OT: Fire Extinguishers

[kevin]

you must be very young

that is going to be a very costly oopps, show some respect, these guys always come around, thats their job, to make sure you are doing what you are required to do, if i were you i would fester up and eat alot of crow while apoligizing to this man, if he just drove off and didnt say anything he will be back, learn your codes and get your shop up to them now before he gets back, and be nice when he comes,

[stick man]

[QUOTE=kevin;207853]that is going to be a very costly oopps, show some respect, these guys always come around, thats their job, to make sure you are doing what you are required to do, if i were you i would fester up and eat alot of crow while apoligizing to this man, if he just drove off and didnt say anything he will be back, learn your codes and get your shop up to them now before he gets back, and be nice when he comes,[/QUOTE

THATS FUNNY.

[Rig Hand]

I probably deal with more different codes, certs and inspectors than anyone else on this board other than JTMcC.

Yeah, you're right. I (and the rest of us here) are just jack-leg, fairy's that go around sobbering welds on lawn mowers and mufflers, when we're not at home banging our sisters.

I would have just taken his card and told him I'm to busy to talk now. But thats just me. I guess if I would start being more of a **** them I might have some 8'' steam line work too.

I don't really care, either way, how it works out for you.

[Bodybagger]

I can't tell from your post whether this guy was a salesman, inspector, smarta$$, or a beginner who wondered why a paid guy doesn't have fire extinguishing equipment at the ready as required by CFR 29 1910.252. But that doesn't really matter.

This world is network of connections between people. Everybody knows somebody. Does he know somebody that you'd consider "important?" Hard to tell. But for anyone who ever played 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon, they'd realize it's not so far fetched of an idea that this guy knows a friend of a friend that can affect your bottom line.

Every person you interact with is a new connection, and how you interact with them determines whether or not they are going to have good things to say about you. Anyone in business with half a brain knows that positive word of mouth advertising is more valuable than all the full page phone book ads you can afford. And vice-versa... negative word of mouth is damaging in a way that can negate every dollar you spend on advertising. It can damage existing customer relationships as well as turn potential customers away.

It comes down to character.

I grew up with a mother and a father that taught me the virtues of the Golden Rule. And when I "forgot" about it, they reminded me by breaking a switch off a tree and using it to refresh my memory. And if memory serves me correctly, playing games with people where I pretend we are both retarded in order to get a cheap laugh is not the kind of thing I'd be doing unto others. I was taught that being the guy that does that would cost me dearly by and by.

[Larwyn]

I know of no "requirement" to be nice and polite to salesmen, inspectors, or the political correctness police. Personally I think that political correctness promotes a society of submissive, compliant wimps who either cannot, or pretend not think for themselves. What could more incorrect?

To me the original poster simply used more words than necessary to tell a salesman that he was not getting an answer to his question, as it was none of his business. It made for a funny story to me.

[JSFAB]

I've never worried about hurting a salesman's feelings, just the nature of the job requires he needs thick skin. If he doesn't, perhaps it's time to find another occupation???? Finney, that was a good one, I'll have to try it sometime myself, with your permission, local FD (rural) here is 1 mile away, only one stop sign between us.

I will mention, if he has the gall, and the guts, and the persistance, to come back again, he might be worth listening to.

I also, like humor. Finney, you made my day.

[J hall]

Had a guy come by the shop today asking who serviced our fire extinguishers. (we were fabbing 8" steam line in the back, lots of sparks & fire)
I told him we did not use extinguishers. We started fires, we did not put them out.
He said we had to have fire extinguishers with all the welding.
I walked him out the door and pointed down the street to the fire station and told him those guys put fires out not us. If we put them out they would not have anything to do and would not get to drive the shiney red trucks and could loose their jobs.
He looked straight at me and backed around his car and got in and left without saying another word.
Some of the guys in the shop had overheard the whole thing and were rolling in the floor.

(I actually did this with a straight face, didn't laugh until he left)

Maybe I'm just a simpleton, but I thought this was a funny story...
I had never even considered all of the serious ramifications of a little joking around.

FWIW, I have had visits from State agencies, Insurance inspectors, and LOTS of visits from MSHA. (Mine Safety & health Admin)

Anyone who has the authority to inspect you will tell you who they are, and why they are there.

At least they do in my corner of the prairie.

I noticed nobody asked Finney if he really doesn't have any fire extinguishers

Thanks for the chuckle, Finney.

[rancherbill]

Pretty funny story. It's a great way to get rid of extinguisher salesmen.

For all you guys that jumped on Finney, get a life. Finney has been around.

[dabar39]

Seems to me that quite a few members of this forum need to learn how to lighten up.

I do the same thing to unsolicited salesmen who bother me while I'm trying to work. I'm a lot worse with the phone solicitors who call the house. I feel that if they are gonna waste my time, I might as well waste theirs and get a good laugh out of it while I'm at it.



Here is an example of what I did to the poor girl who called me tonight trying to reduce my credit card debt, actually it was for my girl friend but I happened to answer the phone.

phone rings:


Me: Hello

Her: Hi, may I speak to Mrs. Ivey please.

