By now most members know that I work for world renowned French chef Georges’ Perrier, as his Accounts Payable Manager for his four restaurants and his bakery, well yesterday, and today was a day from hell, and nothing to do with any of my bosses!

Chef’s mother restaurant, Le Bec Fin, purchases some of their seafood protein from a company whom I’ll call “X”, which is a very small family owned business. The owner of business “X” is very nice, as is her son.

When we are overdue on our invoices, business “X” usually as a certain salesman whom I’ll call “B” call and ask when they can expect a check (sometimes the owner herself will call.). Salesman “B” and I usually shoot the crap on the phone, and within two days, business “X” has a check in the amount they were asking about. No problem there and everyone have gotten on well…thank goodness.

So, in August, business “X” hires another sales person, no problem just means that business must be picking up for them, which in this economy is good. Well, the new salesman they hired, whom I’ll call “J” (and not just for his name either), has worked at other purveyors that Chef Perrier’s restaurants purchased things from, and each and every time I have dealt with salesman “J”, he starts off nice, and then within two months forget it, the nutso attitude comes out.

Well, yesterday, was one of those days! After gathering all the facts, this is what happened, and trust me it is not pretty:

When Chef Perrier came into the office yesterday at 9am, he asked me to cut a check for business “X”, as the salesman called Chef Pierre at Le Bec Fin asking for August payment. No problem, I processed the payment and Chef Perrier signed the check.

I had meant to call the owner of business “X” to let her know that I can either have the check at the Le Bec Fin’s kitchen for her driver to pick-up, since they were delivering to us today or I could drop it in the mail, but I got too busy and forgot.

The girls in the office and I went to lunch at 12:30pm and we returned at 1:30pm, and that is when all hell broke loose!

I received a call from salesman “J” at business “X”, demanding that I put my controller on the phone; my controller was Monday and Tuesday as he took his daughter to Boston to look at colleges. Well, salesman “J”, went off on me and called me names that I cannot use here because this is a family website. I felt my blood pressure rising, and when that happens I start to cry! (Grrrr!) I told salesman “J”, that the check was in my hand, and I have no idea as to why he was hollering and cussing, but if he wanted I could hold the check another week or so and may be that would calm him down some. Of course, he went even further with his vulgarities. Finally, I hung the phone up and called the owner of business “X”. She immediately assured me that she did not tell him to call me about money, and she would never do that knowing the history I have with this particular salesman.

As all this was going on, Chef Perrier and his business partner came in and Chef Perrier seen me upset and wanted to know what was what. I told him everything and he was shocked! His business partner called the other restaurant, Brasserie Perrier, and asked Chef Perry not to purchase anything from business “X”, and Chef Perry advised him that he has not purchased anything from them for months, as he does not like their products. So there was nothing else that could be done, as far as I knew, but Chef Perrier, called Chef Pierre back at Le Bec Fin and told him to stop buying from business “X”.

I thought that would be the end of right? Wrong!

Salesman “J”, called Chef Pierre at Le Bec Fin today looking for his daily order, and Chef Pierre advised him that due to his treatment of the accounts payable manager, that Chef Pierrer no longer wants to purchase seafood from business “X”.

Naturally, salesman “X” was ticked off as he just lost himself over ten thousand dollars in monthly sales (he gets commission on this), due to his treatment of me. Around 10am this morning, the phone rings and it is the owner of business “X”, it seems as though salesman “X” told her he as no idea as to why Le Bec Fin has decided not to purchase any seafood products from them. She knew he was lying, as I spoke to her yesterday about what happened.

She is very upset that she lost a customer because of salesman “X”, and is trying to get the account back. She called me thinking I could help her, but I told her it is not my call as to where Le Bec Fin or any of Chef Perrier’s restaurants purchase from, and that it was Chef Perrier himself that determined that Le Bec Fin and the other restaurants will not be buying from business “X”.

I so detest when I am treated like this, as I do my best to get along with all of our restaurants’ purveyors and vendors, and they all know that I am fair and I totally understand their situation as well, and I do my best to make sure they get paid sooner, rather than later. It is such a shame that one rotten apple has to spoil everything for a nice lady that is trying to keep a family business afloat in tough economic times. However, I did warn her when she mentioned to me back in July that she was considering hiring salesman “J”, as I told her how he was at other purveyors that I had contact with him when he worked there. Guess she didn’t believe me, but now she does. Ah, well a bit too late all around I say.