Losing your cool at work

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ZWICK 4 PREZ's avatar

ZWICK 4 PREZ

Senior Member

7,733 posts
Nov 19, 2009 8:56 AM
Let me preface this by saying I'm wrong here and should have been more professional.. but have you ever just reached a boiling point at your job?

I'm on a hot project at work that HAS to be done by December 4th so it can ship to China and be ready to manufacture by the first of the year. I have programming software that somehow didn't get ordered through the same company that the hardware got ordered thru, and is backordered until Dec. 2nd... obviously this is no good since the deadline is December 4th.. I need it yesterday. So ...it is what it is and I’ll have to use old programming software for the majority of the logic and use the new software for the drives and such when it comes in and hope I can programming that all in 2 days. I'm fairly optimistic that I can at this point. So I write a test program and hook up to the new Siemens PLC and it's not having it. That starts the bad day.....
I call Siemens and am basically told I need to new software to load the program and my only other option is the get a new license number from one of their authorized dealers and I can use the old software. Well, the hardware was ordered from an authorized dealer but the software I'm missing was not (don't get me started on why our buying center ordered from two different distributors). Long story short, the rep from the authorized dealer does not want to give me a license b/c we didn't get the software from him.... Now I've known this guy well for 5 years. I've bought a lot of stuff from him.. I'm in a pinch and I didn't order the software from a different distributor...not to mention that hardware that I did buy from him was over a million dollars for this project... but he still won't give me a license number...
So I lost it.. I told him that I’ve given him millions of dollars over the last 5 years and he's really going to hold me over a barrel for programming software? I told him if it were up to me I'd be using all Allen-Bradley shit anyways and I’ll never order a god damn thing from Siemens again. Well he told me he could get me a 14 day license, and if the software didn't come in, he could just keep extending a new 14 day license. Great.. but why did it have to come to me threatening to never order from you again? I understand we should have bought the software from him. I'm not sure why it didn't get ordered through them when all the hardware did. But for all this money we've given him throughout the years, you're really going to not give me a license number until I threaten to never buy from you again?

Sorry. Rant over.

When are some times you’ve lost your cool at work?
Nov 19, 2009 8:56am
derek bomar's avatar

derek bomar

Senior Member

3,722 posts
Nov 19, 2009 9:00 AM
Curbstomp?
Nov 19, 2009 9:00am
P

ptangzoot

Member

51 posts
Nov 19, 2009 9:03 AM
As a person who also writes code for mobile logic controllers I feel your pain!
I probably would have done the same thing...if you spend that much money with him he should have gotten you a license, he was being a tool.
Nov 19, 2009 9:03am
OneBuckeye's avatar

OneBuckeye

Senior Member

5,888 posts
Nov 19, 2009 9:04 AM
I never have, but I have seen it happen and it is fantastic every time. You always have to threaten to cut supplier’s business before you get what you really want out of them in my experience. Especially if you are looking for something free or on top of what they planned on giving you.
Nov 19, 2009 9:04am
Apple's avatar

Apple

Prost!

2,620 posts
Nov 19, 2009 9:06 AM
There's gotta be a woman somewhere in this mix. I'm thinking the guy's wife made him sleep on the couch the night before your conversation with him.
Nov 19, 2009 9:06am
justincredible's avatar

justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Nov 19, 2009 9:06 AM
I'm about to flip out on one of my coworkers. The guy is over in India and apparently doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.
Nov 19, 2009 9:06am
se-alum's avatar

se-alum

The Biggest Boss

13,948 posts
Nov 19, 2009 9:08 AM
I work for the gov't, so we get what we want, when we want it. Never had to threaten anyone. No business wants to lose a gov't contract!
Nov 19, 2009 9:08am
J

jmog

Senior Member

6,567 posts
Nov 19, 2009 9:11 AM
I've never flipped out at someone at work, but have flipped out AFTER a conversation with someone, just went outside and "cooled off".

