The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #105291 Message #2165197
Posted By: SINSULL
06-Oct-07 - 12:26 PM
Thread Name: BS: Do you work with stupid people?
Subject: RE: BS: Do you work with stupid people?
I worked with a woman who was always trying to save the company money. Every day she snuck in an unplugged the FAX machine because it was wasting electricity. If someone wanted to send a FAX, they had to call so it could be turned it on. Very frustrating and no amount of explanation ever got through.
Kendall had a nurse who, when told Kendall couldn't speak after his surgery, accepted notes from him and then WROTE BACK THE ANSWERS. Go figure!
A manager of mine insisted on joining me on a sales call to a national account. He showed up 45 minutes late and proceeded to apologize profusely and explain that he had diarrhea. The bathrooms in the service stations were too nasty to sit so he had to stop several times before he found a clean one.
The customer sat there dumbfounded. I shrank in my chair not sure what to say. I knew that this guy had just overslept. He drank and was always late.
Another time when a customer was discussing a major snow storm, this same manager remarked in dire tones "Since man walked on the moon, the weather has changed. We were never meant to go there." I prayed the customer wouldn't think he was joking. I had heard his "science" before. Customer changed subject with a baffled look preferring not to get into that discussion.
Another manager stumbled through a presentation (he hadn't bothered to prepare) and then fell asleep during a sales call with another national account. Another drinker. The customer later remarked "How sad that such a young man is so ill." I asked what she meant and she said "Well he's had a stroke, hasn't he?"
I always had to cover for these idiots. If your company has no credibility, customers won't buy. I was always amused at their incompetence vs. the common sense dedication to quality that the people behind the scenes provided. We had first rate inside sales, product development and customer service people who saved accounts daily and solidified relationships.