The second mistake

Last year, I shipped some goods to me from China using a logistics provider. It was a relatively small shipment and cost me $846. As the goods got closer to me, they asked me over email if I was going to be there on a certain day to receive the goods. I said no, I’ll be out of town and back the next week. They used a courier who attempted to deliver it anyway on that day and then charged me $1,495 for their attempted and failed delivery. I protested this charge for almost a year. They kept sending me a bill and I kept emailing them explaining the ridiculousness but it was falling on deaf ears. They had a collections agency contact me to try to collect the debt. I refused to pay the charge. They finally dropped it and I think they might have still thought they were in the right. I’m not sure. All I know is that I’ll never do business with them again if I have any choice about it. 

The thing is, I would have easily forgiven the first mistake of a bizarre extra charge. But the second mistake of not listening, not changing, and not really responding, those are the mistakes I remember and found annoying and less forgivable. 

Screw up once and who cares? Screw up twice and I’ll start to have second thoughts.