Me: Who's calling?

Her: My name is Julie and I'm with Debt something or other and I'm here to help with your credit card debts.

Me: I'm sorry but she's kinda tied up at the moment

Her: Well Mr. Ivey maybe we have a solu.......(I cut her off mid sentence)

Me: I'm sorry but I'm not Mr. Ivey, I'm just the guy that's screwing around with Mrs. Ivey. Mr. Ivey should be home in about an hour or so if you'd like to try and call back, but Like I said, Mrs. Ivey is kinda tied up at the moment and I'm kinda in a hurry cause we only have about an hour before her husband gets back home to get finished and get her untied and what not.

Her: click.........then dial tone.

[Bodybagger]

Yeah, but there's a big difference between unsolicited calls to your home at dinnertime and a salesman beating the streets 9 to 5 looking for leads.

The ironic part is that the people who would run him off and do their best to make him feel ashamed about doing his job are the same ones that whine endlessly about people on the welfare rolls not willing to lift a finger for their money.

One guy comes along willing to work for his money and people treat him like dirt and make a game out of it. Enough people do this and maybe he'll decide it's easier to get paid at the first of each month. Hopefully you'll find an extra job or two to cover the higher taxes.

[Finney]

Rig Hand,
I did not call you or anyone else on this board jack-leg or did I belittle anyone here.
You brought it up so does it fit you?




(PS JTMC when they put me away can you sneak me some ham & biscuts in.)

[Tryagn5]

Salesman-

I have run off more sales people then I care to mention. Nothing is more annoying then a salesman walking up, with no safety equipment on when Im welding and grinding. I have had them sit there and clear there throat, or yell at me when I will not give them attention. Also for all of us which list there cell phones as business numbers, how much do u like running to the truck to answer the phone only to find some sales person trying to sell supplies...I ask them not to call back, that I deal only with local people but they wont stop!! Sales people who cold call in business, get what ever they get. If being rude keeps them out of my shop, then so be it. They must miss the sign on the shop, which states shop personal only. For the record, none of my customers enter my shop. My shop is for jobs which were to big for the field.
Kevin

[Tryagn5]

Dave-

There's a hubris statement. My Dad was a VERY successful salesman for Craddock-Terry Shoe Corporation, in Lynchburg, Va. We had the 2 houses, lake front property, the boats, cars, anything, anybody could want as a kid. And yes, when my folks died, my 2 sisters and I, financially, did well.

To echo Bodybagger, they're trying to earn a living. It takes perseverance, self-discipline, self-confidence, determination, and resourcefulness to prosper.

Frankly, what I read anymore on this Forum is the arrogant aggression of under achievers trying to express themselves forceably.

Have a good day

Dave

Im an under achiever because I do not wish to be interrupted while working by endless sales people who disregard the signs on my front door which say no solitation?? Im an under achiever because I choose to give my business to people who helped me build my business, people who have been at my own house with my family?
My statement about running sales people out of my shop is hubris? Maybe you should google the meaning of that word, as you are the definiton,
you are the first to correct someone, who thinks he is always right, by far the most arrogant person on this board. Maybe your dad was one of thoose people who used to cold call, and he instilled the value of never taking no for an answer. Anyhow I do not conduct my buiness in this matter, and My business does very well. So well infact I do not need to brag how I will be financially bettar when my parents die, or of the things they own.
I dont know what is so difficult to understand about not wanting sales people in my shop. I do my own price checking, If I want to change vendors, I do so on my own, as I do not need someone pushing me to there products. For many of us we are very happy with are vendors, as there is more to me then just price. However maybe your one of those guys who loves sales people so you can have someone who constanly strokes your ego.
Kevin

[JTMcC]

Rig Hand,
I did not call you or anyone else on this board jack-leg or did I belittle anyone here.
You brought it up so does it fit you?




(PS JTMC when they put me away can you sneak me some ham & biscuts in.)

Can't promise you anything but I'll try.

After this firestorm of "internet keyboard beatdowns", I hope you have seen the incredible error of your ways.
In the future, when salesmen interupt your work uninvited and unnanounced, you should stop production immediatly and listen to each and every pitch while offering cookies and milk. End these sessions by holding hands and singing Kumbayaa.

Your employer will understand why you are several days behind schedule and they are paying 5 digit penalties for not meeting completion deadlines.

Really..........I mean this.

JTMcC.

[fdcmiami]

fire extinguishers

frankly i have found this thread refreshing for a couple of reasons. the first being that fully 1/2 of the responses here favored treating the person who entered the shop with some degree of civility; and the second is that when someone appears and makes inquiries about fire extinguishers you will be doing yourself a favor by being a little extra courteous.

i have to laugh at the posters that have salespeople lining up at their door. i rarely received cold calls and if i did it was usually someone from the LWS, metal supplier or inspection and i would usually find the time to spend a couple of minutes with them.

it is obvious from reading the posts in this thread who here have "real world" experience and who does not.