Small Victory! Dealing with clients that make you feel guilty.
We went to see the movie Sing yesterday. The weather was incredible misty so I drove carefully to the cinema. We arrived in one piece and made our way inside. We bought all the necessities: popcorn, soft drinks, and a beer for me. We went to our seats. The moment I sit down my phone rings. It’s 5:30 pm on a Saturday. I see it’s a client.
Going for walks is a great way to clear the mind! I do this more often now
I get up and walk outside and answer the phone.
“Mark, I have a huge problem. I downloaded this program and I get popups now. I need help now!”
I tell the client I’m in the cinema but that I can help later via remote desktop. He’s happy. I tell him where to download my remote desktop software and that I will call him around 8:30 pm from.
We watch the movie, which was great! I really enjoyed it, and we make our way outside. I have 3 new e-mails from the same client. He couldn’t download my software because his internet browser kept crashing. He asked if I could call him.
It’s freezing so Bianca and I walk to the car and we get inside. I call the client back.
It will be double rate
I call the client back and he tells me again that he couldn’t download the software. So, I tell him that in that case, I can come to his office on Monday to help him out.
Now it starts:
“But I really need my laptop. I have this presentation I need to show Monday morning. It’s extremely important that we get this working for the business. Can’t you help me out.”
I don’t want to go. It’s Saturday night. I’m out with my girl. We are going to have dinner together later. It means I must drive Bianca home then get my work things, drive to the client’s place, fix it, and drive all the way back.
But I am perceptible to the guilt that is being instilled into me by this client. Some of them are so good at this! He has a problem and I don’t want to help him (meaning: I’m a horrible person). So, I can hear myself say the following and I don’t want to:
“Well, maybe I can come tonight….”
“Fantastic!”
But then I catch myself in time and I think by myself wait a minute this is not normal and I say.
“It will be double rate”
“What?!?”
“It will be double rate because it means I must let a nice evening and dinner with my girlfriend go because I have to come to you. It’s Saturday night after all.”
“Ow, well then I’ll look at other options.”
“Ok, that’s fine.” (by now I can sense what's going on, because for a business, I'm not expensive at all)
“You said you can come Monday.”
“Yes”
“Ok, I’ll see you Monday.”
We hang up and I’m smiling!
“It wasn’t so important after all!”
I almost missed this. I'm happy I didn't because it was delicious.
Sometimes I feel that what I experience is already normal for most humans. But it’s not for me. I’m learning every day.
Standing up for yourself and asking for what you deserve doesn’t make you a bad person. Choose Yourself :). There is not a single company in the world that works for another company on a Saturday night at a normal rate. And I didn’t lie or made excuses. I don’t feel bad about it.
What happened yesterday is just another example of my personal growth and I really see it as a small victory.
I had a fantastic dinner with Bianca later that night and I still have the client who I will visit on Monday.
But most importantly I stood up for myself. That feels so great.
Follow Me @exyle
Good for you! It's hard to stand up for yourself, especially when someone else is in trouble and needs you. It's a good thing you reminded yourself that your time (and that of your girl!) is important too and acted on it :-)
The dish looks delicious by the way, good thing you didn't miss it!
Yes, it is hard! But I'm slowly learning and that's great. Also, in the end, this is business and not family/friends. The food was great. Thank you for your nice comment.
True story! People always think about themselves, not about other, and when occurs described situation they recognise that around other the same folk!
And then only "Ok, he has day-off too, and no, double price is too expensive, maybe it is not so important?" :D
Yes indeed! I guess asking for more is a good way of figuring out how important things really are.
Hey bro!
Man, that's the best way you handled it. Shouldn't have gone any other way. Time is so precious and it's impossible to put a monetary value on it. That's something that can never come back and therefore comes way way before business.
Hope you guys both had a lovely evening together and thanks for sharing your personal experiences with us! :)
Thanks, man! Time is indeed too precious. I'm glad I spend the night with Bianca instead of working. I'll keep sharing man always!
Hi @exyle, I just stopped back to let you know your post was one of my favourite reads today and I included it in my Steemit Ramble. You can read what I wrote about your post here.
Good for you!!! It's the right thing to do. When he really needed you so badly, he would have paid you what you asked. Do you have special rates for out of the office hours? Then clients know what to expect when they call you on off hours.