09-11-2018, 10:24 PM
A lot of things did happen today. Much of that did not affect me. Some good moves... Some less good moves but at least, I am aware of those so that I can learn and improve.
So here are those war stories:
1. I'm selling ebooks in the men's sexual health niche. My business is not particularly loved by big Internet players. I got censored by FB, AdWords, Youtube and Instagram.
One of the service that I offer to my clients is the option to buy a physical copy of their ebooks. Under the hood, automation software forward the order to an online print on demand service that actually print and ship the book to the client.
I got bad customer service from one online print provider so I started to shift most of my printing business to a second provider. I only kept the first provider for printing 1 particular book because when it was shipped in the USA, they still had the best price.
In my code, I had a function called dispatchPrintOrders() that was creating 2 arrays of orders. 1 array for provider #1 and a second array for provider #2.
So yesterday, I slightly modified the manuscript. Essentially it was the exact same document minus typos and grammar error fixes. And I got the following reply:
"We received your updated print file. Our management team has reviewed your file and unfortunately, we are no longer able to print and ship this product for you. The context and photos are too graphic and violate our terms."
To make a long story short, they are a very prude company. Yes there are sexy pictures in my book but nothing that would qualify as adult content...
What I have learned some time ago and I have prepared accordingly it is how that company is a crappy business partner. They have printed the same freaking book for the last 2 years, made thousands of dollars every month with my business and out of the blue, they decide unilaterally to pull the plug without any prior notice.
I did reply them this:
"I just want to point out that I basically just corrected grammar and typos errors.
Otherwise, the content is essentially identical to what you have printed and ship for me for the last 2 years.
So this decision looks very dumb from my point of view.
Your call. It is the second time that you refuse to print one of my book and I have been very unhappy by the way you have managed an error in automation last winter (particularly the tone used by your developer who did reply to me).
As a consequence, I already started to move my printing business to one of your competitor. The only business that I left at your company was this book because you still offered the best price when shipped in the USA.
Starting from the today, I have moved this last book printing elsewhere.
So I guess this is it."
So with only the time it takes to snap fingers, I did modify my dispatchPrintOrders() function to send all my orders exclusively to provider #2 that value my business and treat me well.
I got rid of a toxic business relation and I feel relief. The assholes could have put my business in jeopardy if I didn't plan accordingly...
-----------------------
Story #2: I suspect my business partner to play games in my back. We have an email list. It is our bread and butter of the business.
My role in the business is more the technical operation while he is in charge of the creative copywriting aspect.
Yesterday, he came suggesting me that we rent the list to a commun acquaintance to an outragously ridiculous price. I did protest a little bit the ridiculous price and did make him accept to present a more reasonable but still a bargain deal to our commun acquaintance. He did accept the counter-offer.
The shock has been when I did receive the email to send on their behalf. I did open up the the document and my partner signature style was all over the place. He writes daily emails for our list and I schedule them into the mailer service so I can recognize his emails. So this is what made me suspicious. How comes that he is writing the emails for a 3rd party desiring to rent our list?
Unless he makes a full disclosure about his participation into this other joint venture, my partner is in a serious conflict of interest imho because the profitability of this other JV is relative to the price they negotiate our traffic...
I confronted him about it and he said that he has zero interest in the other business. I'm still unsure about it but since we are not talking about big amounts I decided to let it go. I kinda know that he is not intentionally doing something wrong. If he is doing stuff sneakily, it is because he is not able to stand up for him because of some sort insecurities or he doesn't want to have to confront me on some disagreement or something else like that...
So after the first mailing, the common acquaintance has been very satisfied of the performance and wants to do other mailing... So I said to my partner who is the contact point that I agree to redo it again except that I want to improve further the conditions of the deal in our favor... I was feeling him squealing and he was trying to negotiate more favorable terms for the other party (WTF?? Which side are you? Are you with me trying to optimize our income or you are working for them?). This behavior from my partner kinda confirm my suspicions about his participation with the promoted offer. I don't care. I need to accept how he is... I'm just not going make gifts to anyone and defend my own interests...
----------------------
Story #3: One of my shoulder was slightly injured from previous workout so I skipped the gym and went to a massage parlor that I frequent for over 15 years.
When I take an appointement, I never mention a therapist name and I rarely get the same one from visit to visit. All I know is that they are all women, very talented and cute. So today was no exception. She did even ask if she could remove the towel covering my ass. I said: You can spoil youself...
He, he, in my head, I was thinking. I'm going to tip you well... Just so that you don't interpret wrongly what is happening here. I view this service as totally professional. There is no monkey business happening in this place but lets say that if I have a therapist that is comfortable with nudity, I do appreciate it and it makes my massage more enjoyable...
But then, at the end, she did ask if I wanted to take a shower before leaving. Each room is equipped with a shower. but she did ask me a very unusual favor. She asked me if I could take my shower in the locker room that is in the other side of the massage parlor because she has another client appointment in 10 minutes. I accepted her request but when I look back. I should not have.
That was a total turnoff. It kinda broke my relaxation ritual. I usually come back slowly from the relaxation while the shower water warms up. Instead, I had walk out rapidly and cross the whole parlor naked only wearing a towel. Plus, I have never been asked to do that since I started to frequent that place. I feel that she was testing my kindness because it was convenient for her but she probably had a plan B in case I would have told her that I wanted to take my shower in the massage room...
Acquiesing to her request wasn't very alpha. Women do favors to the alpha. Not the other way around.
I usually ALWAYS leave a tip to my therapist but today. I haven't. That was my way to express my dissatisfaction to having been penalized when I shouldn't have. I did arrive on time to my appointment so there was no reason to push me around like she did.
I couldn't even express my dissatisfaction to the receptionist as she speaking on the phone when I left...
