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10th Episode - March 11

The TVClubHouse: Other Reality Shows: Archives for 2004-1: The Apprentice (NBC) (ARCHIVES): General Discussions: 10th Episode - March 11 users admin

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Archive through March 11, 2004Costacat25 03-11-04  8:23 pm
Archive through March 12, 2004Wilsonatmd25 03-12-04  9:59 am
Archive through March 12, 2004Maris25 03-12-04  5:12 pm
Archive through March 13, 2004Babyjaxmom25 03-13-04  3:03 pm
Archive through March 18, 2004Dynair25 03-18-04  2:56 am
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Kep421
Member

08-11-2001

Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 6:14 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
While I understand the concept of returning all the money being so important in the small business world, I think the reason Trump didn't give it more kudos is because the client only requested a partial refund.

If I'm remembering correctly, the man suggessted a $50 refund. Had Nick (wanting to appear more fair than the client) given him half the refund, which would have been $125, he would have achieved the same results and still kept a small profit for his team.

Its just not good business sense to give money away for no good reason. Nick not only ran the risk of making his company look foolish in the client's eyes, but he had no idea of how much the other team had made. What if Nick's team had lost by $50???

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 2:38 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I think Nick wants to show Trump he can "make an executive decision" regardless of how unpopular it will be with his subordinates. He gets a certain look in his eyes when he says how he "made a decision." Its kind of killer, and kind of scary.

I'm sure he feels that's exactly what Trump is looking for....and he could be right.

Dynair
Member

01-06-2004

Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 6:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Sorry--double post

Dynair
Member

01-06-2004

Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 6:23 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks for your input, Kep421. I must have missed the fact that the client had only requested a partial refund, I thought that was the team's idea and the client would not be happy with that. In that case, I'm not sure why Nick felt he needed to give more money back.

One thing you're right about, is that the refund did not fit in well with this particular circumstance, in which there's a deadline and no long-term goal. I was just thinking in terms of the "keep the customer happy" concept. I guess, overall, I'm a bit disappointed that the show doesn't seem to put a lot of emphasis on some of the ethics and etiquette that are not necessarily required but make the business world a better place. But perhaps it's not relevant in the context of this competative show format.

Kep421
Member

08-11-2001

Friday, March 19, 2004 - 5:42 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I think Nick is trying to show Trump he can make executive descisions contrary to popular opinion, and that he can build business relationships at any cost.

But what Nick doesn't seem to understand is that making "spot" executive decisions, ones that haven't been rationally discussed with all sides being given careful consideration, is not the way to go.

There's a big difference from taking a business risk and using risky business practices.


Jasper
Member

09-14-2000

Friday, March 19, 2004 - 12:23 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
If I remember correctly regarding Nick and the refund, the client only asked was he going to get some sort of refund, I beleive Bill suggested $50. But Nick went right in there and gave it all back. After the fact Bill had said the most he should have returned was half considering the other sign was up all day and the one that fell was on all morning. The client seemed thrilled.

Purplecow
Member

12-08-2003

Saturday, March 20, 2004 - 11:48 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Regarding refunds: My policy is "Take the blame; refund their money; let them keep the product." It's a small price to pay for continued good will. My business is on the Net and it doesn't take long for the complaints of a dissatisfied customer to be heard 'round the world.

Babyjaxmom
Member

10-20-2002

Saturday, March 20, 2004 - 2:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Purplecow, you're absolutely right! Too bad more businesses don't understand the theory that poor customer service will get spread faster than all the positive advertising you can buy.

Jblaca
Member

02-26-2004

Sunday, March 21, 2004 - 12:59 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I think it was an honorable thing to refund some or all of the money, but why do it right then when that money could've been the difference between winning and losing? Couldn't they have gone back after the competition and forked it out of their own pockets?

Purplecow
Member

12-08-2003

Sunday, March 21, 2004 - 9:24 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    

quote:

I think it was an honorable thing to refund some or all of the money, but why do it right then when that money could've been the difference between winning and losing?


As it turned out, the team won anyway, so it appears that honesty and ethics paid off in this case. It doesn't always, but one still has to live with one's self, whether in life or in playing a game.

