Burocracy Networking

Have you had experiences where the attending employees give you answers unbelievable? Unfortunately I have and it's not the best thing in the world, so I'm going to tell you about some activities that I have learnt on the time to not loose my temper and try to get some empathy from this attending people.

The last week I have an appointment at this office where I had an issue to solve. It was really important for me to get the agreements done and to get the follow up activities. With some days in advance I get the appointment and get on time to it.

My surprise was big, when I get to the place and they tell me that they forget to write down my date and the people that has to give me attention wasn't even there. You may imagine my frustration, furthermore my impotence because I really needed my procedure to be attended and without people and appointment I would hardly move on my resolution.

Moreover, the secretaries that were there at the moment, told me that if I could wait for 90minutes, an hour and a half, to see if their boss will get there and show me some attention. I almost yell at them in my annoyment, but I remember that the secretary was not the responsible that the lady was not there, so I have to comfort myself and think.

I just tell them that I have waited for 2 weeks to get the appointment and that it was really frustrating getting the news that they forget it. They ask me to call later so I could reschedule, and of course I get mad again, but I was in the networking mood and ask them: So you are telling me that I was annulled without announcement and now I have to call again to make an appointment? Can you get into your boss's attention what she have done to me and ask her to send me the new appointment?

The secretaries told me that they will do it, but of course, at the end of the day I haven't received my new option, neither a message from the lady that let me down. I wasn't in the mood to ask for a new meeting, and I started to worry, what if I asked for another one and once again they forget to write it down?

The next day I just came into the office, without appointment and until there I haven't presented my true me, I haven't made any anger performance, so when the lady that I have to meet saw me, she apologized and make sure that in that moment she give to me the information I need, so without a new appointment, without an email, and more important without an anger performance the things just happened.

Now I can give you some advise for this type of misunderstandings:

1.- If you have some inconvenient regarding a transaction, and the people you have to address are not responsible for the inconvenience, avoid claiming to them the poor attention. In many occasions it's not the people that is in front of you the one that make a bad decision, do not make them feel bad, it's better that you make them think on how they can help you.

2.- Think really well what you are going to claim, it's better that you ask questions to the people than giving a bad treatment. Sometimes a question make the people to think what is happening to you and the probably do an effort to give you an answer, if you appeal directly maybe they will put a guard and do not  move forward.

3.- If you can, do not claim the people that make the mistake, it is possible that it was without intention. If this is the case, they will probably feel bad to give you that bad service and want to make it better for you by helping with some other aspects.

Have you had some incidents like mine? How do you solve them? Tell us...

Networking politness in business appointments

Some days ago, one of my friends was visibly upset, he told me that it was his second time that had been dumped at a business appointment. He had planned the meeting, now for a second time, and asked some people to be at the restaurant and without any explanation his date didn't show up, neither she sent a message. How would you reacted?

Communication in this type of situations is really important, everyone can have a mishap, but there are some politeness rules that you should not forget to follow, it doesn't matter the environment you are, either business or social.

Rule 1: If you think that your date is not going to be interesting, don't make a commitment in the first place. Is possible that the person is really interested in asking you to go the meeting, have you being asked to those presentations of vacation share times? Did anyone want you to buy an insurance? Maybe you understand my point. You shall say no to this type of commitments, but if you have given your word and accepted the appointment, you have to be there. Then you will find a way to retract or not buy the product, but you have to be there.

Rule 2: If you have an alibi, like you have a flat tire, or a minor accident, then take a little time and tell your contact that you will be late. There are some cultures around the world that don't accept delays, like the Germans. Latins are really flexible on times, but an hour delay its considered disrespectful.

Rule 3: If you have canceled a first appointment, a second one is seen like a totally lack of interest. If a customer cancels you on the first time, and you are interested in the selling, you will be tempted to ask for a second date, but if your customer misses the second appointment, then you should consider that maybe he will be not as good customer as you think, probably he is not into the product, maybe he is a "bad payer" or maybe he is just a not commiter. Don't give your suppliers this idea, always take your phone and take care of the situation. Leave behind a professional image.

Remember the courtesy and networking are fundamental pillars to personal relations, job or social. Consider always the people you are interacting with, when you have to cancel a date. Can you share some experience on this matter?