Monday, October 8, 2007

Dey! We're not running a 7-11!

You know some clients are so irritating, unreasonable and officially have no brains?

I don't usually switch on my office mobile until 9am when the office hours of my company starts, but a few days ago, because I was expecting an overseas call from another country with a different time zone, I decided to not switch off the phone.

800am: The office mobile phone rang and I answered. I thought that the overseas client had called but to my surprise, its a client, Mr X (name changed) whom he felt our company was a let down. He went on to rattle the changes we should take note and amend the changes. I told him we'll do it as soon as the designer was free. I sent the memo to the designer in charge right after the call.

930am: The overseas call had just ended with a good note, and I was preparing to do a report. Mr X called and asked if the amendments have been done? I told him politely that the amendments are still in queue on the designer's things to do for the day and that he could wait. He said alright.

1115am: Mr X called and asked to speak to the sales person B, call diverted. Moments later, B came into my room and mentioned that Mr X is very unhappy about the progress that our company was moving with.

1245pm: B decided to take leave because he was terribly sick because of the rain and the sun he was caught in the day before. Mr X showed up just as B left and B told him that he was taking leave. Both guys left.

200pm: Mr X called and asked to speak to B. By this time, the customer service executives were getting irritated by the calls made by Mr X, but were polite to tell him that he had taken leave.

600pm: Mr X called yet again and check if the amendments were done! My colleagues in the customer service dept had gone home an hour earlier because they were breaking fast. Mr X asked straight: "Where are the amendments of the website?!" I plainly told him that designers went home for break fast but had reviewed the amendments and informed that it could be done within 2 days.

Mr X: What! 2 Days! I thought you said the designer would do it after he was free from his agenda? Isn't NOW the best time to do?

I was really pissed, really pissed.

Web Design Singapore: We'll look into the matter. Thanks! I got to attend to a meeting. Bye!

930pm: My company just ended a project meeting with discussions pertaining to another company. Mr X called the office and demanded if the website amendments were done?! I told him politely in tone that the designer had left for break fast and gone home for the day. The amendments would be ready in 2 days. I was ready to ask him where he was and challenge him to a 1 to 1 fight. His reply was stern and idiotic: I thought you said your team will look into the matter? We argued for another 30 minutes before the call ended.

Mr X was really a $%^&*( guy honestly. As I checked my email, I noticed that he sent an email a few days earlier saying that the website was not a priority but the application that we were developing for them.

1015pm: He called again, and I gladly picked up the phone and told him straight: Dey! We're not running a 7-11! My staffs have other projects to handle too, we already said we would do the amendments in 2 days. And besides you emailed a few days ago saying that the website wasn't a priority.

Mr X wanted to argue again, but I replied with force (I was very tired already): I'm sorry Mr X, if you decide to call us after office hours again, we would like to inform you that you will be billed $300 for after office hours consultations. Once you paid that fee, we would like to gladly hear all your troubles.

With that I ended the call politely.

Let's see how it goes over the next few days.

4 comments:

Malique said...

some clients are better to be ignored next time. use your guts, it always works!

heres an interesting read:
http://supremetalk.com/content/technology/tips-tricks-avoiding-pesky-clients/

Daphne Maia said...

haha i think the 'threat' of charging him after-hours consultation fees did the job, right? often, customers think that we owe it to them to answer their calls n queries 24hrs a day because they pay us. so jus kindly remind them that all consultation should be kept to office hours (refrain from saying that they are not the only customer that you have). hehe..

tip for retaining customer: provide personalized service, and allow personal contact through mobile.

cons of this strategy: they call all the time.

haha make your choice then. otherwise, switch off your mobile... hah.

eisburg said...

Maybe you can try this prank on him.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=J5z4Vs26-TI

That's the problem of client having a mobile no. to call. They always call at the wrong time.

Anonymous said...

This is the reason why i refuse to work that has customer/patient related =P