Did I handle this right or wrong?

[deeker]

Driving home from a VA visit for my father...phone rings...
And vibrates....and rings...I answer...it is a blocked number.

The voice say's "Kevin?", I said yes Sir.

"You have got go come here NOW and pick up this elm tree you cut down, NOW"!!

Oh, where is this tree I did NOT cut down?

"You know, you cut it down here in America Fork"....

Well Sir, I have not cut any trees in American Fork for almost five years.

"Well you cut this one and I want it out of here NOW"!

"I have your card YOU gave me when you cut the tree down".

Well Sir, I did not cut any elms down in American Fork. However I have been clear cutting a building lot in Salem.

"That does not concern me, you come here now and pick up this log or I call the police".

Well Sir, tell the police officer hello from me.

His voice gets uglier and more demanding. "Well, Kevin you get here now and pick up this tree NOW...and he starts in with its a poor way to run a GDMF business".

And he continues....to read my business card..."I will call your partner Albert and get his ass over here to do your job".

Well Sir, my business partner is my 92 year old father beside me we are driving back from Salt Lake City from a VA hospital appointment.

"That does not concern me, come here now and pick up this log you cut down"!

Well Sir, when did I give you my card??

"When you cut the GDMF tree down". (Strike one)

Well Sir, what do I look like? Can you describe me?

"Your short thin and bald".

(Strike two)

Well Sir, I am over six two and have thick brown hair.

"Well, you come here now and I will describe what you look like".

And he continues to swear like a sailor....

(I do always call men on the phone Sir)

Well Sir, since I know I did not cut the tree down, and you do have my card...he interrupts.."Get your GDMF ass over here now and pick up this log or I will call the cops".

(To that point I had figured a tree felling business owner had given him my card and NOT told me about it. And also considered picking it up anyway.)

His tirade gets worse and worse....

Well Sir, it is unfortunate you chose to talk to me that way. Have a nice day.

And I hung up.

Should I have handled this differently? Picked up the log I DID NOT CUT, nor have any knowledge of?

I do own a small logging operation and a saw mill.

Thanks for reading this and let me know what I should have done differently.

Kevin

Not trying to beat any censor programs....just trying to show (politely) what he said.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I think you did fine, deek. So maybe you could have gotten a valuable log for free, and you passed on it. So what?

What if you had gone over there? I think you'd have only bought more grief than any log is worth. Anyone that unreasonable is someone to stay away from. Now he's seen you, and he knows you, and can pick you out of a lineup.


BTW, one thing you did wrong - you gave him a description of you that he can parrot to the police. Not good.

 

[deeker]

I think you did fine, deek. So maybe you could have gotten a valuable log for free, and you passed on it. So what?

What if you had gone over there? I think you'd have only bought more grief than any log is worth. Anyone that unreasonable is someone to stay away from. Now he's seen you, and he knows you, and can pick you out of a lineup.


BTW, one thing you did wrong - you gave him a description of you that he can parrot to the police. Not good.

Very good points and you are right.

Except the very last....he does not know my hair is very short with lots of grey and that I wear glasses.

My dad said almost the same as you.

Thank you Sir!

 

[ATH]

Sounds like hanging up was the best you could have done.

MAYBE, you could have said "well, I really am quite sure I did not cut your tree down, but let's talk through this and I'll see if I can help you figure out who did and how/why they ended up giving you my card".

But based on what you have already said, my assumption is that he would have just repeated himself that it was you cutting down the tree and you needed to clean it up now. Certainly not worth a visit - sounds like nothing good could have come out of that.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I don't know about how you handled the call, but it seems like your partner put you in a bad position. You have a customer with your name on a job who is so dissatisfied with your company that he is swearing and threatening to call the police.
You can't abrogate your business responsibilities by blaming another representative of your business.

 

[sgreanbeans]

I would pursue it, making sure that he knows it was NOT you, I would call the popo, meet them there and have a nice conversation with the guy, also making sure that he would be served well not to run his mouth about a business that he has obviously mistaking for someone else.
Perception is reality my friend, if the accusation goes unanswered, it must be true.
People love word of mouth, only it seems they are more motivated to spread the word when it is negative, I would make sure you clear your name
As for the Q. I think you where professional, and that's all you can do with someone like that

 

[Walt41]

Someone is messing with you, probably a buddy laughing right now. Probably ran across your card and thought he would break your onions or you have a psycho axe murderer after you. Either way you should send blocked calls to voice mail.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I don't know about how you handled the call, but it seems like your partner put you in a bad position. You have a customer with your name on a job who is so dissatisfied with your company that he is swearing and threatening to call the police.
You can't abrogate your business responsibilities by blaming another representative of your business.

