Tweet
I was installing some hanging bookcases with my partner. Here's the process:
1. Measure location, hold the bookcase up, level it, mark the holes, remove the bookcase.
2. Drill holes, insert bolts into wall.
3. Place bookcase onto bolts, hold in place, tighten bolts.
These things are 36" x 24" and weigh 10-15 lbs. Step 1 is absolutely impossible for a two armed person to do alone. Maybe if I had three or four arms but that's only a hypothetical. Step two, which only takes one or two minutes, is a one man job leaving the second standing there doing nothing. Step 3 needs two guys to start, and is finished by one, once again leaving the second doing nothing.
The first one we did (with the customer watching) took some time, but we got the procedure down and got going at a pretty good pace. That was until my phone rang and my boss tore me a new one. The customer called him furious and screaming because we're going "too slow; one guy's working and the other one is just standing there doing nothing". I explain the procedure as above and ask how I'm supposed to fix it. He tells me to send him to the next office to do measurements while I'm in step 2. This will waste more time because I'm going to be chasing him for the two man stuff. That doesn't matter, we both have to be doing some kind of activity at all times.
What really pisses me off is how two faced the customer was. To our faces, she's happy, joking, and perfectly content with our pace. To our boss, she's furious at how slow we're going. Even after I found out her behind our back opinion, her attitude to our face didn't change. She came by to check on the progress and I commented that it's going a little slower now because Dave called and told us that we have to split up, it's taking longer to do the parts that both of us are needed for. I wanted to be more direct, but "what's your fucking problem dumbass" was the most pleasant I could think of. I was hoping she'd bite and let me get into it with her but instead she cheerfully replied that we should do it whatever way we think is best.
If a customer has a problem, I prefer that they take it up with me and allow me to explain and/or correct it. But at the very least, don't give me every indication that everything's great when you're fuming inside.
1. Measure location, hold the bookcase up, level it, mark the holes, remove the bookcase.
2. Drill holes, insert bolts into wall.
3. Place bookcase onto bolts, hold in place, tighten bolts.
These things are 36" x 24" and weigh 10-15 lbs. Step 1 is absolutely impossible for a two armed person to do alone. Maybe if I had three or four arms but that's only a hypothetical. Step two, which only takes one or two minutes, is a one man job leaving the second standing there doing nothing. Step 3 needs two guys to start, and is finished by one, once again leaving the second doing nothing.
The first one we did (with the customer watching) took some time, but we got the procedure down and got going at a pretty good pace. That was until my phone rang and my boss tore me a new one. The customer called him furious and screaming because we're going "too slow; one guy's working and the other one is just standing there doing nothing". I explain the procedure as above and ask how I'm supposed to fix it. He tells me to send him to the next office to do measurements while I'm in step 2. This will waste more time because I'm going to be chasing him for the two man stuff. That doesn't matter, we both have to be doing some kind of activity at all times.
What really pisses me off is how two faced the customer was. To our faces, she's happy, joking, and perfectly content with our pace. To our boss, she's furious at how slow we're going. Even after I found out her behind our back opinion, her attitude to our face didn't change. She came by to check on the progress and I commented that it's going a little slower now because Dave called and told us that we have to split up, it's taking longer to do the parts that both of us are needed for. I wanted to be more direct, but "what's your fucking problem dumbass" was the most pleasant I could think of. I was hoping she'd bite and let me get into it with her but instead she cheerfully replied that we should do it whatever way we think is best.
If a customer has a problem, I prefer that they take it up with me and allow me to explain and/or correct it. But at the very least, don't give me every indication that everything's great when you're fuming inside.
Comment