From: Neon John 
Newsgroups: misc.rural sci.energy misc.consumers.house alt.home.repair misc.consumers.frugal-living
Subject: Re: Shipping BBQ (was e: Home Heating Options for Rural Midwest Residents?)
Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2005 17:34:13 -0400

On Fri, 16 Sep 2005 08:09:23 -0400, George 
wrote:

>Neon John wrote:
>
>> 
>> I recently got some literature from 3M about a new time-at-temperature
>> disposable tattletail that is designed to degrade and tattle at about
>> the same rate as food does.  That might be the margin of safety I need
>> if it works.  I could label the box for the customer to toss the
>> product and get credit if the tattletail has fired when he opens it.
>
>
>Do that and the same people who buy tools at big box stores and take 
>them back after doing their project will also be eating free BBQ...

Sure, there are always some scumbags to deal with but in the 10 years
I've been in business, I have to say that they've been very few and
far between.  That same type of person also goes to restaurants and
tries to get free food by complaining after the meal is finished. I've
had only a little of that.  I bend over backwards to please but if the
person has finished the meal, cleaned his (usually a man) plate and
then complains, unless he's a regular, he has to go away unfulfilled.

On a relates subject, I get fewer than 5 bad checks a year.  The
people who DO write me bad checks know they're doing so and usually
have warrants out all over town.  With no more bad checks than that, I
don't ask for ID or otherwise hassle my customers.  If I get one, I
send out a postcard as notice and then take out a warrant to give 'em
a little surprise the next time they're stopped for speeding :-)
Otherwise I don't worry about it.

I have a theory that this kind of problem hinges on how you treat
customers.  I treat mine like family.  I think that goes a long way
toward avoiding all sorts of problems.

John
---
John De Armond
See my website for my current email address
http://www.johngsbbq.com
Cleveland, Occupied TN