what does "giving your word" mean?

[smiles 0]

I was just having a conversation with someone during coffee that turned into an argument.

They dropped a truck off at a shop to be fixed and the shop manager said "we will have it ready by Friday at the latest." Well, the truck wasn't ready on Friday and this person is flipped out yelling:

-"but the guy gave me his word" it would be ready, no later than Friday."

I respond "he didn't use the term literally: I give you my word- no one operating a business would use that term..."

- he responds even more angry: "no- but it is exactly the same thing."

- I say "giving your word is something done when you exchange wedding vows or swear on the bible to tell the truth, or sign on the dotted line with a lawyer present. I've never even been told in a business exchange- I promise you....."

- he responds screaming: "he said it would be ready no later than Friday, that is giving me his word."-------and walks out slamming the door.

- I give up, what is the sense? Am I crazy?
I can understand this person being angry, and maybe having problem with venting that anger...but the "giving his word" term I do not understand. This transaction was by mouth, not written down and signed on paper...so is this person refering to "word" as "mouth"?????????
Can anyone explain?

thanx,
SMiles

[quade 4]

At least in business -- a verbal agreement isn't worth the paper it's written on.

Sad but true.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[unformed 0]

"giving you my word" is an agreement between friends. It's also a sales tactic used to entice customers.

"All I have in this world is my balls and my word and I don't break them for no one." - Tony Montana

This ad space for sale.

[DrunkMonkey 0]

Quote

what does "giving your word" mean?

You have one less word in your bag of words?

[beowulf 1]

I wouldn't have yelled or gotten visibly upset, but I would not do business there again. If you say Friday at the latest then I expect to have the vehicle by Friday.

[white_falcon 0]

I am a small business owner, and I use that phrase VERY sparingly.

If, however, I tell a customer, "I give you my word" then you better believe i will do EVERYTHING to ensure that "it" happens.

My $.02

Scott

[rehmwa 2]

Quote

i will do EVERYTHING to

Like change time, create life, alter the laws of physics?

Whenever someone asks, "Did they do everything?" or "I did everything", "Did you think of everything?", the bullshit meter goes right off. Politicians ask these types of questions all the time.

I wouldn't have blown up, but I wouldn't use that vendor again. He did give his word to have it ready Friday. He failed. He'd have been better off to apologize and cover any expenses that his bad planning caused for the customer. I'm assuming the friend was mad because the vendor made excuses. Either that or the friend is a hothead.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[markd_nscr986 0]

Tell someone your going to do something,do it!
What's the problem?And yes people in a business setting can use that term,if they know what they are doing!

Marc SCR 6046 SCS 3004

[diablopilot 2]

I'd be pretty pissed off too. The problem sounds like a lack of comunication. If the mechanic then called on thursday and said, sorry I can't get it done by Friday, then at least I have time to make other plans, and he's covered his bases.

"it will be ready no later than Friday" It better damn well be, or I'd need to be told otherwise before Friday.

Don't say it unless you mean it.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[beowulf 1]

What he should have said was It should be ready by friday, but please call before you come out to make sure that it is ready.
That way there is no absolute deadline. If it is done on time you look great and if it isn't well then you don't look so bad.

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

If it isn't WRITTEN, It doesn't exist.

_________________________________________

[Darius11 12]

Giving your word to me means promising saying I promise to do this.

If I give my word I don't brake it but I also don't give my word for stuff like having your car ready in time it is too important for shit like that.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[chachi 0]

I agree with your friend. If someone told me that it would be ready no later than Friday I expect that. There is a saying in business that you should under promise and over deliver. If this happened to me and I had no warning that it would be late or no reasonable excuse I would be mad and I would never use that shop again. The business did give your friend their word and he believed them. Then they let him down.

~Chachi

[McDuck 0]

I know I'm missing one of the main points, but my point is one that seems to have been neglected:
Why did the co-worker get all bent at YOU? YOU didn't say it would be ready then, did you? Unless you were waving a crusted dildo in his face while you spoke with him, I can't see much reason for him to scream at you.
As for the "giving his word", he may have just been unable to properly articulate what was raging in his head. I never assume that because someone TELLS me something will be ready at a certain time that it will be, but I do check and get irate if it isn't. I can't see raging at someone not directly involved, however.

Kevin - Sonic Beef #5 - OrFun #28
"I never take myself too seriously, 'cuz everybody know fat birds don't fly." - FLC
Online communities: proof that people never mature much past high school.

[Keith 0]

Your friend was right. Unfortunately most people today lack the integrity to follow through. If I say I'm going to do something, then I'm going to do it. I don't have to say "I promise" or "I give you my word." Saying "I didn't say I promised" is crap people spew because they're defending their own lack of integrity.

