We had a client cancel a virtual event last February because of something out of their control — and as always, we allowed a reschedule without additional fees so long as it was scheduled before the end of the year. That deadline came and went. When the client asked if it was possible to reschedule now, we could’ve declined.
Being nice in business sometimes transforms into a painful experience.
They had already paid for the service and although outside of the contract, helping them was the right thing to do. I agreed to allow it specifically stating that prep would be minimal as not to incur additional costs and time on our end. Now, their Sr. Director of Human Resources is making me regret the decision.
I understand she’s trying to coordinate details, but her peppering of emails is making me crazy. I’m telling her the same things over and over and over again. For the love of all things holy, take a deep breath. No, we’ve not had time to review the email your CEO sent on Sunday night by 8:00 AM ET on Monday morning — especially not with 3 live events in 3 cities in 7 days. 😵💫
She probably missed a gorgeous sunset in her location so she could micromanage.
I didn’t miss the sunset here…
Pointers for organizers — don’t be annoying:
- Before sending an email, make note of everything you want to know and form it into one concise message.
- If someone tells you they will reach out if they need to connect, stop asking them constantly to schedule a call.
- If you’re told you will receive something from someone on a specific day, don’t ask for it 50 times before the deadline.
- Don’t pretend to know more about someone else’s job when they are an expert in their field.
- Take a deep breath and relax — if you trust someone enough to pay for their services (or if your superiors did), you should expect them to be competent enough to deliver without your micromanagement.
“Here to help with whatever you need!” — Yes, yes I know. This is email #28 in just a few short days. 🙄
Now you know: While only 8.4% of Americans don’t wear seat belts, about 50% of those killed in car crashes were not buckled.