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swearingen

swearingen

Civil/Environmental
Feb 15, 2006
663
So, the first group lead with this client lasted 3 months, the second, 3 weeks - I'm the third lead in my 4th month and the call came in that the client construction rep wants somebody to come solve a field problem EXCEPT me.

This is an alliance relationship between my company and the client's and times aren't great, so tough talk ("just tell the client you don't want his business" or "request another construction rep") isn't an option.

What's funny is that the first group lead is the one we sent to solve the problem - we're back to the top of the batting order, I guess. My boss and I both thought I should go anyway because it is my project and I'm the most familiar with it. We were warned away from doing that by two in-house people that know this guy well. They said we should give him some time to cool off.

I met this guy in person once for about 30 seconds and talked to him on the phone for about 5 minutes. The phone call was tense (my voice never raised, his did a little), but I thought I had defused the situation. That call was two weeks ago. I guess I didn't settle things as well as I thought I had...

I know this isn't really a question - I guess I'm just venting - but have you folks experienced this type of thing before?


If you "heard" it on the internet, it's guilty until proven innocent. - DCS

 
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I've been thrown off of more than one job by an assho!e client. They have all been young (32 yo or younger,) male, government workers in the lower tier of their group ranking. Coincidence, maybe. Probably more related to personality type, theirs and mine.




"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"
 
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Write a memo to your job file summarizing what went on and send it to your boss. Do not be complaining, just documenting, protecting your company. Let him make the decision. Doesn't hurt to protect your backside here.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
 
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This guy is definitely the big cheese in his feifdom. He happens to be the bottleneck between us (the engineering vendor) and actual construction. If there are any field problems or if he smells something that he doesn't like, he haults construction, points the finger, and demands an immediate response.


If you "heard" it on the internet, it's guilty until proven innocent. - DCS

 
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I think we had this in another thread somewhere but can't think which at the moment.
"Dealing with a**eholes?"

We all meet them at one time or another.
They exist, they seem to have more job security than they deserve and they like to bully.
Some of them like to be fired back at.
Risky.
I've never had the nerve to try it, and just as well as I don't have the judgement to know which ones will be happy to get something lobbed back and which ones will "have you back walking the beat".

Now I'd say that this guys boss must know how he is and I'd expect that if your boss got on the phone to his boss and discussed it with them they'd probably say to give as good as you get and not to worry about the guy foaming at the mouth. If they make a habit of getting every Tom Dick and Harry the can they wouldn't get very far. That way, if you know your job is safe you are no longer in a subservient position and you can face up to the guy and ask what his problem is.
Worth a try.

JMW
 
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I worked with a guy in purchasing that was a real a**. He drove off almost every vendor that we had established relations with. One of his subordinates quit because of his attitude and always talked down to everyone. After about a year they finally got rid of him, wish I was still working there to celebrate with everyone. I stayed as far away from any project that he was working on and wrote my own orders.
 
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Just for my information here, what's the difference between an "a**hole" and an "a**ehole"?

Does one give a higher pitch?

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
 
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It really is a shame that your employer doesn't have the cojones to stick up for you. It really isn't the client's place to decide if you are qualified, unless you made some gross mistake.

Still, living in these hard times...
 
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you can have or be a buttho!e in the US. Or, if you prefer, you can listen to the Buttho!e Surfers on your iPod.

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"
 
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I have had the, ahem, pleasure, of working to please a few billionaires, directly, or more often through their representatives. Directly is slightly better, because representatives sometimes, er, color, information as it passes through their hands.

Getting angry never works. Some of these guys antagonize people for sport. All of them have lawyers on retainer all the time, so the incremental cost to sue you is pocket change to them.

What works is to go assess the problem in person. Collect your own data, or very closely observe the persons who must do so, while they do it, paying particular attention to how they do it. Do not accept anyone else's data. Politely request that any tests already done be repeated, yes again, in your personal presence. Write down what you can, take a bunch of photos and videos, etc.

Then, figure out what's wrong, and why, and contact the billionaire/ complainant directly, speak directly, and expect direct responses. Be polite and precise. Be prepared for pointed questions intended to gauge your bona fides as well as your conclusions.

Propose a corrective action, including what you will do, what you expect the result to be, what you expect to _not_ get better, and commit to a date to have it done. Then, get it done by that date... at which time, you'd better have your Plan B ready to go, if the tests don't go well.

;---

There might be some billionaires who are really nice guys. I've only had occasion to meet them when my team had already screwed up at least twice, e.g. by producing an unsatisfactory product, and then failing to correct the problem.




Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
 
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Mike Halloran

In the area I live, billionaires(millionaires here) insist on speaking only to your boss.

It is one cardinal rule.

respects
IJR

 
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I've had the pleasure (it really was) of working side-by-side with the owner of a medium size chemical company (assets at least in the hundreds of millions). Besides being the top dog, he was their Chief Engineer and he'd roll up his sleeves and dig into the technical details of any problem that came up. He loved it!

As for swearingen, he's the customer and you have to decide if you want his money, or not, and act accordingly.

Good luck,
Latexman
 
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Mere millionaires do indeed speak only to bosses.
... and their problems never really get fixed.
... and their lawyers become millionaires.
... and they spend their lives, angry.
... and they imprint the anger on those around them.
I.e., a great number are arseholes.

Billionaires give the boss as much respect as (s)he deserves, but they get the story from the guy doing the work.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
 
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I had a lawyer client once that was renown for being a right pain. I went the direct approach, at any sign of trouble I would pick up the phone and speak to him directly. This seemed to work, and I discovered a large part of the issue was that he could not read drawings and was therefore distrustful of anything we did.

I proposed that we sit down and explain the drawings in plain english, this seemed to help.

Often a client gets this way because of their own inadequacies. If you can find out what that is then addressing it can make life a lot easier.
 
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You can't mend fences over the phone.

You have to be there, in person.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
 
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You can't be a full player in any business relationship without meeting in person.

It's like a hierarchy. Email only works if you've spoken to the other party. Telephone only works if you've met the other party. Meeting the other party only works if you've had beers together.

- Steve
 
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IF you act like a doormat, your gonna get walked on. You already know your goona be sacked for being Casper Milktoast. Get into role playing - become Jesse Ventura or George Patton. If your going out go out in style. Your chances of surviving with poeple like that is better if you are agressive,
 
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BJC, like the prison survival strategy that says on your first day find the biggest inmate you can and start a fight with him? The idea being this sets your status as not taking any ****, even if you (as is likely) lose.

Sounds so attractive in theory.

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies: What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484
 
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