Keith

Don't Fuck with me Keith - J. Mandeville

[mouth 0]

It used to be if someone gave you their word they were good for it. Now if I hear you say it I'll figure you are lying so won't put much stock in it until I see that you are honest and sincere.

--
Hot Mama
At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit.

[QuickDraw 0]

It means lying through your hind teeth to achieve a desired outcome.

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning

[dixieskydiver 0]

I was raised in the south and in the southern tradition. My dad always taught me that giving your word is like a verbal contract, and he respects all of the verbal contracts he has made. If you shake hands on it, then it's done. However, in this day and age there are relatively few people that still do business like this, and without something on paper you can often get screwed. In this situation I think that mechanic should have notified your friend when he realized it wasn't going to get done by Friday.

Dixie
HISPA #56 Facil Rodriguez
"Scientific research has shown that 60% of the time, it works every time."

[Zep 0]

I run a buisness as well an if I say " I give you my word " I'll go as for as to lose money on the job if needs be
Customer satisfaction (or a happy customer) is worth more than all the advertising you've paid for.
With five kids still at home keeping my word is what lets me skydive

In my opinion the guy has every reason to bitch

Gone fishing

[smiles 0]

Why did the co-worker get all bent at me?????

I suppose he was looking for support, - re: I could have replied with "man, what a rip...shitty deal or I understand you being so pissed."

Communication break-down.

I was confused by his statement that "the business operator had given his word"
-when the business operator had stated "it will be ready by Friday at the latest"
Therefore the argument over what "giving your word" means to him- compared to me.

Also- it was a long weekend turkey lurkey day here on Monday so he had rented a truck at $120. bucks a day- for 3 extra days because his truck was not ready on Friday. Was late for work Tues. due to picking it up. Out $360. bucks could have screwed his turkey lurky day, who knows..

Regardless he cannot control his anger obviously- and brought it to the work place showing all- how stressed he is.

Cannot imagine where this had gone if I had simply replied "shit happens dude."

SMiles

[78RATS 0]

For some people giving their word doesn't mean anything. Just something they do to get what they want, then...fuck you....there's really nothing you can do about it.

sad pathetic losers

Rat for Life - Fly till I die
When them stupid ass bitches ask why

[Tailgate 0]

I guess I am old school, but when I "give my word" it is as good as being written in stone. May be that doesn't go with today's "ethics", but it means a contract to me.

_________________________________________________
Let me live in my house by the side of the road and be a friend to man- Sam Walter Foss

[mnealtx 0]

My take on it: If you've given your word, you're pledging your honor that you will fulfil that commitment.

Unfortunately, honor seems to be getting rarer and rarer in today's world....

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

Quote

I wouldn't have yelled or gotten visibly upset, but I would not do business there again. If you say Friday at the latest then I expect to have the vehicle by Friday.

Exactly.

One does not have to say "I give you my word," for it to be meant. An assurance is an assurance. The shop guy made a promise, and he failed to live up to it. He let someone rely on his promise; that person may have ended up being totally inconvenienced in some way (like maybe planning a long trip in the truck for the weekend, including hotel or airfare bookings that will cost dearly to cancel) by his failure to deliver on the promise.

I can see being upset by it, and as far as the shop guy is concerned, the only way to regain credibility is to explain why the failure occurred -- if there was a good reason for the failure. "My parts supplier's wife was in a bad car wreck and he spent the entire week at her bedside, and I was unable to get the parts for your repair." Possibly good enough. "My wife was in a horrible car wreck and I haven't been around since I've been at her bedside all week" -- better excuse still. Sometimes shit happens, even despite the best intentions, even despite the mechanic truly thinking he'd have the work done by a certain deadline.

If one gives his word (again, one need not use those words to be "giving his word") he'd better be prepared to lose credibility if he does not keep it.

There are always alternatives to phrasing something as though you are giving your word. The mechanic could have said, "I'll try to have it ready by Friday." "Well, I'll give you a call; we may be able to get it done by Friday."

As soon as you say, "I will," or use the term, "at the latest," you are making a promise to meet a deadline. Miss it, and the guy you screwed will be justified in being pissed off at your unreliability.

Me, if I didn't get a satisfactory explanation of why the word was not kept, I would not do business with the guy again and I would tell him why before I left. Perhaps some good would be done because he might take the lesson to heart and make sure to keep his word to future customers.

-Jeffrey

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

Quote

If it isn't WRITTEN, It doesn't exist.

Are you saying this as a statement about the current practical reality, or are you saying it that you believe a person need not worry about anything they promise if they do it verbally as opposed to in writing? Do you mean that someone is wrong to expect a verbal word to be kept?

-Jeffrey

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"