I agree CB that a footnote is an agreement and people should read and observe their contracts without complaint.
But <"Oh, I just ripped his face off." > is a very ugly attitude to somebody else, even if they are on the short end of a negotiated agreement. It's one of those comments which taken out of context can sound horrendous, so I'd reserve judgement on that.
Of course we all negotiate as good a deal as we can, but the other day, out walking, some children were selling plums for $1 a bag, which I thought too cheap so I raised them to $2. I would not want to "rip their face off".
At a golf course recently, I needed to rent a trundler to put my golf bag on. The sign said $5 [among a list of other prices such as Green Fees etc]. At the bottom it said "No haggling on prices" or words to that effect. So I figured I should get a deal for $3. I waited at the window until the guy came over and said I'd like to rent a trundler please. He said to just take one - no charge. I complained that I wanted to negotiate a discount from $5 and felt ripped off that he'd undercut me and wouldn't he accept $3. He laughed and said sorry, no haggling!
A few years ago a broker got me a Globalstar IPO document [when it was more difficult to get such things here quickly]. I could have bought the shares through a discount broker and ripped his face off, but I bought through him and paid a large premium [compared with the discount option]. He sent us a photo [email] of his new baby the other day. My wife sent him and his wife a nice card [hand-made].
In my business life, I was welcome at [nearly] all customers I ever had [and lost very few - and I made sure I'd done all I could for them]. [Haahaaha --- sounds like that guy in Death of a Salesman... "well respected by customers"....]. I haven't ripped their faces off [though I always got as good a deal for my company as I could, which was usually very good]. It's easier to get customers who pay premiums if they don't feel their faces are being ripped off [premiums are a matter of service, trust and stuff than manipulation, tough negotiation or smooth-talking; a happy customer is a paying customer].
There's more to life than ripping off people's faces in hard-nosed negotiations. There's also fair and square and playing nice and stuff. Longer-term interests and things; business as social integration rather than possession.
Just another theory,
Mq |
