Tammi's World

He's Lucky I Like Him

Y'all may not know this about me, but I'm kinda tough when it comes to business.

I keep using that line from Road House...."I'm nice, til I just can't be nice anymore". It's more appropriate than you may realize.

This week we had a bit of a problem with a truck not being where we TOLD, not asked, told it to be when we told it to be there. And I'm willing to work with schedules, traffic, life. I gave them a 4 hour window. And, you need to know, the store they were going to was only about 45 minutes from the depot. I'm tough, not unreasonable.

Anyway, I've got the customer on my cell phone, on my hands-free. I have my shipping manager on my home phone on the other ear. The shipping manager has the depot on HIS other line, set up where he can hear me. (can you picture it?)

Now, part of me is doing this because I need the customer to KNOW we are tryin' to find the truck. We AREN'T lying about what we set up. The other part of me? I needed an answer NOW and didn't want to screw around with all the call backs and such.

ANYway. I'm not getting the answers I want/need from the depot. I completely and totally lost my Italian temper. Completely. I'm not proud of myself, but it happened. I used language that was MOST unbecoming to a lady. I threatened things that, well, let's just say....it wasn't pretty. I got so mad I forgot my customer could hear me.

Until the laughter was ringing in my ear. Thank GOODNESS he's cool. He actually said I reminded him of his Drill Instructor!!!

I tell you this so you realize, I'm pretty easy to get along with, until you cross me.

Fast forward to this morning. I found out rather late in the game that one of my largest customers is having a meeting with my boss today. Seems he's planning on expanding his business. WooHoo. Great, right? Yeah, except they forgot to tell me until late Tuesday about the opportunity or the meeting.

I know my territory. I know my customers. I know the balance. I'm working with all that to make things grow, and that's rather delicate.

Not to mention that, as much as I adore my boss, I have a terrible track record with high ranking VP's making promises I can't keep. Oh, they have the best of intentions, yes they do. But....damn. They sure can muddy the waters.

So, I've changed my entire day/week around to be at this meeting. THEN? I'm making my boss take me out for lunch. And we're gonna have us a little talk.

It should be real interesting. It's going to be his first introduction to Tammi's World. Can't you just hear it now?

This is what I'm gonna need for you to do.........................

Posted by Tammi at August 9, 2007 07:43 AM | TrackBack