Living in Johannesburg one gets to know that very few work on a Friday afternoon. The freeways are gridlocked from around lunchtime as everyone scuttles off home. I have always wandered about these four and a half day weeks, but it seems normal as I have learnt to live with it.
Shock and horror I had a meeting at 2.30 today from someone who was obviously working. These days I see a face and it has Dollar signs all over it. I was driving through the traffic there and back and boy was it worth it. Normally I would be bitching, but not these days.
Everyday I am learning and what I heard today did shock me. This poor sucker has been royally screwed and was fuming when I left him this afternoon. He is currently paying 3 x the price for an item. His predecessor placed a sample order apparently and they had a ridiculous high price and never changed it after that.They have been paying this price for years and is quite sickening. He phoned the suppliers whilst I was there and they admitted to the over pricing error and offered to drop it by 50 percent. The new price is still too high and all I said was that they were making another ring for his ring and he was still being screwed. This one is so bad that they could supply this company for free for the next three years and still have profit.
Lets just say I became someones best friend very quickly and have Carte Blanche with this company. I don't understand the mentality of these people and it is sickening. I also think he is a fool for not knowing, but didn't say anything obviously.
The only question is how many more are out there like this poor sucker. Can't wait to find out as it is like taking candy from babies.
Image source libcom.org