Having endured the early snow that started around noon and found myself being ever watchful of both myself and others on the road today, by the time 4:00 PM arrived I was a bit more anxious than I normally am on a Saturday afternoon, and it showed. I will never understand why people drive on snowy unplowed streets as though they are driving on dry pavement. Several times this afternoon I braced myself as someone coming towards me was fish-tailing their car due to diminished maneuverability on the snow.
While I was in a meeting and my phone on silent, I found that I had a voicemail from a client. When I had time to break away, I returned the call and discovered that a person whom I had worked with and signed a contract had already breeched it due to his doing something that wasn’t allowed. I was internally furious and told my clients that I would call him as soon as I arrived back to the office. Fortunately I was able to get myself a bit back to normal by the time I returned and called him.
Not too many weeks ago I ran into a woman who with her husband made an offer on a property that I had listed some years ago. It was another agent who wrote the offer but I just happened to know who these particular people were. Well, as the story goes, this certain couple made an offer on a home I had listed and before I was able to get the seller’s signature the next day, the agent called and said they decided they didn’t want the property. I mentioned to the woman that I remembered her from that episode and she giggled and said, “Oh yes I remember, I’m glad we didn’t buy that property.” I looked at her sternly and said, “Oh but you are evidently not of the type that follows through on agreements, and furthermore, you should have made sure that was the house you wanted before you upset my seller by backing out.” She didn’t have quite the smile on her face but I’m hoping after she thought about it long enough, she would have realized the mistake that was made on their part. I wish everyone would turn the tables and think.
Well, tonight’s conversation with this young gentleman was not mean but definitely hard and to the point. I made it perfectly clear that he understood what he signed and if there is not remedial action done, there will be consequences. He understood and will be taking steps to get the problem rectified. One of the unfortunate by-products of doing business in today’s world is that one must always be checking and double checking to make sure people are doing what they’ve agreed to do. Yes, there have always been people using people since we fell out of the trees, but it seems to be more commonplace in these times. Every once in a while an older client or customer will bring up the past and say something like, “Back in my day, a contract was sealed on a handshake.” Unfortunately we can’t rely on such agreements in the business world and sometimes not even in families.
My favorite delivery person caught me doing some work this morning and said, “My gosh Joe, don’t you ever stop?” I smiled and said, “I’d rather just do it than be angry with myself for not getting it done.” I guess I don’t even like to be internally comprised.
