[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Radiant Floor Company

[Lawrence Lile]

Thanks for the advice.  I was called in to the situation, because I seem
to have the ability to work things through without popping arteries and
calling people names, unlike everybody else on my team.  So far,
addressing excitable people in a calming and rational voice, stressing
that we are just trying to work through the problem, has worked wonders.


Now if I could only remain that calm while watching the news.  

--LL




-----Original Message-----
From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Laren
Corie
Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 2:06 PM
To: greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
Subject: [BULK] Re: [Greenbuilding] Radiant Floor Company
Importance: Low

 "Lawrence Lile" <LLile at projsolco.com>

> I have had an interesting experience with The Radiant Floor Company 
> http://www.radiantcompany.com/

> According to UPS, we recvieved 7 boxes of stuff,  but nobody can find 
> but 6 of them.

> They (the sender) insisted that we had all the parts we needed

Hi Lawrence;

   I am sorry to hear that you are having a bad experience. Owner
contracting is usually about as stress filled as a death or serious
illness
in the immediate family.   Good people, on all sides, can get emtional,
and end up turning troubles into a lot more than they really need to be.
What appears to have happened here, is that UPS lost a box.  They do
insure all of their shipments, up to a point, but whomever signed for
receiving the shipment (and the UPS driver) may have not looked
at the shipping manifest and counted boxes.    In other words, they
may have signed a statement that they received seven boxes, when 
they really only received six.   However, if UPS says that they got
seven boxes from the company, you can be pretty sure that the company
(which you are angry with) is not responsible for this situation.  If
your plumber blew up, and kept falsely accusing them of a dishonesty
that they are not guity of, I suggest that you develop a little well
deserved sympathy for them, and forgive them their hurt feeling, and any
defensive things they may have said in response. 

     Not everyone is a saint when falsely accused, and you
really need these guys on your side, right now   It can only help
your cause.  Even if someone at your end (and UPS), screwed up, and gave
their signature that you received a box you actually did not get, it is
sure not the fault of the sender, and you most definitely want them on
your side, at this time.  

 If I were you, or you were my design client, I would:

1) Make dead certain that the seventh box was not delivered,
2) Call UPS to see if they found it, and file a report and claim. 
3) Call the radiant company and appologize for their being
    accused of something that the UPS shipping memo proves
    they did not do, and see if they will forgive your people
    and help you to remedy your problem.  

  These things happen. The biggest thing that differentiates a
professional contractor from a first timer, is that the pro knows that a
custom house is always an R&D project, to some extent, so a lot of
things are going to go less than perfectly. Getting through these things
efficiently, without poping an artery, is what the job is about.  Now is
the time to "make lemonade" and get on with the rest of your dream
house.

-Laren Corie-
Natural Solar Building Design Since 1975 (specializing in planning for
owner builders) www.LarenCorie.com

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