Our company works with a particular service provider. We did not really choose this provider; the provider was chosen for us by our investors, and we're not really in a position to say, "See ya, we're going to another provider who is going to be (has got to be, really) much better than you guys." So until that time arrives, we work with this provider. I should also clarify that while they do supposedly provide us a service, they also are sort of a watch dog for the investor, making sure we do what we're supposed to be doing.
Now, aside from my suspicion that we are generally low on her priority list, our contact at this provider is a reasonably pleasant person. However, there is this weird thing that has happened several times in my dealings with her and I just can't figure it out. On occasion I will call the contact and ask her a question. Sometimes she will not know the answer, and will tell me she has to research it or ask for someone else's approval. I don't have a problem with her not knowing the answer. I'm glad she admits it and I don't mind waiting while she looks into it. But two weeks will pass without a response from her, so I'll call or email her asking if she has an answer. And that's when she says it: "Oh. I thought I had gotten back to you about that already."
Okay. You guys tell me if I'm out of line, but that is weird, right? How does someone think they've talked to someone else about something when they haven't? I'm not talking about telling twenty family members that she just got accepted to a certain college, and she thought she told Aunt Belinda, but she really didn't. That's understandable. I'm talking about a specific question to be answered for a specific person, and she gets the answer, and she never tells that person the answer. What would make her think she had? Is she talking to herself? Is she having imaginary conversations with imaginary people? Is she having conversations with someone she thinks is me but isn't? Does she think we have a telepathic connection, and once she knows the answer she assumes I also know the answer?
Of course, I'm aware that this is probably just a phrase she uses to cover the fact that she totally forgot to get back to me. But what a strange choice of phrase. Why not just say, "I'm so sorry, I forgot to get back to you"? Instead she says, "I thought I'd talked to you about that." Well, why in the world would she think that? Is that supposed to make me feel better? I mean, now instead of thinking I'm at the bottom of her priority list, or thinking she's disorganized, or thinking she's just forgetful, I'm left thinking she's a little nutty in the head. Bizarre.
5 comments:
Hmm. Under normal circumstances, while waiting for the answer to Question Q, would the two of you have talked numerous times about other things -- maybe even about Questions R, S, T, and U, especially if they're even vaguely related to Q?
If I'm in frequent contact with somebody, it's not that unusual for me to have one of those brain-blip moments when s/he asks me, "Do did you ever come up with anything about Q?" -- to which I reply either with a head-slap ("Holy crap! I COMPLETELY forgot!") or even, yes, with a "You're kidding -- I never told you???"
Now I'm worried about myself.
Hmm... You make an interesting point, JES. I suppose it is possible. We do not speak on the phone too often. Our usual interactions involve the same task over and over again via email. So when I get on the phone and ask her Question Q, it is a bit unusual. Then we may exchange three or four emails that are all cookie cutter Question R, R, R, R, and usually involve only a two-word response. So it seems a little odd to confuse that with Question Q, which is something more involved and unusual. But it's possible... Still, it is odd that this is her response every time I have to follow-up with her. And that I have to follow-up with her nearly every time there's a question Q, come to think of it.
Factor in that I tend to bend over backwards to give people passes for the annoying things they do. Especially when they're annoying someone besides me. :)
And then factor in that I have almost zero tolerance for annoying things, particularly when they are related to carelessness. So yeah, maybe we should arrive at some middle ground. Which would be... getting annoyed, but not to the point that I blog about it? :D
Hmm, sounds like she is a slacker and this excuse has worked for her before.
At least she didn't say, "But I DID you give the answer, check your email."
Which has happened to me before.
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