Appalling Business Ethics

I am appalled at the lack of business ethics by Mass Supply Johannesburg.

I had a bad experience about 4 years ago with Mass supply and decided not to bother dealing with them. Very recently i had a client looking for a very specific shopper bag that only Mass supply had. I started the process once again with them, registered and i did mention my bad experience before and was told that all new staff have been employed and that things were working well. I started negotiating with the Branch Manager, and letting him know that the client was looking for 2000 bags and that i would be branding them. We agreed on a price and I ordered 2 samples (one new stock which we would go with as it was larger and one older stock - a bit smaller). The samples were received at a specific price that I then used to quote the client on (i was told that the new and old stock cost the same). In the interim i received the samples, sent to client which they then approved on. I called Mass Supply and spoke to the Branch Manager once again (this liaison started on 17/9 and as at 7/10 i required lead times as the order was confirmed). He sent me a mail to let me know that due to low stock it would be manufactured and that he could only have it to me earliest first week of November and after a bit of persuasion he got a lead time of last week of October. I confirmed with client who was happy and placed the official order (up to this point Mass Supply knew that the order would be placed but i was waiting for exact numbers from client). I requested an invoice so that i could pay in order that we dont delay the process and that was where the problem came in. The invoice per item was R2.55 more on each item (ie an additional R5100). I called him to correct the price and I was advised that i had missed the deadline cut off for the special that was on?????? NEVER at any point was it mentioned that there was a special on the bags and that it was due to end at a certain time. I asked that he speak to the COO as we had been in negotiations on the type of bag and final quantity and the answer i got was - "i am really sorry but the COO has advised that there is nothing she can do as the special has ended and the higher price has to be paid". I received a copy paste from Mass Supply of the bag and the cost, i purchased the sample bags at the same price, i was advised the lead time which was agreed upon by my client and then i was invoiced at a price that was never mentioned, shown or even discussed and was told about a special that i never knew existed.

I am a small trade business with large corporate clients. Due to the size of my company i cannot afford to be dropped by suppliers at any point and always want them to deal with me honestly - even if it means i am forced to look around. My relationship with my clients is an amazing one so i am truly grateful that they understood the dilemma and allowed me time to source an alternate for them.

What i will not accept is that a company the size of Mass supply gets away with the unethical approach to dealing with companies like mine. Had i been at fault in any way I would have accepted that responsibility and spoken to my client - (honesty and transparency always quell bad situations). This however is not a once off with them and on listening to others like me - they all say the same thing - STAY CLEAR.

I am an HR specialist and one thing i can say for sure is that changing staff does not guarantee a good experience. If the company runs on a set of business ethics which is almost always built into its practices and policies and which contain loopholes that put the client in a situation, allowing the supply to walk away with no consequences, then i want nothing to do with this type of business relationship. It is only a matter of time when companies like this close their doors - and maybe that is a good thing because if other clients do not read Hello Peter, they too will find themselves in a situation like i have. I would never refer them and most definitely dont have anything good to say - new staff or not