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I work at a furniture manufacturer. I work with customers to design custom products that are things we can manufacture, then quote and draw them. Most quotes are 1-3 offices. (Just as an FYI our customers are not actual end users, but rather interior designers, or in this case, an interior designer that is acting as a furniture dealer.)
12-28-06. 20 months ago. A customer started working with us on a large project, 27 offices. When the quote first started there were only 4 different layouts. There were multiple copies of those 4 layouts.
The quote was revised on 1-4-07 to make some changes.
And 1-5-07
And 5-8-07
And 5-14-07
On 12-3-07 it was revised again, but this time it was completely scrapped and we started from scratch. We individually laid out the plan for each of the 27 offices in the quote, and I generated AutoCAD drawings of each of the 27 offices in 3D.
Then it got revised on 12-12-07
And 12-20-07
And 1-23-08
And 1-31
And 2-8
That is TEN revisions, including one complete start from scratch.
On 7-16 they did ANOTHER start from scratch. This time for only two offices.
Almost TWO YEARS from the first time we worked on this, and TEN revisions, and now they tell us that we are only going to get TWO offices.
So, I do the quote for the two offices.
I get an e-mail the next day with a minor change, so they get another revision on 7-16.
And 7-18
And 7-28.
I come in this morning to find an e-mail that was sent at 8pm last night.
"We need to change the spec. They want it quoted in two different lines, and with three different shape options for each of the two offices. This must be done by 10am."
I BLEW A GASKET.
I sent out the following e-mail. I copied my boss, my bosses boss, the VP of sales, and our local manufacturers rep.
"[SC]
While I understand that you are under a time crunch to get this completed, I need you to know that not only is it not possible to have this done by 10am, it is not reasonable to ask for it in such a time frame.
This quote began being quoted over 20 months ago. That is almost two years. It has gone thru FIFTEEN different revisions, including two complete starts from scratch (not counting the first quote which is always from scratch). After reviewing the coversheets for the quotes, out of the 15 revisions you have requested, 12 were requested to be done within one business day. Our average turn around for a normal quote is 48 hours, and this is approximately 5X larger than a normal quote, yet 12 times we have gone the extra distance and dropped everything and rushed to complete your quote request.
That time has come to an end.
You have consumed every resource here 12 times over two years, and are now doing so for a TWO office quote. That is unreasonable.
I refuse to prioritize this quote ahead of other quotes. I refuse to make it a Rush. I refuse to work late to complete it.
We currently have a larger than normal backlog of quotes. The estimated time that I will BEGIN working on your quote would be Friday, however I am out of the office Friday and Monday (for a well deserved vacation). That means I will BEGIN working on your quote next week Tuesday.
However, I will make a concession. You are currently asking for two offices, quoted 6 different ways (three shapes x two product lines = 6). That makes a total of 12 different layouts. If you will lower that number from 12 down to either TWO or FOUR then I will agree to have these complete before I leave for my vacation on Thursday evening. However, I MUST receive a detailed response as to which product lines and which shapes you would like before close of business today to make that happen.
I am awaiting your response as to what you would like.
Bob"
I sent that e-mail and went to get a cup of coffee. I planned on being yelled at for such a harsh response, and wanted caffeine in me for that.
I got back to my desk and had an e-mail from the VP of sales. He replied to all, and addressed the message to the SC.
"[SC], asking for 12 layouts is unreasonable. Trim back your selection to 2-4 layouts per bob's request.
[Bob] I know that you have other projects you are working on. If you are not capable of completing the 2-4 layouts prior to your vacation, then I'm sure they can explain to their customer that such an old request is not reasonable to expect rushed. "
Sometimes I love my job.
12-28-06. 20 months ago. A customer started working with us on a large project, 27 offices. When the quote first started there were only 4 different layouts. There were multiple copies of those 4 layouts.
The quote was revised on 1-4-07 to make some changes.
And 1-5-07
And 5-8-07
And 5-14-07
On 12-3-07 it was revised again, but this time it was completely scrapped and we started from scratch. We individually laid out the plan for each of the 27 offices in the quote, and I generated AutoCAD drawings of each of the 27 offices in 3D.
Then it got revised on 12-12-07
And 12-20-07
And 1-23-08
And 1-31
And 2-8
That is TEN revisions, including one complete start from scratch.
On 7-16 they did ANOTHER start from scratch. This time for only two offices.
Almost TWO YEARS from the first time we worked on this, and TEN revisions, and now they tell us that we are only going to get TWO offices.
So, I do the quote for the two offices.
I get an e-mail the next day with a minor change, so they get another revision on 7-16.
And 7-18
And 7-28.
I come in this morning to find an e-mail that was sent at 8pm last night.
"We need to change the spec. They want it quoted in two different lines, and with three different shape options for each of the two offices. This must be done by 10am."
I BLEW A GASKET.
I sent out the following e-mail. I copied my boss, my bosses boss, the VP of sales, and our local manufacturers rep.
"[SC]
While I understand that you are under a time crunch to get this completed, I need you to know that not only is it not possible to have this done by 10am, it is not reasonable to ask for it in such a time frame.
This quote began being quoted over 20 months ago. That is almost two years. It has gone thru FIFTEEN different revisions, including two complete starts from scratch (not counting the first quote which is always from scratch). After reviewing the coversheets for the quotes, out of the 15 revisions you have requested, 12 were requested to be done within one business day. Our average turn around for a normal quote is 48 hours, and this is approximately 5X larger than a normal quote, yet 12 times we have gone the extra distance and dropped everything and rushed to complete your quote request.
That time has come to an end.
You have consumed every resource here 12 times over two years, and are now doing so for a TWO office quote. That is unreasonable.
I refuse to prioritize this quote ahead of other quotes. I refuse to make it a Rush. I refuse to work late to complete it.
We currently have a larger than normal backlog of quotes. The estimated time that I will BEGIN working on your quote would be Friday, however I am out of the office Friday and Monday (for a well deserved vacation). That means I will BEGIN working on your quote next week Tuesday.
However, I will make a concession. You are currently asking for two offices, quoted 6 different ways (three shapes x two product lines = 6). That makes a total of 12 different layouts. If you will lower that number from 12 down to either TWO or FOUR then I will agree to have these complete before I leave for my vacation on Thursday evening. However, I MUST receive a detailed response as to which product lines and which shapes you would like before close of business today to make that happen.
I am awaiting your response as to what you would like.
Bob"
I sent that e-mail and went to get a cup of coffee. I planned on being yelled at for such a harsh response, and wanted caffeine in me for that.
I got back to my desk and had an e-mail from the VP of sales. He replied to all, and addressed the message to the SC.
"[SC], asking for 12 layouts is unreasonable. Trim back your selection to 2-4 layouts per bob's request.
[Bob] I know that you have other projects you are working on. If you are not capable of completing the 2-4 layouts prior to your vacation, then I'm sure they can explain to their customer that such an old request is not reasonable to expect rushed. "
Sometimes I love my job.
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