Okay, I'm not too proud to say that I was wrong and I over reacted in my previous post regarding my shipment and how it was being handled by Trophy Shipping. What can I say, toss a dead crow on my plate and I'll eat it. I hate to be one of those "keyboard warriors" that sits behind their computer screen and tosses hand grenades but then fails to fall on said hand grenade when they are proven wrong. I tossed a hand grenade in frustration and I owe Trophy Shipping a public apology.
While at the DSC in Dallas, I had the opportunity to visit with Allan Zarach and John Schwartzbauer from Trophy Shippers. In fact, I was able to spend quite a bit of time with both of them and my daughter and I shared a table with Allan at the AH dinner on Friday night, where we continued the conversation and began to build a relationship that I expect to last a lifetime.
While at the dinner, I also apologized to Jerome for any hardships my negative comments may have caused him or his relationship with Trophy Shippers.
But let me back up and start from my first morning, Thursday, at the DSC. As I had mentioned in my previous post, I was going to talk with Coppersmith and see how they would handle my next hunt. Mind you, that hunt will be a two part hunt, with trophies being shipped from South Africa and then another shipment of trophies from Zambia. Very similar to the last shipment, with one box from Botswana and one from South Africa. As their booth is very close to the entrance as you enter the hall, they were the first stop of the day.
The men at the Coppersmith both were nice enough and took the time to explain their process to me. Two things that I took away from that conversation. The fact that the costs would be more than double that of Trophy Shippers, and I know that for many of you, cost is not an issue, while for me, it is always an issue. The second thing I took from our conversation was the fact that it is all business with them and I felt no 'connection' with them on a personnel level. I did not feel that there was anything other that a business transaction taking place, period. For many of you, that is okay as well, but again, for me, being from Texas and the way I was raised, that personnel connection is like a handshake and a bond.
Which waitress do you tip more? The one that just takes your order and puts it on the table with zero personality, or the one that stops and takes a minute to ask how you are doing and makes you feel like an 'old friend' with their conversation and passes on to you their positive spirit and attitude?
And this wasn't my first time talking to Coppersmith. I met with them at my first DSC about 7 or 8 years ago and then I attended one of their sessions on Saturday that they put on at the DSC. I remember in that session with the questions that they were asked from those in attendance, the answers were all business like, just 'matter of fact' and I was turned off then by that experience.
Now, I'm not knocking Coppersmith or tossing a grenade at them. I'm just saying that a personnel connection is important to me and with Tom Kelly, I had that one on one relationship to the point that he and I would communicate throughout the year about anything and everything, most not even related to hunting or shipping. We had formed a bond and I trusted him with my business because of it. When Tom left suddenly, it caught me off guard and for a moment during that transition was when I needed him for my shipment and obviously there was a 'hiccup' in how I expected things to be done, based on my past experiences with Tom. With no Tom, I no longer had a personnel connection to Trophy Shippers and without engaging my pea brain before thinking it through, I tossed a hand grenade on the forum. For that I am sorry.
After leaving Coppersmith's booth, I was not feeling the warm and fuzees and I was open to a third option for my broker, but I wanted to give Allan a chance and hear his side of the story in person as he had sent me an email once my shipment was cleared and taken care of stating he'd like to talk to me in person at the DSC. I did not expect to see John there as I was under the impression he would not be able to attend, but thankfully he was there at the booth as well.
This would be my first time to talk to Allan. I had only communicated via email with him up to this point. John I had talked with several times on the phone and on one those calls he took the brunt of my frustrations. Again, give me a crow to eat.
To the point, and I wanted everyone to know how this all played out as I owe it to Allan, John, Jerome, and the AH community to know the truth in a public forum.
After sitting down with Allan and John, they were able to go into full detail as to what went wrong with my shipment. And let me add, at no point did they point fingers at any one person or entity, they just admitted that it was a complicated transaction and that it could have been handled better and they assured me that it would not happen again in the future.
Once we cleared the air on the previous shipment, I asked them how they would handle my upcoming trip, should I decide to give them my business. They both laid out a clear cut plan of action and were very thorough in the details of how it would be handled.
Not only was I satisfied with all that they had to say, I was also impressed at how important it was for them to re-establish that bond that I had had with Tom before his departure. Allan and John were very sincere in their desire to make this not only a business transaction, but one of a personnel business relationship. That last part being a key component for me.
This is no different than the PH that you decide to book a hunt with. You want a PH that you can bond with and build a personnel, family type relationship with. For me, that relationship has been mended and restored with Trophy Shippers.
I shook hands with Allan and John and told them that they would have my business going forward and that we would be in contact leading up to my trip in August to make sure that we are all on the same page with the timeline and travel arrangements.
With that, I feel like I am in good hands and my two shipments will be handled accordingly when the time comes.
Allan, John, Jerome, and the AH community, please forgive my rash decision that was made in poor judgement. I know better, I was wrong, and I'm here to admit it.
