Talk To Me, Darn It!
Posted on 28 June 2008 by Sharon
OK, I am peeved. Someone that I thought was reliable has let me down. Here’s the story. A client whom I’ve worked with for a couple of years (and who pays well and promptly) contacted me about a job. I explained that I couldn’t do it myself, but that I could sub it out. She agreed. Since the articles required in-depth research, I divided them among two people. The first person delivered on time; the second is proving uncommunicative. This is unusual. About a week ago, she said she was getting straight onto them, but they haven’t arrived. I have chased and have had no answer - and now my client is chasing me. So now I am peeved. In fact, I am annoyed. If this person couldn’t handle the work, all she had to do is say so. The other person would have done all of them and would have delivered on time. Now I am embarrassed because I am going to miss a client deadline that I haven’t renegotiated. This person is affecting my reputation. I am still hoping for a last minute miracle, but if it doesn’t happen I am going to have to call in some big favours this weekend.
The lesson is that even if you have worked with someone before, they can still let you down. There’s no way around that, so you have to plan how to handle it. In some cases, you do the work yourself. However, if you know someone who is better qualified, then you need to go cap in hand and ask for help, which is just what I have done. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
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Tags | client relationships, writing business
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June 28th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
What kind of articles and research? I’m a pretty good writer, and if I can help you out, I would like to. I’m also pretty free this weekend.
otherdeb (Deb Wunder)’s last blog post..Whee!
June 28th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Hi Deb
Thanks for the offer. I’ve managed to find someone to cover them, but I’ll remember to ask you if this happens again.
June 28th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
*grimaces* There is always the risk of this happening when sub-contracting. The important thing to learn is to have means available should things not go to plan. It is important to structure a line of communication that keeps you in the loop with plenty of reaction time should something start to crumble.
Make sure you take deep breaths before confronting the writer who fell behind. Imagine if something had come up and caused the situation to be reversed. Wait until you know all the facts before reprimanding. Then make it very clear exactly how this has affected you, your business, and your business relationship with this person.
*hugs* I hope everything works out and you have smooth sailing on this commission the rest of the way. Here is to uneventful sub-contracting in the future.
Oh, and keep me in mind too.
Rebecca Laffar-Smith’s last blog post..Do You Schedule Your Day?
June 28th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Isn’t it sad that some people have absolutely no integrity? Even writing for myself I get edgy if I get close to a deadline and I’m not finished yet. It’s a hard lesson to learn but you now know that the person can’t be trusted unless, God forbid, something tragic happened that stopped them from getting it done.
Sorry to hear that happened, I guess that’s part of running a business.
Patrick Britton’s last blog post..Discussing The Supreme Court Decisions: Open Thread Friday
June 29th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Actually, my first thought when I read this was, “Did the writer have a car accident? Did her mother die? Did his son break an arm? Did the person fall sick and get rushed to the hospital?”
Working with a team, I know very well how it feels when a deadline comes and goes and how much pressure the situation can cause. In the years I’ve been doing this, though, there has been only one single case of a person deliberately screwing up.
Everyone else has had good reason. Assuming that they don’t doesn’t help anyone. Just a thought.
June 29th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
I feel ya. Keep in mind that life (sh–) happens to people. Example: at the end of May, my little brother ended up unexpectedly at the hosptial in my city (he’s not from around here) for three days. So my mother and 90 year old grandmother stayed at my house. After they left, I had 2 days to catch up before a 14 day trip to NYC. I am STILL recovering from that trip, and supposed to fly out on another trip THIS FRIDAY. Oh, and did I mention I was NASTY sick Thurs and Fri?? BAH.
Still, the person should tell you. I don’t know about others, though, but I hate hate hate telling people about my private life issues. They always feel like excuses. Sound like excuses. I mean, if you were me, would you want to share all this with clients? I didn’t.
Allena’s last blog post..Thanks! Job Lists Are Fixed
June 29th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Sorry to hear it, Sharon. I’ve been there and it’s awful. I hope it all works out ok.
Dana
Dana’s last blog post..When Do You Do Your Self-Promotion?
June 29th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Sorry that has happened Sharon, hope you manage to get it sorted out without too much trouble.
sue Jeffels’s last blog post..A Mother’s Lament
June 30th, 2008 at 1:22 am
Hearing stories like this makes me realize that I just don’t have the stomach to form my own writing team! I’m sorry this has happened to you.
katherine’s last blog post..Keeping Track of All Those Accounts - Spreadsheets are My Friend!
June 30th, 2008 at 8:36 am
@ Rebecca. I’ve been lucky and it hasn’t happened that often. Thanks for the offer and I will keep you in mind if it does.
@ Patrick: It goes with the territory. Sometimes new people let you down, in which case you don’t work with them again. When it’s an established writer, you need to find out what’s happened.
@James: Believe me, I think it must be something like that, because this person is usually reliable. It would have been nice if she had taken a couple of seconds to communicate, though.
@ Allena: I’ve found myself in that situation, and sometimes you have to come clean with clients. I usually try to sort it out without doing that, though.
@ Dana: I know this has happened to you and you’ve had to work through the night to make up the shortfall. Not fun.
@ Sue: The other writer managed to finish the articles today, and the client was understanding as I’ve always delivered early before.
@ Katherine: Leading a team is not for the faint hearted, that’s for sure.
June 30th, 2008 at 9:42 am
@ James: The thing is, the reason isn’t the issue here. Everyone has to break their word, blow a deadline, etc., occasionally. The thing is, when that happens, you let the people counting on you know as soon as possible, before the problem becomes too hard to fix.
Admittedly, this is a bit of a hot button for me right now. If you look at my blog, you can see a prime example. My roommate got scammed and blew her share of this month’s rent. This meant, in part, that I had to call someone, with whom I had just repaired years of problems and tell him that I would be a week late paying him back. I dreaded making that phone call, but I did it anyway…and the response was just about what I had expected it would be. After my friend had a day to calm down, though, he agreed that I had to have been dreading making the call, and that I got points for making the call anyway. He’s not happy about having to wait for the money, but my integrity is less damaged for letting him know immediately that there was a problem so he could make what arrangements he needed to to work around things.
otherdeb (Deb Wunder)’s last blog post..How my roommate accidentally blew this month’s rent
July 1st, 2008 at 7:24 am
Good call, Deb. I understand that things happen but it would have been nice to know a little earlier. I hope my previously spotless track record with this client will keep me in her good books.