My clients are a tough crowd. They don’t wear leather biker jackets or studded chokers or anything like that. However, they have specific preferences, and they let me know quite often what they like and what they dislike. Take the choice of restaurant as an example.
We wanted to go to a luncheon together. It was a Saturday afternoon, and every one in the group was hungry. I politely asked my clients what they felt like eating. The response was a less than desirable eruption all over the sidewalk on a crowded street. We finally decided on an Italian restaurant with less ambience and good eats.
Spaghetti is the food of choice amongst my clients. They prefer eating that over anything else. I believe that if I were ever to hold a breakfast meeting, noodles would be the one and only requested menu item.
I often shop for my clients, which can be a heady experience. What should I get them as a holiday gift? What about birthdays? Will they be pleased with my careful selection of surprises? My clients are a rough bunch to please.
It occurred to me the other day that I may just be trying too hard. Perhaps I should loosen up, and let things go for a little while. I run a tight business, and if things don’t run smoothly for a day or two, my clients tend to get very restless and generally boycott any further suggestions.
One of my clients recommended that I work a little overtime recently. He called me in the middle of the night, which I didn’t really appreciate. He wanted to talk, had some ideas he wanted to toss around, but I gently reminded him that I would available first thing in the morning. He seemed slightly offended, but he got the idea.
It’s not that I don’t love what I do. As a matter of fact, my job is more a way of life than just any ordinary 9 to 5 work commitment. The other day I wrote a pledge which reads something like this:
“I promise to go the extra mile to sort out any difficulties which you (CLIENT) must face.
I promise to uphold my end of the deal until our contract has ended.
I promise not to share any personal information with any third parties, unless otherwise specified in our agreement.
I promise to fulfill all obligations, be punctual, and assist where needed…” And so on, and so on, and so on…
Hmmm…now that is a great proposal. Perhaps I should send my clients an email letting them know. Then again, I may have to wait until they have learned how to read first. My daughter is only four, and my son is two.
Christine Louise Hohlbaum, author of Diary of a Mother: Parenting Stories and Other Stuff, is an American living near Munich, Germany with her husband and two children. Visit her web site at:
http://mypages.iparenting.com/webs/diaryofamother/diaryofamother.html
mail to: chohlbaum@smith.alumnae.net
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