21-04-2019, 12:59 PM
DIARY OF A LOSER
part2
A few days after running into Ravi in the mall, I got called into his office.
"It has been brought to my attention that a couple of your customers have complained about the level of service you have been giving them lately," Ravi said.
"What? I have never had a customer complaint before. Are you sure?"
"Yes. I did a follow up with the customers. In both cases the customers said that you have left out items that were supposed to be in the contracts that you sent to them for their signature."
"Ravi, you know that I have never screwed up on a contract before. This has to be a mistake. Who were the customers? I'll talk to them and straighten this out my self," I said.
"It’s fine really, I have already taken care of it. For now, I just want you to let me check over your contracts before you send them out. Don't worry, I have no intention of interfering with the good relationship you have with your customers."
"I don't understand what could have happened and why would they call in a complaint instead of calling me," I said.
"Actually, they did call in to talk to you but you were out of the office. In both cases, they left a message for you. Somehow I think we have to handle the calls as complaints. "
I wanted to argue that with Ravi but I knew there was no point. His mind was made up.
"Thanks, Ravi, I appreciate your support." I finally said.
When I left Ravi's office, I was as angry as I had ever been. I could not believe that any of my customers had complained. I had always prided myself on the rapport I had with my customers. On top of that, Ravi wouldn't tell me which customer complained because he was afraid that it might affect the way I deal with them in the future. The worst thing of all was that now I would have to suffer the humiliation of having Ravi looking over my shoulders.
"Did you have a bad day?" Monisha asked as I walked into the house that evening.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did but how did you know?"
"I could see it in your face as soon as you walked in the door."
I told Monisha what had happened and how Ravi had decided to treat the two customer calls as complaints rather than just let me handle them myself.
"So what happened? How did Ravi handle the complaints?" Monisha asked.
"I told you they weren't actually complaints. Ravi arbitrarily decided to handle them as complaints. He called the customers and took care of the problem," I said. "I still can't believe I made a mistake on those contracts. I proof read them before I mailed them out. Now Ravi wants to proof read my contracts before they go out."
"Isn't it possible that you missed something," Monisha said.
"I guess it's possible that I missed something but I have never made a mistake like that before and now I made two in the same week. I just can't believe it."
"Maybe it's not such a bad idea to have Ravi proof read your contracts," Monisha said.
"Whose side are you on?" I asked.
"I'm on your side, of course. I just think that having Ravi proof read your contracts with you before you send them out isn't such a bad idea."
"I can't believe that you actually think that I need help taking care of my customers after all this time."
"I know you are the best. I am just saying that you should do this, if for no other reason than to just to keep him off your back."
I was disappointed that Monisha didn't seem to be on my side of this issue but I could see the logic in what she said so I didn't argue about it with her. It was obvious that she was able to look at my situation much more objectively than I was.
For the next month I did as Ravi had ordered and had him proof read my contracts with me before I sent them out. Not once did we find a mistake. At the end of the month, I figured everything was back to normal but Ravi called me in for another chat.
"I am now comfortable with the way you run your territory and that any problem you may have had with any of your customers seems to have resolved itself," Ravi said.
"I never thought there was a problem to begin with," I said.
Ravi gave me a look that said he didn't agree with my assessment. "What I am saying is you no longer need me to proof read your contracts but I want you to keep me involved in any new contracts you are working on."
"Can I ask why?"
"I think we need to have better control of our business. I want to be involved in every significant contract to make sure we are doing the right things for our customers."
"Why am I being singled out?" I asked.
"You're not. I will be doing this with all of the sales guys. Don't worry about this. It's no big deal. It won't interfere with what you do; it's just more work for me," Ravi said.
Once again Monisha recognized that I was upset when I got home and I had to tell her what was going on and how much it pissed me off.
"Honey, you know it's just the way things turn out sometimes. Don't get mad because I feel Ravi is just trying to help you," Monisha said.
Monisha was right, of course, but it still annoyed me that she didn't show more support for me. I was angry and I expected that she simply agree with me that what Ravi was doing was an insult to me and he should just back off.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
part2
A few days after running into Ravi in the mall, I got called into his office.
