A New (Unofficial) Arrival, Broken Promises, and Getting the Help You Need

Posted on May 19, 2009 
Filed Under Business & Startup, Customer Service, Rant, Virtual Assistance

I would like to welcome our newest addition to the Signature Worx team. Mackenzie Calin McVicker, who is no longer “in the worx”, was born on Monday, March 30th at 3:20 pm weighing in at 7 lbs. 15 oz and measuring 20 1/2 inches long. She is doing fabulous…other than not letting her mommy get much sleep. Mackenzie enjoys instrumental lullabies and long strolls in the neighborhood.

img_2922Here’s a picture of her…isn’t she just the cutest thing? Of course I am a little partial, so just agree with this new again mommy please! I live on coffee these days. In fact there is very little food because I simply forget to eat! Of course I never forget to feed Mackenzie which explains the pudgy little cheeks!

I would have posted one of the professional photos that were taken of her at the hospital, but unfortunately I don’t have any. Yes, my baby is 7 weeks old today and I still don’t have her photos, nor do I have her birth announcements. I just don’t feel like it is official until a birth announcement has been sent you know?

So this is the story of the seemingly overworked, over exhausted and over extended photographer. After not receiving my proofs in the hospital the next day as promised, it took me two weeks to even get her on the phone after leaving multiple voicemails and emails. She was nice, apologetic, and even threw in a few extras to my order for my trouble. She also went beyond that and said she would rush my order and I would have it in about a week as opposed to her normal 4-6 week turnaround time.

Unfortunately it is 5 weeks later and I still have NO photos or birth announcements! I called and emailed her a week ago and finally got a response from her yesterday, via email, but have to say that I’m not totally satisfied with her explanation. I hate to think the worst of people, but in this case I believe I’ve been patient enough. She responded that ’someone’ mailed my photos to me, but that apparently I did not receive them. So she said she will reorder them and they will be back this week.

So, first of all if I actually do receive my order this week, I’ll probably be a little shocked. Ecstatic, but nevertheless shocked. Why? Because it becomes difficult to believe someone when you are consistently promised something that never gets delivered. And when you were promised a rush before and not only didn’t receive it, but didn’t even receive a follow-up or anything, it just becomes even more difficult to trust them.

Second, I really *hope* that when she referred to “photos” she meant my entire order and not just the pictures. I ordered the largest package she had which included birth announcements…the ones our family and friends keep asking for…and a couple of other items that I cannot mention in case my husband reads this post. In addition I had to mail her christening invitation this morning to family and friends before they’ll ever receive her birth announcement. Now how messed up is that?

Third, when she and I spoke on the phone, I specifically asked to pick the order up rather than have it mailed. She literally lives about 2 miles from me, I didn’t want to pay shipping, but most importantly I didn’t want my husband to be the one who accepted the package because I secretly ordered something for him for his Father’s Day gift.

So how did this post go from an ‘unofficial’ announcement to a business lesson? Because this is the classic example of an entrepreneur who is obviously way too busy to run her own business. In case she is reading this, there is certainly no disrespect intended. Just the facts. I know because as a virtual assistant company, this is what we do. We help other entrepreneurs stay on top of their game, keep customers happy, while allowing them to grow instead of drowning. We teach our clients to delegate those things they cannot, should not, or have no desire to handle in order to thrive.

In this case though, there were multiple things that went wrong. They didn’t show with the proofs as promised, they were impossible to reach via phone and email, they made a promise to rush the job, they didn’t deliver the promise, there was no follow up on their part…ever, and now it seems that the postal service lost my order. Now this could be one incredible fluke or just a business owner who needs help.

So if you’re an entrepreneur who is burning the candle at both ends and trying to do everything yourself, then take a look at your business as a whole. When was the last time you asked your clients for their feedback on your customer service? If you can’t remember, is it because you haven’t had time since you’re so busy OR is it because you know their feedback would be less than satisfactory? Or maybe you don’t think there is a problem at all. Maybe you’re in denial that a problem exists.

Well let me set the record straight. Broken promises do not make for happy customers. Broken promises will not bring in new business. Broken promises will not send referral business your way. Broken promises will not make your business money. And broken promises will not make your business a success.

Broken promises will however take a major part in your business’s demise. Make no mistake about it because if it comes down to working with a company that consistently makes promises but never delivers or working with a company that takes the time to know their customers, takes the time to make sure that each and every job is completed to satisfaction, makes sure it’s done in a timely fashion even if it means hiring the help they need to keep up, and doesn’t get caught up in the insanity of running a business, the latter will win out every time.

The same goes for motherhood actually. With my first child, I had no idea how much my life would change. I had no idea how little sleep I would actually get. I had no idea how depressed I really was the first few months after the birth of my first child and I never once asked for help. I thought as a mother that I was expected to do it all, deal with it all, and take care of it all. Now that I’m a little wiser I know better. And I was certainly more prepared the second time around for Mackenzie. I know I can’t do it all. I know I can’t be everything to everyone and remain sane. I know to ask for help when I need it and I’m a better mother because of it!

So what kind of business owner are you? One that delivers great service or one who breaks promises over and over again only to leave you with no business to run?

So will I be seeking this photographer’s services in the future? It isn’t likely which is a real shame. I’ve seen her portfolio and she does really great work, some of the best I’ve seen locally. As a mom of two now, there are a ton of occasions in which I will need a professional photographer over the years such as family photographs, major milestones, annual pictures of the girls, etc. But I’d like to have the actual photos before my youngest daughter graduates high school!

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