Cost of doing business

Subject: Cost of doing business
From: KMcLauchlan -at- chrysalis-its -dot- com
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 08:13:51 -0400

G'day all.

I thought this applicable, since it would seem to be
a common experience for TWs, due to the nature of what
we do and of what we need to do it.

I just bought the book "Indexing: A Nuts-and-Bolts Guide
for Technical Writers", by Kurt Ament, from William Andrew
Publishing. This is not a review -- I have yet to take it
out for a spin.

However, I would like to bring up this point:

This slim little volume -- less than 100 pages -- cost me
USD39 purchase price, plus 33 of my dollars AND a fair
amount of aggravation to get it from the supplier to me.

Their standard shipping was UPS. I don't believe they
made any effort to minimize tariffs, taxes, etc.
But worse, from my point of view, they sent it "Collect"
for all shipping and handling. Because they didn't
specify, up front -- nor did their web site offer any
alternatives -- the package arrived at my empty house
and bounced. Because UPS ("_U_se _P_urolator, _S_tupid!")
doesn't hire the best and brightest, it took a bunch of
phone calls and shenanigans to get the thing redirected
to my workplace... and then UPS charged my employer's
account, not even asking for individual payment (my check
was on the desk of our shipping/receiving manager) so
I'm not done with it even now.

I have dealt with many US and British firms for web and
mail-order purchases. Because I'm a tech writer, many
purchases have been books and software. Many of the
suppliers have taken an interest in their foreign
customers (I'm Canadian), to the extent of:

a) finding out what standard packages cost to ship
to various major locales (and what's more standard
than a book?)

b) finding out the tariff/tax classes and rates at the
destination, and using the appropriate keywords on
the external declarations, to minimize customs and
brokerage costs (as a matter of fact, all they
have to do is ask their favorite shipper...)

c) charging for shipping costs (including taxes, etc.)
up front.

Some of us are in business for ourselves, and the rest
of us are gainfully employed (or soon will be), so our
time is valuable. I know my time is certainly more
valuable than the extra buck a company would have to
charge me in order to be SURE they had covered all
shipping costs up-front on each shipment to exotic
foreign lands like Canada. ("This is the estimated
complete cost, plus a buck to be sure we guessed right.")
I like to think my time is too valuable to waste it
on telephone judo matches with phone-answerers and
delivery-truck drivers.

I'd like to encourage the rest of you to help
encourage suppliers to get their act together.

Certainly books and CDs, which a lot of us TWs
purchase frequently, are an easily standardized
shipment.
Certainly commercial Web sites ask plenty of
questions during the order process, and could
manage to ask if we wanted our stuff shipped
"signature required", "collect for shipping/brokerage",
"all pre-paid", etc.

Come to think of it, when I received Neuberger's
"The Masters Series - FrameMaker 6", I just came
home one day to find it between my doors. No hassle,
no extra charges. The same for "Words into Type".
I believe the shippers simply used the correct magic
words and incantations on the package and shipping
documents.
Yet some other books and CDs... well, you'd think
I was trying to ship plutonium. Why so much variation?

Opinions? Suggestions?

/kevin


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