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May 28, 2006

How not to run a business - part 2

A while back, I had written about a horrible customer experience I had. Yesterday, I had another.

INTRO: My brother and I are trying to open up my parents pool, things are going smoothly until all the electrics stop working and a puff of smoke comes out of the plug my father put on the original filter 30 years ago. Not wanting to re-do all the electric, we figure we will go to an electrical supply house to see if they have a replacement part for this very old and very strange plug type. We go to AC ELECTRIC in Smithtown.

STORY: We get there 30 minutes before closing and we show the jackass (oops did I say that) the plug and tell him we are trying to fix the electrics for a pool.

HIM: I don't know what that is
US: uhm, its a plug (In fairness I should tell you that it is a very strange looking plug with 3 round prongs each about 1/8" round, and I have never seen one like this in my life except on our pool. It would insert into the outlet and then get screwed down to form a weather tight seal. It looks very much like this one that I found in under a minute on google)

HIM: What do you need?
US: Uhm, a replacement?
HIM: I don't know what that is
US: we tell him the story again
HIM: I got whatever you need
US: We need a plug

HIM: what amps and volts
US: 15 and 120
HIM: Most pools are 220
US: 15 and 120
HIM: well, most are 220
US: right, well ours is 15 and 120
HIM: Cause I got whatever you want

he goes in the back and brings back the completely wrong part

US: Thats not what we wanted, we need to replace this - we show him the part agian
HIM: I don't know what that is
US: we tell him the story again
HIM: I got whatever you need
US: ok, look we need all the parts to build a box a cover a new outlet and plug
HIM: Is this for outside
US: Yes, it is for a pool
HIM: What size box? 3/4 or 1/2 inch?
US: I don't know, a regular box...1/2 inch should be fine.

he goes in the back and comes out with a 3/4 inch box

US: This is to big
HIM: ok, 1/2 inch then?
US: Yes, and the outlet, and a plug and a weather cover since this is going outside and it will be near water because it is for a pool.
HIM: Look guys, I am just trying to close up here, I got whatever you want, just tell me what you want.
US: we tell him the story again
HIM: ok

He goes in the back, and I hear him say to one of his buddies
"These motherfuckers don't know what the fuck they want"

I tell my brother

My Brother: (in a very loud voice) FUCK HIM

We walk out.

So, if you want to be treated like shit and cursed at, I strongly suggest you go to AC Electric for all your lighting and electrical needs.

EPILOGUE: We got to ACE Hardware, and they have nothing. We go to Home Depot and they have an entire kit for $25, that has the box, the outlet, and the weatherproofing.

Posted by pmadsen at May 28, 2006 09:34 AM