Kneejerk, I think you misread it. Kevin doesn't know who left the log there. He doesn't know how his card was left. He's guessing a tree feller left it. His partner is his 82 year old father, and did not fell the tree.


In other words, the homeowner is mistaken. Neither Kevin nor his partner had anything to do with the tree.

 

[treemandan]

KEVIN!!!! Get yer ass over there and pick up the GDMF LOG!

 

[deeker]

I don't know about how you handled the call, but it seems like your partner put you in a bad position. You have a customer with your name on a job who is so dissatisfied with your company that he is swearing and threatening to call the police.
You can't abrogate your business responsibilities by blaming another representative of your business.

Hundreds of people have my card. I do not know who gave him the card. Nor do I know why the person who gave him my card did so.

Yes, it could bite me. But I did not cut the tree, nor do I know who cut it or where it was cut from.

The man did not identify himself. But started in like the world rotates around him. He was angry from hello.

The people that deal with me, know I don't leave anything behind. Logs included.

 

[deeker]

I would pursue it, making sure that he knows it was NOT you, I would call the popo, meet them there and have a nice conversation with the guy, also making sure that he would be served well not to run his mouth about a business that he has obviously mistaking for someone else.
Perception is reality my friend, if the accusation goes unanswered, it must be true.
People love word of mouth, only it seems they are more motivated to spread the word when it is negative, I would make sure you clear your name
As for the Q. I think you where professional, and that's all you can do with someone like that

The only problem with this (I agree with you entirely though) is the fact he called from a blocked number, and gave me no name. Just said he was in American Fork.

 

[deeker]

I have to agree with you on that......I would stop by the local police station and give them the heads up and tell them that you were going over there to try to figure out what is going on. Then I would have a bill made out to present to the man for the cost of the felling and removal of the tree. If after seeing you, and he still insists that you are the guy he hired I would present him with the bill. It would be up to the customer to present proof that had already paid for the service. It could be fun! It is unfortunate that he did not tell you the exact address of where all this work took place.

He really wants to go toe to toe with 6'2" guy who throws trees around all day long for a living? He must be a idiot as well as crazy.

Since he has already caused you and your partner a great deal of worry, it is only fair that he get some in return. He earned his.:greenchainsaw:

I don't even know where in American Fork he is, or his name. It would have helped to have his phone number, but he had blocked it.

I have dropped and removed many trees in American Fork, and even some for the local PD. But it was several years ago.

I almost hope the guy would call me back, I would probably talk to him if he is civil this time.

 

[deeker]

KEVIN!!!! Get yer ass over there and pick up the GDMF LOG!

Actually I am clear cutting elm trees right now, much of it will be used for a log style storage shed/cabin.

Too bad I don't know where it is located.

 

[treeman75]

A friend of mine screwed with me on memorial weekend he said he had an emergency and the address did not exist. I figured who it was and put an ad on craigslist for a free stihll chainsaw with his number. He had a hundred calls paybacks are a #####!

 

[lone wolf]

Someone is messing with you, probably a buddy laughing right now. Probably ran across your card and thought he would break your onions or you have a psycho axe murderer after you. Either way you should send blocked calls to voice mail.

Bingo because he did not identify himself any customer would have! Why does Groundman come to mind?

 

[cowtipper]

Actually I am clear cutting elm trees right now, much of it will be used for a log style storage shed/cabin.

Too bad I don't know where it is located.

Just had to look it up ( http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou....795764&spn=1.533629,2.458191&t=h&z=9&iwloc=A) since I am going to be driving through UT in a week or so. If you don't want it may be I could pick it on my way to Oklahoma.

 

[deeker]

Just had to look it up ( http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou....795764&spn=1.533629,2.458191&t=h&z=9&iwloc=A) since I am going to be driving through UT in a week or so. If you don't want it may be I could pick it on my way to Oklahoma.

Let me know when you are driving through, and I might let you buy me lunch.

Or give me a shout.

Kevin

 

[lone wolf]

Once someone starts calling me names were done. Only thing going to his house would have gotten me is jail time.

Yup that will definitely cause some expensive legal problems.

 

[Donald]

A friend of mine screwed with me on memorial weekend he said he had an emergency and the address did not exist. I figured who it was and put an ad on craigslist for a free stihll chainsaw with his number. He had a hundred calls paybacks are a #####!

LOL... Thanks... I need a good laugh!