Client's lack of politeness Thread poster: Francesca moletta
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Hello,
how do you cope with a client (agency) being extremely unpolite?
This is the case:
I sent some Christmas gifts to a client (very good 2004 turnover) in December (1 for every person I know in the agency: 3 PMs and the 2 owners). I sent 2 different types of gifts (simple type for the PMs and "more sofisticated" type for the owners).
Now, at the beginning of January, 2 of the 3 PMs (nice girls) said they got the gifts and thanked me.
The 2 o... See more Hello,
how do you cope with a client (agency) being extremely unpolite?
This is the case:
I sent some Christmas gifts to a client (very good 2004 turnover) in December (1 for every person I know in the agency: 3 PMs and the 2 owners). I sent 2 different types of gifts (simple type for the PMs and "more sofisticated" type for the owners).
Now, at the beginning of January, 2 of the 3 PMs (nice girls) said they got the gifts and thanked me.
The 2 owners are usually quite rude (not even said "Merry Christmas" to the Christmas e-card I sent on the 23rd!).
As 2 out of 3 PMs said thanks I was sure they received the gifts and I thought the owners were simply unpolite as usual!
But as the 3rd PM (who is always very nice) didn't thank I started thinking that maybe the box was opened by someone working in the postal services and 3 out of 5 gifts were stolen.
I know this scenario is quite bizarre!!!
Why stealing just 3 gifts out of 5?
So today I wrote the 2 owners about that.
Not the "bad boy! why didn't you say thanks?!" kind of email, but the "you never know what happens with postal services" kind of email. With smileys here and there. See what I mean?
Email notification but no answer ...
I wrote because I was afraid someone really stole the 3 gifts and they could think I only wanted to sent the gifts to just the 2 PMs.
Moreover this month I had no jobs from them (usually I have quite a lot...)!
Are the 2 things related?
People are strange ...
Thanks for reading!
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| | | | Natalie 
Poland
Local time: 09:29
Member (2002)
English to Russian
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MODERATOR SITE LOCALIZER | Take it easy | Jan 20, 2005 |
In my own experience, people not always send you thankyous. The reasons may be different, sometimes you would never guess which exactly
If I may advice something: take it easy. Don't start any kind of investigation. What about the jobs from them: again, in my own experience, January is a relatively "calm" month; I personally always have less jobs in the beginning of January; more jobs arrive by the end of month.
... See more In my own experience, people not always send you thankyous. The reasons may be different, sometimes you would never guess which exactly
If I may advice something: take it easy. Don't start any kind of investigation. What about the jobs from them: again, in my own experience, January is a relatively "calm" month; I personally always have less jobs in the beginning of January; more jobs arrive by the end of month.
So don't worry, be happy! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Don't worry, Molly! | Jan 20, 2005 |
January is customarily a slow month and it usually picks up towards the end of the month/beginning of February.
Some people are just not too good with responding. I know, it is frustrating because you worry about the things getting there. I am sure that they got it and you will soon be inundated with work.
Take care and have an equally (or more) profitable 2005.
Lucinda
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mollyf wrote:
The 2 owners are usually quite rude (not even said "Merry Christmas" to the Christmas e-card I sent on the 23rd!).
Don't worry that much! They keep being rude. Let it be. Some people do not like getting presents, some do. Why would they change their rudeness? Don't ask about the presents. January is not a good month for jobs. Wait. Take it easy.
Be happy!
Inés
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Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 09:29
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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| Contact the ones who contacted you | Jan 21, 2005 |
mollyf wrote:
I wrote because I was afraid someone really stole the 3 gifts and they could think I only wanted to sent the gifts to just the 2 PMs.
I would have written (or better, phoned) the two who did thank you to enquire whether the others received their gifts. You'll get a better response from them, I think. Plus if you contact those who didn't thank you, you create the impression that your "gifts" are more important than mere gifts (bribes?).
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Thank you all.
(they thanked too ... but not very spontaneously!)
| | | | Magda Dziadosz
Poland
Local time: 09:29
Member (2004)
English to Polish
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| Maybe they were embarassed? | Jan 21, 2005 |
mollyf wrote:
(they thanked too ... but not very spontaneously!)
When I worked in-house, it was strictly forbidden to accept gifts from vendors - for anything bigger then, say a plastic lighter or a pen you needed to get your boss approval. So it was always very embarassing to receive a gift, since you had to go through a whole procedure and give explanations to the boss. There are different cultures in different companies.
Magda
| | | | | Ignore rudeness | Jan 26, 2005 |
I have been in the service business (first as a market researcher then a translator) since 1978, freelancing since 1988. If I had taken every rudeness to heart, I would have killed myself by now. Some people are rude - and you probably won't change them. Think about not sending them a Christmas gift this year! It probably won't make any difference to your business with them.
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| Rudeness and Threats | Oct 2, 2005 |
Well, may be I shouldn't be saying this but it is certainly reassuring... at least I'm not the only one coping with this sort of thing.
Usually people are very polite with me... but recently I met someone who thought that just because he was older (a retired colonel!!!)... he had the right to say whatever he wanted... when I complained to the boss of that organisation about his impoliteness and shouting etc... this person actually threatened to slap me. I know that these people we... See more Well, may be I shouldn't be saying this but it is certainly reassuring... at least I'm not the only one coping with this sort of thing.
Usually people are very polite with me... but recently I met someone who thought that just because he was older (a retired colonel!!!)... he had the right to say whatever he wanted... when I complained to the boss of that organisation about his impoliteness and shouting etc... this person actually threatened to slap me. I know that these people were very happy with my work as they had actually tried different people and then continued with me till the end of the trip (it was a delegation) but I could never understand his behaviour.
He'd complain about the boss being younger than his daughter and that he had to obey his boss who'd ask him to do all the chores (eg. fetch things, organise things, get me dropped etc.)...
Later I complained to my agency about this behaviour and thank god they were very supportive.
But I'm still shaken by his words... he actually threatened to slap me in the middle of the road while his boss had told him to drop me... I was so polite and respectful with him (because of his age)... but now I don't feel that he deserves any respect!!!
I was actually on the verge of tears but stopped myself... as that would be a weakness and this sort of weakness is bad for any girl... instead I told him that in that case I'd just slap him back and got out... but later I was so shaken that I couldn't concentrate on my translation work for hours. It's not only shocking but just shows how people can actually mistreat and abuse female translators/ interpreters.
I'm in no hurry to work as an interpreter again. I think it's better to translate from home at least no one is threatening you!!! And you are safe. ▲ Collapse
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