I'm a VERY mellow/even keeled guy, I hardly ever get really pissed.
Nov 19, 2009 9:11am
ernest_t_bass's avatar

ernest_t_bass

12th Son of the Lama

24,984 posts
Nov 19, 2009 9:12 AM
I teach, so I lose my cool a lot, with smart ass kids. Since I've been married and a father, I have softened up. I used to lose my cool all the time.
Nov 19, 2009 9:12am
Trueblue23's avatar

Trueblue23

BASEDgod

7,463 posts
Nov 19, 2009 9:12 AM
I hate 99% of the people i work with.
Nov 19, 2009 9:12am
S

Swamp Fox

Senior Member

2,218 posts
Nov 19, 2009 9:18 AM
Everybody will eventually have that moment when they have just had it. It's how you react to it that is the important thing. I've mellowed quite a bit over the years but when people don't tell me the truth, that upsets me more than anything else.
Nov 19, 2009 9:18am
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Nov 19, 2009 9:46 AM
In THIS economy...........I don't understand why people are not more understanding and willing to bend over backwards for the customers they DO currently have. Just doesn't make sense.
Nov 19, 2009 9:46am
ZWICK 4 PREZ's avatar

ZWICK 4 PREZ

Senior Member

7,733 posts
Nov 19, 2009 9:52 AM
I guess he probably thought since he was the only authorized Siemens distributor that is close to us, that he had me over a barrel. What he failed to realize is that I couldn't give a shit less about if I use Siemens or someone else and if you're going to screw me, I have no problem using someone else. Cuz once I told him I'd give A-B a call, he changed his tune.
Nov 19, 2009 9:52am
Thunder70's avatar

Thunder70

Senior Member

748 posts
Nov 19, 2009 10:44 AM
That's why I go to the gym after work. Helps me better deal with the issues of the day.
Nov 19, 2009 10:44am
Heretic's avatar

Heretic

Son of the Sun

18,820 posts
Nov 19, 2009 12:45 PM
I've had to take a timeout to cool off, but I've never gone off on anyone. I think that's why everyone at the office loves my "professionalism". I'll have a deadline changed with very little advance notice or warning and not bat an eye......and they never know that while I'm driving home, I have the windows up and am screaming at the top of my lungs about how I'm step away from goin' Columbine on everyone there.
Nov 19, 2009 12:45pm
K

Keith

Senior Member

155 posts
Nov 19, 2009 1:08 PM
There are times I would like to. My pet peeve is lazy, unmotivated people. We have a couple of folks in our office like that and I really have had times where I would like to run over them in the parking lot after work.
Nov 19, 2009 1:08pm
J

Jawbreaker

Senior Member

520 posts
Nov 19, 2009 1:33 PM
ZWICK 4 PREZ wrote: I guess he probably thought since he was the only authorized Siemens distributor that is close to us, that he had me over a barrel. What he failed to realize is that I couldn't give a shit less about if I use Siemens or someone else and if you're going to screw me, I have no problem using someone else. Cuz once I told him I'd give A-B a call, he changed his tune.
I hate calling Siemens, Cutler Hammer, and some divisions of GE (i.e. Mulitilin). You can never get a straight answer or talk to the right person without going through 2 or 3 people. It seems like once you do contact the right person they are very helpful.
Nov 19, 2009 1:33pm
GoChiefs's avatar

GoChiefs

Resident Maniac

16,754 posts
Nov 19, 2009 2:51 PM
Imagine that! They are sending more work over to China! BASTARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nov 19, 2009 2:51pm
P

ptangzoot

Member

51 posts
Nov 19, 2009 3:09 PM
I agree...Cutler hammer people can be a huge pain. Siemens not much better.
Nov 19, 2009 3:09pm
E

Emerald110

Junior Member

1 posts
Nov 19, 2009 3:38 PM
I work at a small company that has been growing and with more personalities and bureaucracy to deal with, I have definitely been having issues controlling my temper at work. I also don't like it when it happens, but sometimes stupidity can be overpowering.
Nov 19, 2009 3:38pm
nc52's avatar

nc52

and he comes in the night

419 posts
Nov 19, 2009 3:51 PM
i lose my cool all the time. thank god i do have a couple good operations managers. now my dock supervisor is a different story
Nov 19, 2009 3:51pm