[toluene_hawk]

Here is the story:

Our plant was brought online and tanks began to overflow. We suspected that maybe the screens between the tanks were clogged and needed to drain the tanks to investigate.

Upon draining the tanks, we determined that the screens were in fact clogged; however, the screens had perforations that were 10 times smaller than those we ordered..

Our supplier is going gangbusters on some new screens being shipped out to us. Here is my question:

I just got the invoice for the pumper trucks we used during the take down - it is substantial. When I approach the supplier for help paying this invoice, should I ask for help on the whole invoice (stand strong), or only half (show weakness)?

I bring up half because our personnel installed the screens - they should have caught the error at the start, but were not properly informed by us as to what product they were to receive.

 

[KAP]

If the situation were reversed, what would you want to happen?... in most cases, that's usually the answer...

 

[Inner10]

Here is the story:

Our plant was brought online and tanks began to overflow. We suspected that maybe the screens between the tanks were clogged and needed to drain the tanks to investigate.

Upon draining the tanks, we determined that the screens were in fact clogged; however, the screens had perforations that were 10 times smaller than those we ordered. I.e. - we specified 0.25" and received 0.025" perforations.

Our supplier is going gangbusters on some new screens being shipped out to us. Here is my question:

I just got the invoice for the pumper trucks we used during the take down - it is substantial. When I approach the supplier for help paying this invoice, should I ask for help on the whole invoice (stand strong), or only half (show weakness)?

I bring up half because our personnel installed the screens - they should have caught the error at the start, but were not properly informed by us as to what product they were to receive.

You inspected and installed them, that half is on you. I'd do a 50/50.

 

[svronthmve]

You inspected and installed them? I'd say it's ALL on you for not catching the error prior to installation. It would have been an easy exchange beforehand. Why should your supplier need to fork out for your guys "miss".

Chalk it up to the school of hard knocks and stop trying to pass the buck...

 

[The Coastal Craftsman]

Yeah this is a tuff one. If the screens were labeled wrong or box wrong I would say its their fault but if they were labeled correctly and your guys installed them without checking they were the correct ones its your fault.

 

[chew]

I tell like the judge said once at a trial I was at "installation equals acceptance".

But you can ask for some help. If I were the supplier I would help out.

 

[chewy]

I tell like the judge said once at a trial I was at "installation equals acceptance".

But you can ask for some help. If I were the supplier I would help out.

:brows:

 

[toluene_hawk]

They are a recurring supplier for us, I requested for 50% in the form of a credit memo. We have an order with them in the near future that will eat it all up and will be back to business as usual afterwards.

 

[concretemasonry]

If it is a "regular" supplier, I would give him a copy of the pumper invoice to get talks started on a reasonable basis where you can explain the total costs incurred and he can explain what he has done so far for remediation. Do this before there ends up being a confrontation.

If it is not a regular supplier and has little potential to be hit him hard and go from there.

 

[svronthmve]

Wow.

Is ethics in business non-existant with you?

Where does personal responsibility fall anymore?

Do you expect credit from someone else for every other mistake in your life too?

I don't really care if you give them BILLIONS of $$$ in business a day.

Unless I'm missing an integral piece of the story here, submitting that request does not impress me at all!

 

[Inner10]

Wow.

Is ethics in business non-existant with you?

Where does personal responsibility fall anymore?

Do you expect credit from someone else for every other mistake in your life too?

I don't really care if you give them BILLIONS of $$$ in business a day.

Unless I'm missing an integral piece of the story here, submitting that request does not impress me at all!

You don't know the details, maybe the installer received them directly and didn't know what the spec was suppose to be? Unless he looked at them and said "screw it I'll install them anyway".

 

[svronthmve]

Inner,

I bring up half because our personnel installed the screens - they should have caught the error at the start, but were not properly informed by us as to what product they were to receive.

I think I have enough info to make my statement.....

 

[Inner10]

Inner,



I think I have enough info to make my statement.....

Still the supplier should be held partially accountable. Screens get shipped to his guys with the instructions "install these damn screens" Supplier ships the wrong screens...his guys are non the wiser.

 

[svronthmve]

Still the supplier should be held partially accountable. Screens get shipped to his guys with the instructions "install these damn screens" Supplier ships the wrong screens...his guys are non the wiser.

I'll bet his guys are wiser now! :laughing:

 

[Leo G]

Depends. Did the installers know exactly what the specs were? Did they in fact know that those screens were suppose to have .25" holes and not .025" holes? Or were they there just to put everything together? You know, here's where the screen goes, here's the screen, put it in.

If the assembly personnel didn't know or have the specs, how are they suppose to know that the screen was right or wrong. All they might of know is here it is, install it.

I've had many jobs were a lot of information was left out of the loop and then they come back and try to place blame. If you know what the whole project is suppose to do then you can figure out an unknown problem because the parts you have aren't going to do what is suppose happen.

 

[MTN REMODEL LLC]

Had sorta of a similar issue 4-5 years ago.....

I siliconed up a new bathroom with GE silicone, that never cured.

Turns out that GE had sold their silicone/caulk division to someone (can't figure it out because it's still sold as GE), and there was a recall on the silicone that had been shipped out.... (either it was old or a bad formulation).

Called GE/new company and they paid me $250 for cleanup.(No argument involved).


Now this is a little different in that it was a bad product that I could not have identified as bad/incorrect.

But it is similar in that the supplier sent the wrong product, it seems to me that it was somewhat the suppliers fault in sending the wrong product.

GE noted that their tube advised testing the silicone for cure, as silicone has a shelf life and is suseptable to problems/deterioration if stored at high heat (in the cab in the sun).

So in both cases, I guess the buyer was somewhat responsible for checking the product, but GE recognized their part of the mistake/error.

I think 50-50 is pretty reasonable/fair.

 

[Trim40]

It's your regular supplier, go talk to them. Show them the invoice, I bet they offer to pay half before you ask for it.

 

[SectorSecurity]

I would hope the supplier would be willing to take part of the blame to keep the business.

 

[Tscarborough]

Installation equals acceptance as long as it is a visible defect. Wrong size is a visible defect.

 

[pcplumber]

Never heard of it!

I never heard of a supplier taking the blame for delivering the wrong parts. If that were the case there would be a lot of lawsuits. I get some wrong materials in every large order and it is usually up to the receiver to inspect the materials and put a signature on the delivery slip acknowledging that the delivered materials are correct. I am wondering whether or not there is a disclaimer on the delivery tickets.

Personally, I think it is the receiver's and installer's responsibility to make sure the delivered items are correct and I would not ask the supply house to split the cost. Since the supply house made a mistake on the order and I made a mistake by installing the order I would ask the supply house to supply the correct items at their cost and add a little sugar by splitting the shipping. That may get you close to a 50% discount.