Customer Service

I write because I love to write and because I love to create stories. I'm in love with love so I spin love stories.

If I had my way, I'd only write. I wouldn't promote. I wouldn't do anything on the business side of writing. I'd just write.

Unfortunately, I'm not able to hire a business manager, an admin assistant, or a promoter. I wish...

That means I also have to do customer service from time to time. As if I don't get enough of that in my day job.

Today was a gruelling day at the day job - my alter ego is a customer service manager - and so the angriest, least satisfied customers are forwarded to me.

Unfortunately, today, I had a very important doctor's appointment and I had to leave work by 3:15 to run across town and make the appointment by 4:15. At 3:15 I had signed off my computer, tidied up my desk, and was slinging my purse over my shoulder to walk out the door when one of my staff ran to me because she had a very disagreeable customer that demanded to speak to the manager.

My heart fell. I had just enough time to safely make my appointment but my job called. My employee was looking at me with big puppy dog eyes to save her from a situation she couldn't handle. So I took the call.

For ten minutes the donor rambled angrily without getting to the point of her call. When I got a break, I asked as nicely as I could if I could call her back tomorrow or if I could have one of my very capable coworkers help her.

WRONG THING TO DO.

The customer was offended. She didn't want to speak to another of my coworkers and after that, she wouldn't stay on the line with me, either.

Just as bad, I ran to my car and started driving to my appointment. I called my doctor's office and explained I might be a few minutes late, that it was unavoidable. The doctor's receptionist told me not to come, that I had to reschedule. They would not wait for me. Now I have to leave work earlier tomorrow to go to the doctor. Although I went back to work today, this is still not good. Right now my office is being deluged with phone calls, emails, and letters. I also can't afford to anger another endocrinologist - there are only a few on my plan in my area. One already dumped me for missing an appointment which is why I was so anxious not to miss this one.

In retrospect, I'm still confused. Should I have given up all hope of keeping my appointment and stay with the donor? Should I have told my first employee to transfer the customer to another employee who is good with handling difficult customers? Or was I within my right to ask what I did of the customer? I'm still learning. I wasn't born a manager.

Likewise, I'm still learning the craft of writing, of business, of promotion. I don't know that people ever stop learning. While I wish I'd known the answer to today's dilemma, I also don't want to become stagnant and stop growing.

Don't forget: To win a pdf download copy of "Naked Ambition" leave a comment for me on this blog before 8 pm EST Sunday February 7th. Tell me what your favorite Valentine's Day date would be.