National contractors and ethics: this is just wrong

[Appleby]

I was thinking about getting in to it to get my name out but I don't know what kind of conflict of interest claims there may be. I shirts with my company logo on them as well as my car with my company logo.

That is another gripe. All these companies have a set of rules and policies and every one of them strictly states that you are NOT to tell them that you own a business, give them business cards etc. You are to say you are an independent tech for their company. One of them even sent me an email a few weeks ago saying they needed my pic for a name badge I was going to be required to wear. Do you know how hard it is to sit there and carry on a friendly conversation with the customer and them NOT ask if you work just for this company, own your own business etc? I eventually tell them I own my own business in town and I'm paid to run this service call. I'm not going to lie and most of them end up asking. I don't solicit business but I don't lie either.

Ok guys I'm about to make a post in the Tech Only forum about this. Go there for my LONG story.

 

[Appleby]

Here is the link...
http://www.technibble.com/forums/showthread.php?p=137407#post137407

 

[wtigger]

I was thinking about getting in to it to get my name out but I don't know what kind of conflict of interest claims there may be. I shirts with my company logo on them as well as my car with my company logo.

I wore my logo shirts to all the calls. If customers asked, I told them the straight up, I am self employed contracted to do this job for them. I had a lot of people ask me for business cards, made a few good customers.. I only gave business cards when directly asked.

 

[red12049]

Reading this thread, and the one associated with it in the other forum, raised an interesting question for me. I'll probably get slammed for this post, but so be it.

Why is it so repugnant to us for a large company to ask a tech to violate no law, no written policy, or anything else that I know of, to return items used once for a job, but it is ok for some techs to violate a written contract they agreed to when they took the job to be a representative for that company, and not their own?

Discuss

Rick

 

[Appleby]

Fair question to a degree.

I will not and would not do what the company asked on the returning parts thing. It is an ethical thing for me. Treat others as you want to be treated, I don't want people buying a part from me, using it to get out of a bind, then bringing it back. At the same time, I do not and will not go onsite working for one of these companies and advertise my business like others have said. However, as I mentioned, I won't lie either. If someone point blank asks if I own a shop, then yes I will tell them. Again, it's ethics for me. I have to make a choice and I won't lie.

Also for the record, I asked one of these unnamed companies about this issue of customers asking if I own a business etc. The rep. told me that they do not expect me to lie and they know many people are going to ask. I think that was a fair answer without saying, "lie to them" or "who cares, go advertise."