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Sunday, May 17, 2009

“Just Send Me The Bill”

I have this habit of saying “Just Send Me The Bill” when I ask for a certain service which needs some time to finish. I don’t want to wait there and waste my time so I ask them to send it to me together with the bill and I pay them cash. That’s how it is with me. It’s simple. You give me the bill, I pay you cash.

Just now, I sent a copy of paper to the photocopy shop and asked them to make 14 copies for me and then cut the paper into sections. I did that before so I know the charges of the service. I have asked for the same service. The first time, they charged RM 4 for 500 small cuts, and RM 0.05 each for the photocopy. Actually, at first, they told me, the cutting charge is only RM3 for that 500 pieces. They simply added RM1 to the bill, it’s okay. I won’t complain.

The second one, which was 2 days ago, I asked them to laminate using A4 papers, and they said okay. When the laminated papers sent to me, they gave me the bill that made me pay almost RM10 more than what it should – with the reason, “Sorry, we used A3 size instead, because it’s not suitable for A4 size. But I could not tell if they were really using A3 size because they have cut the papers into sections so it makes no difference anyway. But I paid with a smile. “Nevermind. You guys know what is better. As long as the products are good, it’s okay.”

So just now, when I asked them to do 14 copies and cut into pieces, they put in the bill RM0.10 each for the photocopy. I know that it’s RM0.05 each above 10 papers. So it’s already overcharged. Other than that, for the 100 small pieces, they charged me RM7 for the cutting only, and that is to compare to RM4 for 500 pieces – the same cutting job and size that I asked them to do before. I saw the bill and went, Haa? But really, because of integrity, I didn’t snap right away. I showed that “shocked” reaction but I paid it right away.

Now I begin to realize “the pattern” of trying to charge more on the bills that they send to me. It’s from the second job, when they changed the laminating film into bigger ones, without asking me first. Think I’m too sweet that I didn’t complain that day? Don’t you think you should “be grateful” that I just paid and didn’t complain about the sudden changes that made quite a difference on the bill? Don’t you think they should be grateful instead of seeing this as a chance to play dirty?

I know that you guys may say to me that RM7 is just a small amount, I should NOT make a big fuss out of it. But I have to remind you guys, that this is NOT JUST about the RM7. It’s about how reliable you are. I know that the people who I deal with are just normal workers/assistants but it doesn’t give them the right to just charge anything just because “she said, just send the bill and I pay you cash.” NO! Especially when these people who are working at the shop know that I GREET them if I saw them somewhere outside the shop. It’s more than just business deals ba. It’s about your own integrity as a human being, a friend. If you still HAVE to “take advantage” of anybody, don’t do it on the person who you find no reason to make enemies with. That’s more like a principle ba. If ini barang pun you screw, apa lagi yang orang buli harap sama kau?

It hurt me a little when I think they are taking advantage of “my kindness”. Maybe they think that I’m always busy and always running around to get tasks done, it doesn’t mean that I don’t pay attention of the small details. How naïve it is for some human beings to still have that kind of thoughts.

Not just because, “I think she won’t mind paying more, as long as it’s in the bill” you can take advantage of that. It’s really a wrong move to do business. If you can’t be righteous about 100 cuts of paper, what makes you think you gonna Play Fair in bigger business deals? I begin to pity them la if this is their way of “earning” off the records business. If they think I don’t care, they are wrong. It’s not the money but it’s the ETHICS. You know the price of this?

It might only cost me RM7 but it gonna cost them much more because they have lost my trust - Just like that.

“Just Send Me The Bill” sounds like A License to play dirty? If you think people are always that stupid, you gonna learn a big lesson anytime. I guarantee.

NOTE: Never take advantage of other people’s kindness.

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