Not the best alpha me this time but at least I recognize it so I can do better next time...
So here are those war stories:
1. I'm selling ebooks in the men's sexual health niche. My business is not particularly loved by big Internet players. I got censored by FB, AdWords, Youtube and Instagram.
One of the service that I offer to my clients is the option to buy a physical copy of their ebooks. Under the hood, automation software forward the order to an online print on demand service that actually print and ship the book to the client.
I got bad customer service from one online print provider so I started to shift most of my printing business to a second provider. I only kept the first provider for printing 1 particular book because when it was shipped in the USA, they still had the best price.
In my code, I had a function called dispatchPrintOrders() that was creating 2 arrays of orders. 1 array for provider #1 and a second array for provider #2.
So yesterday, I slightly modified the manuscript. Essentially it was the exact same document minus typos and grammar error fixes. And I got the following reply:
"We received your updated print file. Our management team has reviewed your file and unfortunately, we are no longer able to print and ship this product for you. The context and photos are too graphic and violate our terms."
To make a long story short, they are a very prude company. Yes there are sexy pictures in my book but nothing that would qualify as adult content...
What I have learned some time ago and I have prepared accordingly it is how that company is a crappy business partner. They have printed the same freaking book for the last 2 years, made thousands of dollars every month with my business and out of the blue, they decide unilaterally to pull the plug without any prior notice.
I did reply them this:
"I just want to point out that I basically just corrected grammar and typos errors.
Otherwise, the content is essentially identical to what you have printed and ship for me for the last 2 years.
So this decision looks very dumb from my point of view.
Your call. It is the second time that you refuse to print one of my book and I have been very unhappy by the way you have managed an error in automation last winter (particularly the tone used by your developer who did reply to me).
As a consequence, I already started to move my printing business to one of your competitor. The only business that I left at your company was this book because you still offered the best price when shipped in the USA.
Starting from the today, I have moved this last book printing elsewhere.
So I guess this is it."
So with only the time it takes to snap fingers, I did modify my dispatchPrintOrders() function to send all my orders exclusively to provider #2 that value my business and treat me well.
I got rid of a toxic business relation and I feel relief. The assholes could have put my business in jeopardy if I didn't plan accordingly...
-----------------------
Story #2: I suspect my business partner to play games in my back. We have an email list. It is our bread and butter of the business.
My role in the business is more the technical operation while he is in charge of the creative copywriting aspect.
Yesterday, he came suggesting me that we rent the list to a commun acquaintance to an outragously ridiculous price. I did protest a little bit the ridiculous price and did make him accept to present a more reasonable but still a bargain deal to our commun acquaintance. He did accept the counter-offer.
The shock has been when I did receive the email to send on their behalf. I did open up the the document and my partner signature style was all over the place. He writes daily emails for our list and I schedule them into the mailer service so I can recognize his emails. So this is what made me suspicious. How comes that he is writing the emails for a 3rd party desiring to rent our list?
Unless he makes a full disclosure about his participation into this other joint venture, my partner is in a serious conflict of interest imho because the profitability of this other JV is relative to the price they negotiate our traffic...
I confronted him about it and he said that he has zero interest in the other business. I'm still unsure about it but since we are not talking about big amounts I decided to let it go. I kinda know that he is not intentionally doing something wrong. If he is doing stuff sneakily, it is because he is not able to stand up for him because of some sort insecurities or he doesn't want to have to confront me on some disagreement or something else like that...
So after the first mailing, the common acquaintance has been very satisfied of the performance and wants to do other mailing... So I said to my partner who is the contact point that I agree to redo it again except that I want to improve further the conditions of the deal in our favor... I was feeling him squealing and he was trying to negotiate more favorable terms for the other party (WTF?? Which side are you? Are you with me trying to optimize our income or you are working for them?). This behavior from my partner kinda confirm my suspicions about his participation with the promoted offer. I don't care. I need to accept how he is... I'm just not going make gifts to anyone and defend my own interests...
----------------------
Story #3: One of my shoulder was slightly injured from previous workout so I skipped the gym and went to a massage parlor that I frequent for over 15 years.
When I take an appointement, I never mention a therapist name and I rarely get the same one from visit to visit. All I know is that they are all women, very talented and cute. So today was no exception. She did even ask if she could remove the towel covering my ass. I said: You can spoil youself...
He, he, in my head, I was thinking. I'm going to tip you well... Just so that you don't interpret wrongly what is happening here. I view this service as totally professional. There is no monkey business happening in this place but lets say that if I have a therapist that is comfortable with nudity, I do appreciate it and it makes my massage more enjoyable...
But then, at the end, she did ask if I wanted to take a shower before leaving. Each room is equipped with a shower. but she did ask me a very unusual favor. She asked me if I could take my shower in the locker room that is in the other side of the massage parlor because she has another client appointment in 10 minutes. I accepted her request but when I look back. I should not have.
That was a total turnoff. It kinda broke my relaxation ritual. I usually come back slowly from the relaxation while the shower water warms up. Instead, I had walk out rapidly and cross the whole parlor naked only wearing a towel. Plus, I have never been asked to do that since I started to frequent that place. I feel that she was testing my kindness because it was convenient for her but she probably had a plan B in case I would have told her that I wanted to take my shower in the massage room...
Acquiesing to her request wasn't very alpha. Women do favors to the alpha. Not the other way around.
I usually ALWAYS leave a tip to my therapist but today. I haven't. That was my way to express my dissatisfaction to having been penalized when I shouldn't have. I did arrive on time to my appointment so there was no reason to push me around like she did.
I couldn't even express my dissatisfaction to the receptionist as she speaking on the phone when I left...
Not the best alpha me this time but at least I recognize it so I can do better next time...
