Runaway Future

Alright, so I’ve always been under the impression that more then anything, the most important thing in the working world is professionalism. Be truthful, be sincere, work hard, if you don’t know something, admit it and then find out. It’s key in providing service to anyone you work with, be it clients, co-workers or bosses.

Obviously, not everyone shares this point of view. Sometimes during college, I would just shake my head at the way people approached the course. I goofed off and didn’t pay attention at times, but never to the extent where it was at a deficit to my education. I never knowlingly interfered with those around me so they could not learn. I took the subject material seriously, even if I didn’t take my course completely seriously at times.

However, it both frightens and appalls me that there are whole companies out there who don’t have this same approach.

First off is the company who I’m going to visit next Monday. They’re going to teach me how to do a whack of the work they should be doing, but can no longer do without additional financial contributions from us that quite simply aren’t coming. So I emailed them at the beginning of the week, to ask when I should drop by, because hey, they need to show me the system. Anyway, still no reply. This isn’t the first time where requests or emails or phone calls go un-answered with these guys. We’re their client and they can’t be bothered to return an email? Hmm, wonder why my boss ‘can’t be bothered’ to sign a lucrative maintenance agreement…

Secondly is a company I met with last Tuesday. They were trying to sell me a solution that would allow me to monitor my network a bit easier without leaving my desk. I have to admit, it would be very useful and make my job less difficult, especially considering the extra workload coming my way soon enough. So I listened to their spiel (even when the ear of one of the guys starting bleeding…yeah…sketchy) and then I had some questions. They didn’t know the answer to some of the questions (no problem, I don’t know things too, like backgammon, checkers or how to skate) and said they would get back to me. Sounds good.
Today, they called and asked if I was still interested in their product, what does my boss thing, blah blah blah. I told them that I was still waiting to hear back on the questions I asked him. He then proceeded to ask me what those questions were again. After some futzing at trying to remember (since they didn’t get back to me the week of that meeting, I had filed them under G, being prompt is very important to me), I proceeded to ask my questions again. He said he didn’t know and he’d find out. He asked if I was busy and he could ask someone right away, I said I had a meeting to get to, so he said he’d call back that afternoon.
That phone call never came.
Ok, so I’m a prospective client. First off, your company isn’t prompt in answering my questions, in fact you’ve forgotten them, secondly, you’re not calling back when you said you would. Geez, I wonder if I’m going to pass on your product to my boss for approval?

Sure it would be useful, but you don’t need an MBA to realise that service is important. How can I trust people to keep an eye on my network when they can’t even keep their word on returning a call?

I’m a client, and I demand to be treated better.