customers are of course a whole different matter.

but i hate to admit to being shafted by another business person.

perhaps i should be more...unscrupulous and hard-nosed in business dealings?

 

Simple answer...Yes!!!

 

Much as I like the simple answers in life... I don't think that there is a simple answer here.

I am working in Japan at the moment. The Japanese that I work with would never shaft another person. The problem is that they are used to working in a Japanese environment where no-one shafts each other.

We are now working overseas and some of the overseas clients we deal with would shaft their own grandmothers for a couple of bucks. It is very difficult to get the Japanese guys to go in with the attitude that we will screw every last penny out of the client if we get the opportunity, as that is not their way of doing things.

What I am trying to say is that you have to deal with people in the way that they deal. If they are unscrupulous, you must be also. If they are straight, appreciate that and deal in the same way....

But it is a very difficult thing to balance....

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tokyo_james
[B]Much as I like the simple answers in life... I don't think that there is a simple answer here.

I am working in Japan at the moment.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by naishou
[B]

You must be joking!

 

Mingster, business is all about competition and competition is about being #1. You have to look at other vendors as enemies (in a sense, not completely). I'm sure you know that though, it's just tough to settle that with your conscience.

 

Rich,

Your comments are too general to respond to. In my business, I found it was sometimes difficult getting clients to give me all the facts about a job, in which case I'd just quote an hourly rate to cover myself. In other cases, clients didn't pay promptly for services as specified in the contract terms, in which case they very quickly heard from my attorney, which generally got them off the dime.

There will always be those who don't play fair. In the US, a tightly written contract is absolutely essential to protect yourself.

cal

 

you have to be a cold bastard....unfortunately

 

No Richard, it's about being honest and above board. It's about establishing a solid cliental. It's about being honest with yourself, cause in the end it comes down to one thing and that's you. You have to be able to live with the decisions you make no one else. Just because the majority does business this way doesn't mean it's correct. It's a tough road to haul but it's worth it. Self-satisfaction of doing what is right and correct. What satisfaction will you get if you have to screw a customer or another business associate? I don't advocate such actions or dealings. What are you in this business for anyway? I don't think a customer wants to be screw or taken advantage of. Are you in it for just the money? If that's the case then there are better ways to make money.

Rich don't give in to the BS of the business world. How can you possibally be successful if you do? Just an opinion of an old fart!

Cheers

Jeff

 

Mingster:
Just rip his heart out; works for me!!