I tried to be nice...

[Leigh Costello]

I tried to be nice, but now I am regretting it. I met a new laser owner at a convention that was Christian based and family oriented. He was showing his laser craft at the convention as was I. He asked some questions about this and that concerning Corel and Epilog. I answered truthfully and shared some of what I know. He is also a UPS driver and had seen some of my stuff in shops. He did not share this information. Hubby and I thought he was very nice and offered answers to his questions. That, I thought, was being very nice.

Today, one of my shops that uses our services called and said that she had been told that we were not interested in doing what he "specializes in" which is personalization.

I told her we are and we do consider her one of our best customers. After prying this guy's name out of her, I assured her that we were still very interested in supplying her laser needs as well as rotary engraving and CNC work. She was very upset that he had lied to her and promised to mail his brochure back to him with a "NO thank you" attached.

So, has anyone else had this happen to them and how did you handle it when you came face-to-face with the guy/gal?

[Steve knight]

some people are just that way. I got a kick of you posting it as a christian convention. first lesson just because some one is a christian does not make them a good person.
looks like you dealt with it well.

[Mike Cutler]

Some people are just, how should we say it, less than ethical.
You have to live your life according to your own ethics and standards. If trying to be nice and helpful to someone becomes some sort of a character flaw, I hope we all suffer the same flaw.

For every one person like that, there are nine like me who would just be interested in knowing how it's done, with no intent of ever doing it.

[Chris Damm]

I have dealt with many people who are Christian on Sunday and backstabbing so and so's the rest of the week. I only deal with them once!

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,

So, has anyone else had this happen to them and how did you handle it when you came face-to-face with the guy/gal?

Yes - similar experiences, quite frequently as a matter of fact.
Mostly, I just let it go and make it a point to avoid that person from that point on.
When it's not possible to avoid them, I simply keep any and all information limited to a "need to know the answer to a direct question".

Mind you, that in no way means I make it at all pleasant for them to get the answers they need.

Next time you know you'll run across that person,,,
make sure you eat a garlic bagel with some green onions.
Then corner them and get as close as you can and go into extreme detail about the most trivial things.
.

Works on people of any faith .
(I'm an equal opportunity annoyer )

[Rick Gifford]

I'm sorry that happened to you. On the note of the Christian thing, its well known much strife is found within a church. There is a difference in being a Christian and being a good Christian. That gentleman wasn't being respectable at all.

Now look at what it has caused. Future mistrust in others.

Call the guy up and let him know what you found out that he did. He deserves no less in my opinion. Maybe he'll think twice before being a weasel next time. Doubt it though...

[ROY DICK]

Do as your signature states.

Roy

[Todd Burch]

I'm a Christian, and this type of behavior spoils my taste for people who advertise themselves as Christians. I can see why someone telling another they are a Christian is a turn off. In this case, and several others I have seen, it's as if they get you to let down your guard and spill your guts, only to "get" you later.

It's the life you walk that defines you.

[Carlos Alden]

Leigh:

It happens. There's a guy in my city who runs a video service for school events, dance recitals, things like that. He comes on strong with a brochure about his services, and sounds very professional over the phone, and in person has great eye contact and a strong handshake.

However he has welched on a couple of things: He offered to video our local annual Battle of the Bands (teen band competition sponsored by our city) and sell DVDs. But after the event he told everyone that not enough people had pre-ordered (and sent in their money) for a DVD, so it wasn't worth his time to mix and edit, so no product. Great - a lot of families didn't bother filming it predicated on having this service available.

So we told him we'd be fine accepting the unedited, raw footage from one camera for the same fee ($20 or something), and had prepaid. Despite numerous calls and emails, no product.

He's done things like this with other events and people. It's a consistent pattern. Oh, and he professes himself to be a Christian, big-time. He's really out there with it.

Karma will bite his butt. When I repeat this story to people, heads nod. You can't run a business like that and expect to be successful in the long run. This will surely happen to this character you ran into. His name and company will develop the smoky, oily cloud of sleaze over time, and he'll do himself in.

Carlos

[Jim O'Dell]

I'm with Todd on this. I'm also a Christian, and as a Service Adviser at a car dealership, I see people with the fish on their vehicles all the time come across as idiots by the way they act. I've come to the conclusion that just because someone says they are a Christian, doesn't necessarily make it so. Brings to mind a song by Rich Mullens:

It's about as useless as a screen door on a submarine
Faith without works, baby...
It just ain't happenin'
One is your left hand, one is your right
It'll take two strong arms to hold on tight
Some folks cut off their nose just to spite their face E
I think you need some works to show for your alleged faith

Well there's a dif-ference you know
'tween having faith and playing make believe
One will make you grow. The other one just make you sleep
Talk about it
But I really think you oughtta take a leap off of the ship
Before you claim to walk on water.
Faith without works is like a song you can't sing
It's about as useless as a screen door on a sub-marine.

I think you should send a polite note to this person and report that you have heard about the flier your customer received. Ask him to not spread information that is not true.
Then I would make a letter for all the customers you deal with. Explain that you found out from another customer, that someone is sending out information about you not wanting to do certain types of services any longer. Explain that that is not the case, and list all the things you and your business do. I think your customers will get the hint. Jim.

[David G Baker]

I do most of my business by word of mouth and if I get good service I let everyone I know about it, if I get bad service I let everyone I know about it as well as anyone that mentions anything that will lead into talking about the business.
I have always been leery of business and people that over advertise about being Christian.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Why was religion mentioned at all~??
There's dishonorable people every where you go. Ain't no amount of religion or philosophy or political persuasion that serves as a vaccination against dishonorable character traits.

Throw a net around any bunch o' of people and you will find a fairly even sampling of all the good and bad that humanity has to offer.

[Peter Luch]

I have no problem with God, it's just some of his fan clubs I don't like......

Like my uncle from Montana used to say.
"Them people are sitting in the pews in front for a reason"

Aloha, Pete

[Steve knight]

I get a kick out of the good/bad christian attitude. what does it matter if your a christian or any other religion it only matters how you treat yourself and others. I have seen way to much evil in very religious people.

[Wade Lippman]

some people are just that way. I got a kick of you posting it as a christian convention. first lesson just because some one is a christian does not make them a good person.
looks like you dealt with it well.

Maimonides, a 10th century Jewish scholar, was challenged to explain Judaism while standing on one foot.
He said that was easy, treat others the way you want to be treated; everything else is just to help you do that.

Presumably the same could be said of any religion; so that man was no Christian.