Sweetmelissa04
Member

03-20-2004

Sunday, March 21, 2004 - 9:03 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I think it comes down to personal ethics in this situation. Nick may have seen it to be more profitable for him in the long run to keep this man happy. He may need to call on him in the future. In my dealings in customer service, it is better to keep the customers intrests above your own. I worked for a company that would not budge when it came to a return policy (no returns ever ever) and it really hurt them in the long run; even to the point of 57 complaints to the BBB. While I know this was a competitive situation, I totally agreed with Nick's choice. Good ol' Donny boy might not have, but it didn't matter, the team one....

Oh and I must say that I am glad I don't have to see Miss O (is it just me or does her name make you think of Cofee) every week... goodness!

Tabbyking
Member

03-11-2002

Sunday, March 21, 2004 - 11:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
omarosa does not make me think of coffee, but i am trying to figure out what in omarosa makes sweet think of coffee! however, i do think:
'oma aching head', 'oma God, we have a job to do and i ain't doing it', 'oma heck, how am i gonna make this look bad for everyone else?'

i still think nick should have given half the money back. JMO, so you don't all have to try and convince me again :-)...i thought it made him look like a wuss to not even talk about it. maybe i would have felt more as if he should give it all back had he even talked with the man and made it appear as if this made him decide to refund it all. when he interrupted the man and said he was returning all the money right off the bat, he just looked like he was trying to kiss rear end. again, JMO! i also don't believe keeping half the money would indicate a lack of being 'honest' or 'ethical'. they did do the job for half the day. to me, it was honest for them to tell the man there had been a problem and offer money for the time the advertising was not done. i am glad they did not keep all his money, but i think they should have kept half.
what really bothered me was nick taking it on himself and not going with his group on the decision, but that could have been partly editing.

Dynair
Member

01-06-2004

Monday, March 22, 2004 - 1:18 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Hi Tabbyking. When I posted earlier I was under the impression that the business owner was unhappy with a partial refund. Other posters clarified that this was not clearly the case and I think everyone agreed with what you just said--that Nick didn't find out what the business owner was expecting and acted hastily.

The conversation then went into the general area of business practices regarding refunds. I don't think any of the later posts had much to do with your post, (they were more a spin-off of my original post).

You are one of my favorite posters, and given that I was wrong about the owner's response in the first place, I agree with everything you just said. I DO think there is an editing issue here, the filming of the tension surrounding the group's decision on the refund makes little sense if the owner may have been happy to accept a partial refund. Either that or, as some posters have suggested, that Nick just went out on a limb.

Purplecow
Member

12-08-2003

Monday, March 22, 2004 - 8:55 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I agree that it would have been honest and ethical to refund half of the money. I believe that it was good business to refund all of it. Notwithstanding that this particular business lasted only 24 hours.

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Monday, March 22, 2004 - 9:32 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
he was absolutely correct to refund all the money. I have been in many situations where a vendor made a mistake on a partial order and they gave me full credit. I always went back to them because I knew that they would cover their mistakes. It doesnt make a difference in a small order but if you are dealing in large volumes and there is a lot of money involved, you want to be sure your vendor is going to take care of you. The vendor is also assured that you will be a loyal customer and reasonable to work with.

Gemma120in2002
Member

07-05-2003

Monday, March 22, 2004 - 9:44 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Tabby! Oma goodness! You made me giggle! Maybe Sweet thinks of coffee when she thinks of Omarosa, because it sounds kind of like Ponderosa, and either she liked having a cup of coffee after a steak or she liked watching Pa, Little Joe, Adam and Hoss at the Ponderosa drinking coffee and talking about their problems. Omarosa was a problem!

I have too much time on my hands!

Maybe she's thinking of cat scat coffee. Louac coffee which costs about $300 a pound. Far more money than I'd pay for a latte! But once again, it can't help but remind one of Omarosa! It costs too much and it's nothing but crap.

Kep421
Member

08-11-2001

Monday, March 22, 2004 - 11:35 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
*sighs...I'm wishing we could get the O off this board at least!! I too am so tired of hearing of her...