I am ALWAYS amazed at the stupidity and ignorance of some people in the business world. I am pretty much never without examples of this, as I'm sure you aren't, either.

Latest story. My incredibly beautiful wife, Kay, is a distributor for Send Out Cards. (Quick pitch – if you're not using these for marketing and relationship building, you're making a mistake!) And just like any good business person, she beats the bushes for prospects. When she does meet someone, she'll send a sample card and follow-up by email. At a Chamber of Commerce luncheon recently, she met Mr. Steve Garitone of Banner Bank and exchanged business cards. 

Kay followed up by sending a personalized Send Out Card showing how it can be used in business. She followed a few days later with the following message:

Hope you’re having a great day. Or should I say a Banner Day!

I sent you a card awhile ago, using the Send Out Cards system. On the front was a picture of my hand holding your business card. Actually it wasn’t my hand, it’s just one of the frame options in SOC.

I was wondering if you’d like to make a card like this and see how the system works. It’s great for thank-you’s, follow-ups, and keeping in touch. I have had an amazing response to them!

Please let me know.

Thanks!

Kay 

A week later, Kay received this exact response:

Yes I did get your card but currently  am not interested in pursuing further I will keep your info

(This is copied exactly how it was sent. Apparently, Mr. Garitone's time is too precious to use punctuation and manners.)

As I said, this stuff amazes me and is an excellent example of somebody failing to realize he wears Two Hats.

Why was he at the Chamber luncheon if he wasn't interested in networking with other local business people? Oh wait, I know! It was so he could find customers for him! Apparently, it didn't work the other way around.

Why would he intentionally alienate a potential new customer? Oh wait, he apparently classified Kay as a non-prospect, not thinking that she was also involved in my business – a business with accounts and loans and credit lines and all that stuff banks are looking to sell.

Maybe Banner Bank is so successful they don't need new customers. Oh wait, they AREN'T. Like most banks they've lost a lot of money in the last few years and are still losing money, as they first quarter 2011 10-Q report shows.

None of this rant has to do with Mr. Garitone's disinterest in Send Out Cards. He's allowed to make that decision, as we all are in any purchasing decision. That's just business. But he's not allowed to purposely treat someone badly. At least not if I find out.

Look gang, it's never the lions and tigers that get you in the jungle. It's the mosquitos. It's the little daily, seemingly unimportant stuff that ends up biting us in the butt. And that includes showing respect and good manners for anybody you're talking or communicating with, no matter how unimportant or irrelevant you think that person is. And the fact is, if you think someone is unimportant and irrelevant, you are a jerk.