Life's Lessons...by DT

[Krusshyk]

So today has been a very interesting day.

The company I work for has been recieving requests from a potential customer about the test results for a number of our products for a few days now. We were about to send the information they had requested when we noticed that the email address from the persons requesting them had one of our competitor's names.

The same company tried this 4 years ago. This time, they got smarter about it...but only a little. They made up fake company names. When we noticed the email addresses, we looked into the companies. Neither of them existed. Jackasses forgot to change their email addresses. But the damage may already have been done. We sent a structural engineer a package with some information (not the testing reports) by UPS yesterday, and they tell us that a package in transit cannot be stopped.

What burns the most is that what they did is unethical. Nothing illegal about it, just another ruse by a corporation MUCH larger than us trying to put us out of business by stealing one of our products. This particular product has been on the market for over 40 years, so any patent or copyright laws no longer apply. The only reason no one else makes it is because it is a pain in the ass. Unfortunately, we have absolutely no recourse. Even if there was, we don't have the pockets to put up the kind of fight we would get. We have to bend over and just take it, like the little guy is supposed to.

They did this kind of thing before, and as a result of the ensuing conflict, one of our products is no longer recognized by Ohio construction codes because of their insistance. Next time, I gurantee that they get wise and change ALL of their information and we are fucked.

What is wrong with people? I find it extremely disturbing that people can behave in such a manner. I have to stop now, I am literally to disgusted to continue.

[Jabe Adaks]

You guys need to get a lawyer to draft some kind of agreement letter to have signed before sending this stuff. If they sign that and then end up working for such a company then you got them by the balls.

Jabe

[Krusshyk]

That is a great idea in theory, Jabe, but unfortunately, it is too impractical. We would likely encounter resistance from legitimate parties. Sure we would maybe weed out some of the limp dicks trying to fuck us, but being as small as we are, we can't afford to lose those businesses that are genuinely interested in our company.

[Krusshyk]

Oh God, it just gets better. We just got a phone call from a credit card company asking us about an $8000 charge at Payless Shoesource.

Obviously fraudulent. They suspected as much and called us. Someone got one of our company card numbers and racked up 8k in shitty shoes.

We aren't responsible for the charges, but I am sure there will be an effect on our company credit.

Who the fuck spends 8k on shoes at PAYLESS FUCKING SHOESOURCE?

Follow up question, what idiot actually made that sale. It better have been an online purchase, becuase if a clerk actually rang up 8k in shoes from that store, he or she needs a merciless beating.

[Jabe Adaks]

Who the fuck spends 8k on shoes at PAYLESS FUCKING SHOESOURCE?

I am willing to bet it was an inside job. Whereas said person was able to balance the store's books with credit and take cash on hand so that future transactions would not get tracked. I would not be surprised if they end up getting caught.

Jabe

[Isleh]

They are taking away your livelihood, fight back. The requests they sent were not confidential? Publish them. Show the world what type of people they deal with when dealing with that company.

For your legitimate clients who are considering your competition, show them the letters and tell those clients that if they go with the competition, they are using your companies technology anyway. What they won't get is knowledge of the creators behind the product.

Tell your story to a large newspaper. They LOVE the David and Goliath stories.

[Krusshyk]

Learned a new lesson today...

If you think people are petty and vile when they are in high school and college, multiply it times ten and that is what you can expect from full grown adults in the "real world".

The guy we just hired three months ago to take over shipping in the plant just got fired today...why? Because our plant manager is insecure about his job. Maybe if he wasn't a total moron, he wouldn't have to be insecure, but too late for that now.

The guy who got fired, Tom, had a bit of a drinking problem, but was an absolutely great guy. He lives with his 80 year old mother who is incredibly ill, he gets up every day at 4 am to change her bag, makes sure that her tubes are hooked up right and that she is all set before he goes to work. His older brother makes a shitload of money, but never gave a penny to his mother so Tom shoulders it all on a job that only pays about 35k a year. If I were him, I would probably drink like a fish too.

So Mark, our plant manager, has been a real bitch about Tom getting hired since day one. Every time Tom got called into the office, Mark was right on his heels and through the door 2 seconds behind him, asking, "What's up?" as if we needed him there, too. Telling Tom to do one thing and then bitching at him for not doing another. When my father (the VP) told Mark to teach Tom simple maintenance in the event of Mark being gone, he bitched and moaned about it so much that the owner and my father actually drew up a contract stating that he would teach Tom everything or face losing his job.

So a few days ago, Mark comes into the office and tells the owner (going straight over my father's head, mind you which you do NOT do) that Tom has been drinking on the job. Now, I know that Tom has come into work smelling like alcohol a few times, but as far as anyone can tell, he is not drunk. I know that some people can SEEM sober and be piss drunk, but I don't think this was the case. He goes out drinking at night and is up early, often wearing the same clothes from the night before. I have gone to class reeking of booze, but not been drunk. Even so, I am POSITIVE Tom was not drinking while he was here ON THE JOB. 100% positive. So Mark brings in a beer bottle that he says he found in the back by one of the door's and claims that it must be Tom's because it is "his" brand. While I have heard more believeable lies from my nephew (who coincidentally is 2 years old and is incapble of stringing together a logical sentence yet), it is a pretty damaging accusation. Tom denied it, but at this point it is he said she said (Mark being the "she" because he is a little bitch) and he knows he can't deny smelling like booze from time to time.

So Tom gets the axe this morning after having some wicked intestinal virus that he couldn't get meds for because he doesn't have insurance yet. And I have to drive him home because he doesn't have a license or a car. The man has made mistakes in his life, but now he is getting screwed because of someone else's insecurity. I know for a fact that Mark was never in danger of losing his job. And he had been told as much, repeatedly. But Tom is gone now, so I guess Mark has nothing to fear.

And he couldn't be happier.

I have been disgusted by the actions of people more than twice my age before, but this is near the top of the list. I may just make it my personal mission to get rid of Mark before I leave here.

Or just punch him in the face, whichever I feel is more appropriate at the time. I am just waiting for him to make a comment about it, and I guarantee that he will recieve a tongue lashing more degrading than his ex-wife ever could have given...what's better is that it will be from someone who is 25 years younger than he is.

What are they gonna do? Fire me? Ha.

Sorry for the essay folks, I won't be offended if you don't read it. I totally had to vent.

[Jabe Adaks]

Let me tell you Del'tar - it only gets worse. I can't begin to tell you the situations I have walked in to at various clients I do consulting for. Don't let me get started on what happens in police departments.

Jabe

[Endrin]

and I guarantee that he will recieve a tongue lashing more degrading than his ex-wife ever could have given

And call him a "cockbiter" for me man ,guy deserves to be beaten for getting the other guy fired