Winner winner chicken dinner!

I've been dealing with two separate issues at work, both of which were resolved in my favor today. Yay me!


The first had to do with a vendor overcharging us for equipment we ordered. It boiled down to my word against hers. She told me one price and then charged me $100 more. There was no agreement as to price in writing so all I could do was keep saying, "But that's not what you told me over the phone." In the absence of any other evidence which supported my side or hers, she eventually agreed to refund the money as a gesture of "good will." (She made it very clear she still thought I was wrong, but since she's a better person that I am, she will graciously refund the difference. Call it what you want, sister, I still win!)


I can only describe in vague terms what the other issue was. A company was refusing to uphold their end of a contract because the initial person who processed the paperwork got confused. As the problem worked its was up the chain of command it became more and more convoluted. Something that could have been solved very easily was blown way out of proportion, I think, because the higher-ups figured it must be a very big problem if it had made it all the way to their desks.


After I had wrestled with the underlings all day, eventually a big-wig muckity-muck from the company called and said, "Ummm, yeah. I see the problem, but now that it's been hashed and re-hashed so many times, we're not comfortable accepting this without additional documentation." Not comfortable? This is a business, not a Lazy-Boy. I don't give a fat crap what you are comfortable with. I also don't think it's a coincidence that the additional documentation you are requesting is not available and you darn well knew that.

I opened up a can of jerk-sauce and poured it all over this lady's head. I argued with everything she said. I interrupted her over and over to tell her how ridiculous their made-up-on-the-spot-for-this-situation-only policy was. I cited examples of similar transactions which had gone smoothly. I pointed out again and again that it wasn't my fault that their person got confused. I accused her of treating us like shady people when we'd been doing business with them for 15 years. Every time she would try to speak I just ran right over the top of her with my tirade. I didn't care about raising my voice, presenting a logical argument, or acting like a total nutjob. I might have even insulted her mother.

I didn't figure it would change anyone's mind, but it made me feel better to unload. I was shocked when she called back a few minutes later and said they would be sending us money promptly, no further action required on my part.

HA! I win again!

These two victories are for all the times I have been screwed over by big companies. Take that Comcast, AOL, Capital One, Sprint, Nextel, AOL, Audio Express, Merchant Services, AOL, County of Sacramento, Sears, and AOL!! Don't mess with me again.