Another MENSA candidate

[michael adams]

It may simply mean that he always double checks before proceeding, whenever he comes across something he isn't familiar with.

Not too bad a quality in a gas-fitter I'd say.

michael adams

...

[John Rumm]

The Ts&Cs spell it out ok AFAICS. The slight ambiguity comes from the fact you are communicating two things in your short "This is a reconditioned part exchange" note; firstly the part you are supplying is recon and not new, and secondly, that the deal is part ex.

Perhaps "Please Note: This is the part exchange price for a reconditioned part" would spell it out more clearly.

[Andy Cap]

I would go for 'The part I am supplying has been reconditioned and the price is based on you returning the faulty item to me immediately.'

Andy C

[The Wanderer]

I guess its all a question of semantics.

Whether you intend to or not, you are describing the unit on your web page, i.e. a unit which had been taken in pex and then recon. As written there is no apparent requirement to return a faulty unit in exchange.

It was only when I looked at the T&C that what you intended became clear.

It was also quite apparent that the guy hadn't looked at your T&C, although there's a good link immediately underneath. If he had, he'd wouldn't have needed to ask the question.

During my working life I had to write instructions that *could not* allow for ambiguity, doubt or error (switching instructions for working on high voltage equipment). I was told 'clear, concise, accurate'. Applying that test to your words, I'd say certainly concise and accurate as a description of the unit. Did it clearly or accurately convey what you intended to say? well I'd have to say doubtful at best.

I'd go with John Rumm's suggestion, 'This is the part exchange price for a reconditioned unit.'

One or two others have come up with comments like 'perfectly obvious what you meant'. If they are used to a pex system for boiler replacements, then yes, they would have an innate understanding of how 'the system' works. Significant, however, that this guy didn't.

As a complete aside, do you get many who buy but don't return the faulty item in pex?

[Andy Cap]

I have long suspected, that the problem with most instructions, is that they are written by people very conversant with the item in question and therefore there are inherent yet unintended assumptions made. Any instruction that is to be issued to the general public should be well tested on the target audience and it would immediately show up any shortcomings. It's why most people never use most of the features on most of the things they own.

Andy C

[ARWadsworth]

Definition of part exchange

UK. giving goods as part payment: a payment method by which a buyer gives something he or she owns to a seller as part payment for a more expensive item.

So nothing too difficult to understand then:-)

Adam

[Stuart Noble]

The Computer Exchange site is pretty unambiguous. We buy xyz for £xxx, we sell xyz for £xxx. That way the fitter gets his pcb sent promptly, and knows how much he'll receive when he gets round to sending the old one off. I imagine most of these guys want the pcb now, and the admin they take care of at the weekend. Lining up at the post office in the middle of the week? I don't think so

[Stuart Noble]

Hmm, except I suppose you only want to buy one if you know you're going to sell one. Maybe forget that idea then.

[Toom Tabard]

Yes it's perfectly clear - we're selling you a part that we acquired in part exchange and which we've reconditioned;-) But the first part of your terms and conditions, suggests it's an exception to your usual practice of selling new parts, since you charge the full cost for new parts if an old part isn't sent in part exchange:-) But that implies that an old part has to be returned... so what actually am I suppose to do here?

I wish I had a pound or even a penny for every instance I've seen when someone thinks it's perfectly clear because they wrote it, they knew what the meant to say, and it makes perfect sense to them. What you need to test is whether it's clear and unambiguous to the actual people who need to read and understand/follow it, and you've just found out the answer to that one.

It's good to see that someone qualified to undertake gas work for financial gain makes sure they understand what's involved when things aren't too clear.

Table for sale by lady with Queen Anne legs.

Toom

[js.b1]

I think a hyphen may help:

- This is a reconditioned part-exchange (implicit)

- This is a reconditioned part sold part-exchange (explicit)

[geoff]

The problem there is that you get people asking how much if it isn't part exchange

[geoff]

[geoff]

In message , The Wanderer writes

I usually find that a gentle reminder that they haven't yet returned the old item and that I'll charge them the price of a new item does the trick

[geoff]

Good pointer cheers

[Heliotrope Smith]

I think a hyphen may help:

- This is a reconditioned part-exchange (implicit)

This to me still seems to imply that he has taken this in px, done it up and is selling it on.

- This is a reconditioned part sold part-exchange (explicit)

Much clearer.

[Cicero]

=================================================

Go a step further and charge a refundable deposit at the time of sale. Make it clear that refund is conditional on a faulty item being returned which is suitable for your refurbishing process. This is common practice in the motor trade and ensures that you don't lose out either to non-returners or items damaged beyond repair. Motor factors won't accept items like starter motors with broken casing lugs etc. A bit more paper work for you to do the refund but worthwhile to avoid misunderstandings.

Cic.

[geoff]

Yes - I'm intending to start that in the new year - then the onus is on the customer to return the old item to avoid their own loss

[Usenet Nutter]

And not only that ..this process allows folk to use their cars to get to and from Motor Factors using the car that needs repair ( depending on what is faulty of course) ,sort it at home then drive back and collect their deposit on production of a serviceable item .

[Owain]

"But you haven't sold me a new item"

or

"But I put it in the bin"

Owain

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Shows good, clear, understanding of the English language.