Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Commitment

In business I stay committed.

If I promise to send the material in the evening by 7 p.m., I will see to it that the material
reaches the customer by 7 p.m.

But I wonder how far I will be able to stay committed. On a personal level, yes, not a problem.
But from the company point of view, to honour my commitment, I need persons around me who
also stay committed. Alas! Such persons are fast disappearing.

The Finance Director of a leading construction company recently purchased two air-conditioners
for his daughter's new apartment, around 25 Kms away from my business place. He wanted the
units to be delivered in the evening and machines to be installed the next day from 7 a.m. onwards
since there would be no current between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. in that place.

We agreed to his request and send the machines in the evening. Technician was informed to go in
the morning. But that guy just went on French leave and disappeared! He did not inform us in time
to make alternate arrangements. We could arrange our supervisor to go there, which he did, but
only around 9 a.m. could he go.

Meanwhile, the customer got irritated and threatened us that he will stop payment for the cheque and
that we should take back our machines! I recently read an article which stated that Indians are the most
abusive in the world.

The customer being an Indian and in the construction line who I am sure would be well seized of the
labour situation here, could have exercised little more patience.

I am not able to judge as to why he got cheesed off. But then, there was a lapse (small though) from our side. The guy was not there at 7 a.m.

I requested a company to send a person and instal anti-virus software in my computer. He said it will be done in a day or two. The guy was supposed to come on Saturday. He didn't come. Even till Tuesday he
has not appeared. On Tuesday evening when I reminded at about 4.30 p.m. about his appointment with
me at 5 p.m. he said that the person is somewhere in Perungudi and would definitely come. Buy no, he
neither came nor did he have the courtesy to phone me to express his inability. Am I losing my patience?

Well, not yet.

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