Finding Help in times of need -Part 29

Trace the source

Have you bought a product and need help because something has gone wrong? Are you frustrated because of a piece of expensive equipment you got that does not work as expected? Is your business at a standstill because you purchased a machine that cannot produce as you anticipated? Are you incurring losses because the machinery your business relies upon is malfunctioning? It is usually frustrating but could be more frustrating when you go around seeking help, but no one seems to have a clue as to what to do—they could damage it or make it worse.

As you may have noticed, every product has a name and a manufacturer. They usually include their details as part of the product. The documents contain the recommended guide to help should anything happen to the product. It also provides information on how to use it and what to do when some symptoms occur.

A man once took his electronic device to a local repair shop for repairs, but to his surprise, after checking the device, the technician said, sorry, I cannot help you. The man was confused and wanted to know more. Are you busy? If that is the case, I do not mind waiting. Is it costly to fix? I would not mind the cost. Is it going to take a long time to resolve? I would not mind, he said, seeking to know the reason. He replied, no, not any of those. I have no training to enable me to work on this device. Please contact the manufacturer for help—they would probably fix it for free or give you another one if it is still under warranty.

The man then remembered he had those details when he got the device. He contacted the manufacturer and got directed to an authorised dealer close to him that could help him. It got fixed at no extra cost to him. There was help available that he never thought was there.

Sometimes in life, we look for help only in familiar places. It works sometimes, but unfortunately, they may not always be the best places. You can trace the product back to its source, and you could discover that you have genuine assistance waiting for you. It may be the company that sold it to you or the organisation that made the product if they differ, but what you need may only be a phone call away. You may have access to the manufacturer’s help that will not cost you any extra but probably do not know.

You probably bought a product that did not work, or it is the wrong one. You could get help and assistance. There could be provisions to return the item within a limited period to get your money back or choose another. It is common for manufacturers to offer a guarantee for their products. They are willing to accept a return if you have reasons to return it within a reasonable period. The product may have a known fault—which is of no error of your own—that you got to know after purchase. The manufacturer could help with such, which makes you free from any unplanned expenses.

A landlord spent so much on the renovation of his property. Some time afterwards, he began to notice some unpleasant signs that made him worried. He was upset as he was scared of the amount of money he would require to fix it again. He was wise enough to tell someone that gave him some advice and asked some questions: Who did it for you? Who made the products? Which companies were involved? The answers led to the help he required. The contractors that did the work got in touch with the companies that supplied the products—they also got in touch with the manufacturers. The good news is that the repair work got completed at no extra cost to the landlord. It was a happy ending and a great relief—it may not be the case if he did not trace the source.

Many years ago, a young student bought a motorcycle in a village—where he stayed for a temporary assignment—but did not register it as it was not a legal requirement there. He later relocated to the city and took it with him. He found that he could not use it except it was registered. An attempt to get it recorded brought about suspicion as it was no longer new and never had a legal record. It was strange but true, although difficult to prove to those in the city. He decided to contact the store that sold it to him in the village, and they were willing to help complete all the necessary documentation for the registration. He got the help he needed by tracing the source.

An employee once visited a store to purchase some items using a voucher he got from his company. The cashier rejected it as it was not familiar. The employee insisted that it should be checked and verified. The managers on duty were able to confirm that it was acceptable and genuine. He got the help that saved him from the embarrassment.

If you know where a product came from, you are likely to get from there information that would prove helpful in resolving the problem you may be experiencing. You may find that the help you need could be in agreements, contracts, and other forms of documentation exchanged in business transactions. Many people never attempt to read them but assume they could always figure out what to do when there is a problem.

There was once a passenger on a ship who refused to eat any food or drink anything served. He was hungry and desired the food he saw—it was hard to resist the aroma, but throughout the journey, he said no. He had a valid ticket, and he was entitled to every meal as a result, but he did not check from the source to confirm. He assumed he had to pay for it. He decided to live on crackers and water that he brought with him. Someone that got worried just before they got to the destination asked him why he refused to eat. He responded that he did not have money, but the co-passenger then enlightened him that the food and drinks were all part of the ticket. If only he had checked from the source, he would have had the confidence to position himself for a sumptuous meal.

You may be frustrated because you think there is no help for you. It may not be the case—you may only have been seeking help where there is none.

To be continued next week, don’t miss it.

Thank you for investing time to read this post. I hope you have found it valuable. I will be glad to hear from you. Please leave a comment below and share.

[pvcp_1]