Whims and fancies

I keep cribbing about the utter lack of service orientation in most companies these days, and how they simply don't know how to handle customers. As a consultant, it's often quite exhausting trying to deal with the whims and fancies of various clients. Some change their mind on what they want every hour, some never get back to you on information you need but drive you crazy if you are 30 seconds late for a deadline, and some think they're the only client in the world you could possibly have and that you have no need for food or sleep. But you learn to deal with these, because, well, it's part of the job.

But on the other hand, as a consultant, I do expect to be at the receiving end of at least some basic courtesy as well. Like what, you ask? Oh I don't know, maybe like when you agree to meet someone, actually meet them?

My colleague and I travelled out of town yesterday, to meet some potential clients. One of these companies is a fairly old, well-known FMCG company. I've grown up seeing and probably using their products. We reached their office about half an hour early, and were asked to wait. After an hour passed, and we still hadn't been met by the person concerned, I went to the reception and asked how much longer we would have to wait. Which is when we were told that the person we were scheduled to meet has gone off-site on some work, and they don't know when he would be returning. When I asked for his manager, who had also said he would try to meet us, I was put on the phone with him, and he told me he had never confirmed this meeting because they have no need for our services.

I don't have a problem with people not meeting us, or not wanting to know what we do. But when you know someone is traveling to your city to meet you, tell them you don't want to meet before they travel to your city. Not when they've been waiting for the past hour in the same building you're sitting in.

PS: Tiny disclaimer here - if you're a client, or a potential client, anyone described above is not you! :)