"It has been brought to my attention that a couple of your customers have complained about the level of service you have been giving them lately," Ravi said.
"What? I have never had a customer complaint before. Are you sure?"
"Yes. I did a follow up with the customers. In both cases the customers said that you have left out items that were supposed to be in the contracts that you sent to them for their signature."
"Ravi, you know that I have never screwed up on a contract before. This has to be a mistake. Who were the customers? I'll talk to them and straighten this out my self," I said.
"It’s fine really, I have already taken care of it. For now, I just want you to let me check over your contracts before you send them out. Don't worry, I have no intention of interfering with the good relationship you have with your customers."
"I don't understand what could have happened and why would they call in a complaint instead of calling me," I said.
"Actually, they did call in to talk to you but you were out of the office. In both cases, they left a message for you. Somehow I think we have to handle the calls as complaints. "
I wanted to argue that with Ravi but I knew there was no point. His mind was made up.
"Thanks, Ravi, I appreciate your support." I finally said.
When I left Ravi's office, I was as angry as I had ever been. I could not believe that any of my customers had complained. I had always prided myself on the rapport I had with my customers. On top of that, Ravi wouldn't tell me which customer complained because he was afraid that it might affect the way I deal with them in the future. The worst thing of all was that now I would have to suffer the humiliation of having Ravi looking over my shoulders.
"Did you have a bad day?" Monisha asked as I walked into the house that evening.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did but how did you know?"
"I could see it in your face as soon as you walked in the door."
I told Monisha what had happened and how Ravi had decided to treat the two customer calls as complaints rather than just let me handle them myself.
"So what happened? How did Ravi handle the complaints?" Monisha asked.
"I told you they weren't actually complaints. Ravi arbitrarily decided to handle them as complaints. He called the customers and took care of the problem," I said. "I still can't believe I made a mistake on those contracts. I proof read them before I mailed them out. Now Ravi wants to proof read my contracts before they go out."
"Isn't it possible that you missed something," Monisha said.
"I guess it's possible that I missed something but I have never made a mistake like that before and now I made two in the same week. I just can't believe it."
"Maybe it's not such a bad idea to have Ravi proof read your contracts," Monisha said.
"Whose side are you on?" I asked.
"I'm on your side, of course. I just think that having Ravi proof read your contracts with you before you send them out isn't such a bad idea."
"I can't believe that you actually think that I need help taking care of my customers after all this time."
"I know you are the best. I am just saying that you should do this, if for no other reason than to just to keep him off your back."
I was disappointed that Monisha didn't seem to be on my side of this issue but I could see the logic in what she said so I didn't argue about it with her. It was obvious that she was able to look at my situation much more objectively than I was.
For the next month I did as Ravi had ordered and had him proof read my contracts with me before I sent them out. Not once did we find a mistake. At the end of the month, I figured everything was back to normal but Ravi called me in for another chat.
"I am now comfortable with the way you run your territory and that any problem you may have had with any of your customers seems to have resolved itself," Ravi said.
"I never thought there was a problem to begin with," I said.
Ravi gave me a look that said he didn't agree with my assessment. "What I am saying is you no longer need me to proof read your contracts but I want you to keep me involved in any new contracts you are working on."
"Can I ask why?"
"I think we need to have better control of our business. I want to be involved in every significant contract to make sure we are doing the right things for our customers."
"Why am I being singled out?" I asked.
"You're not. I will be doing this with all of the sales guys. Don't worry about this. It's no big deal. It won't interfere with what you do; it's just more work for me," Ravi said.
Once again Monisha recognized that I was upset when I got home and I had to tell her what was going on and how much it pissed me off.
"Honey, you know it's just the way things turn out sometimes. Don't get mad because I feel Ravi is just trying to help you," Monisha said.
Monisha was right, of course, but it still annoyed me that she didn't show more support for me. I was angry and I expected that she simply agree with me that what Ravi was doing was an insult to me and he should just back off.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
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