I had bought.  Never having done a tile project before, I looked at the only places I’d remembered seeing tile for sale: Lowe’s and Home Depot.  I found tile at Lowe’s very similar to what I’d envisioned, so I bought it and various tiling supplies there. For the angled rear corners of the hearth, where it meets the wall, I needed to cut three small pieces of tile at an angle.  I had a tile cutter which worked great splitting tiles vertically or horizontally, but every time I tried to split the tile along an angled score, it broke the way it wanted to, not the way I wanted it to (molded into the back of the tile is a grid, which I suspect is the culprit). After striking out with a Lowe’s supposedly-tile-cutting sabre-saw blade and wearing out several cutting wheels on my Dremel tool, I looked in the Yellow Pages under "tile" to see if I could find a local tile company where I could take the tile and pay to have these three small pieces cut with a proper saw.  I found Tile World listed on Guess Road at the Carver Street intersection – right on my way to work. So, this morning I stopped in at Tile World.  As I walked in, I thought to myself, "What a great selection of tiles!  I’ll come here for my next tiling project."  I said to the guy, "I sure wish I’d known your store existed before I went to Lowe’s."  He said, "Story of my life." I explained that I had bought my tile at Lowe’s and couldn’t cut it at an angle with the tools I had, and he went into a rage, saying "that’s what they do, they sell you a bunch of tile and then when you can’t cut it they tell you ‘I know a place that has a wet saw.’  Well, if you’d bought it here, I’d cut it for you." I told him that Lowe’s hadn’t sent me to his shop, that I’d found his listing in the Yellow Pages.  I said, "So I can’t pay you to cut these for me?"  He got a really nasty tone and said, "No way.  I’m not cutting it unless you bought it here."  As I turned my back on him and walked out, I told him I thought that was a hell of an attitude, and that I would never, EVER buy anything from him. I just can’t understand why merchants feel that they win by treating customers this way.  He could have made a nice profit on 5 minutes’ work cutting three small pieces of tile, and he could have sold me lots of tile for future kitchen or bathroom projects; he could have had me out there telling people how helpful he was and what a good selection of tile he had.  Instead, he had me telling one of his potential customers in the parking lot what had just transpired (the guy thanked me, got back in his car, and left); he has me on Usenet advising thousands of people to stay away from his store.  Sure, he loses some business to Lowe’s.  But his response doesn’t improve that situation, it makes it worse. So, bottom line: my advice to all of you is to stay away from this jerk and his store.

Response: