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Do I Expect Too Much?

Written by: Rebel Brown

Article Overview: Have the rules for business courtesy changed in the 21st century?

Do I Expect Too Much?

I was raised with some pretty specific rules about behavior. Say please and thank you, treat people as you would want to be treated, be courteous and polite. Then there was the 'be on time' dictate. My mom taught me that being late for a meeting with another meant my time was more important than theirs - so always be on time.

There were lots of other rules - but you get the drift. Those rules did well for me - in my personal as well as my business life. For me - it's simply common courtesy.

Am I expecting too much?

I'm really bugged these days by some behavior that I find disrespectful at best and more likely rude. It's really been bugging me so I decided to write about it and get the perspectives of my readers. So help me out, please!

Here's my story in a nutshell.

I'm working with a number of different groups right now. I'm actually the client in all cases. Not that it makes any difference - I tend to treat vendors as if they were my clients - makes for a much better relationship. But that's not my story.

What has me so confused?

I send emails to these partners - asking for updates, providing information, checking status, confirming that a step has been taken.

In one particular case, I wait and I wait - and I never hear anything back. This place is a total black hole! I tried to push early on to get a response, pointing out that I'd emailed and asked multiple times. The response? I was told in no uncertain terms that said partner had more important clients and I should wait my turn given that I wasn't paying as much as other clients. WOW.

In the other cases - I do get responses, eventually. But not as I'd expect. I never get a confirmation that they've received my information. I only get requests for more info or clarification - and sometimes those take days.

If I treated my clients this way - I'd expect them to fire me.

Maybe it's because I work with Boards of Directors and C-level executives who expect responsiveness. Maybe it's because of my Mom's teachings. Regardless, I could never simply ignore emails from someone who had paid me money. Nor would I think of failing to reply when a client sent me information. I'm just not built that way.

So - what do you think? Am I expecting too much, based on my own training and beliefs in how client service should work? Am I out of line thinking that maybe this isn't the best way to treat a client? Have the rules changed in this day and age - and I'm an too old fashioned?

Tell me what you think. Please....

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Article Tags: business, business ethics, client service, customer service, defy gravity, marketing



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Quote of the Day - "Expect more than others think possible. - "Expect more than others think possible. Care more than others think wise." - Howard Schultz, goo.gl/SLcI4


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