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From 0 to Bitch in 3.5 seconds flat.
Oct. 13th, 2003 11:53 amMonday morning and the damned flat-sale contract still hasn't turned up.
So I ring my lawyer to find out why the faithfully promised piece of paper isn't here, but of course he's on holiday. I knew this, but apparently his stand-in doesn't work Mondays, which I didn't know, so I can't talk to him either. I ask what's happening with my contract and the woman on the other end of the phone informs me it's all ready, but they haven't sent it out because it needs to be photocopied first.
At this point I see red and you can practically hear the sonic boom as my tolerance level for being stuffed around is passed.
I inform her (in a "very clipped voice" says Mike, the guy I sit opposite) that I will pay for a courier but want that contract on my desk today and that I am reaching the point of being pissed off - the contract was supposed to be ready at the end of September but wasn't. I was promised it last Monday, and then on the Monday was told it would be Wednesday and when it didn't arrive on the Wednesday, was promised it on the Friday. It's now Monday again and it still isn't here. I am also, I inform her, quite frankly unimpressed by the efficiency of their firm (always a nice insult to throw at professional companies - they hate it) and that I want that contract on my desk today (just in case she missed it the first time). She says she will get on it right away. I ring off.
It occurs to me (whilst venting in the coffeeroom to Mike) that given their track record, they'll courier it to my home, which will cause even more delays. So I ring back to repeat my work address to them. The woman takes it down and tells me the contract should be sent out later this morning as it is currently being photocopied.
Isn't it amazing the results a little righteous ire can induce?
It's annoying that I had to come the heavy with the lawfirm. I don't enjoy it, though I don't feel guilty about it either, no matter how much social conditioning says I should. But I'm annoyed about the whole thing - the fact I had to lose my temper, however mildly (at least for me), to get things done, that is. I'm paying them to be competent and I expect to get my money's worth. Why should I have to give them the edge of my tongue and the implied threat of worse to come in order to receive adequate service?
I've been extremely laid back about the whole contract so far - which possibly wasn't the best idea when dealing with lawyers - but I can't afford to be now. I've booked the moving firm for the 25th and have to move out by the 31st, so actually having somewhere to go is somewhat important.
I have the suspicion if I were a bigger client, rather than a small residential job, I wouldn't have been given the runaround like this. It's also times like this I have the somewhat cynical conviction if I were a man I wouldn't be given this much trouble either.
Anyway, enough postmortem whinging. On the bright side, hopefully later today I will be signing up for house-ownership. :-)
So I ring my lawyer to find out why the faithfully promised piece of paper isn't here, but of course he's on holiday. I knew this, but apparently his stand-in doesn't work Mondays, which I didn't know, so I can't talk to him either. I ask what's happening with my contract and the woman on the other end of the phone informs me it's all ready, but they haven't sent it out because it needs to be photocopied first.
At this point I see red and you can practically hear the sonic boom as my tolerance level for being stuffed around is passed.
I inform her (in a "very clipped voice" says Mike, the guy I sit opposite) that I will pay for a courier but want that contract on my desk today and that I am reaching the point of being pissed off - the contract was supposed to be ready at the end of September but wasn't. I was promised it last Monday, and then on the Monday was told it would be Wednesday and when it didn't arrive on the Wednesday, was promised it on the Friday. It's now Monday again and it still isn't here. I am also, I inform her, quite frankly unimpressed by the efficiency of their firm (always a nice insult to throw at professional companies - they hate it) and that I want that contract on my desk today (just in case she missed it the first time). She says she will get on it right away. I ring off.
It occurs to me (whilst venting in the coffeeroom to Mike) that given their track record, they'll courier it to my home, which will cause even more delays. So I ring back to repeat my work address to them. The woman takes it down and tells me the contract should be sent out later this morning as it is currently being photocopied.
Isn't it amazing the results a little righteous ire can induce?
It's annoying that I had to come the heavy with the lawfirm. I don't enjoy it, though I don't feel guilty about it either, no matter how much social conditioning says I should. But I'm annoyed about the whole thing - the fact I had to lose my temper, however mildly (at least for me), to get things done, that is. I'm paying them to be competent and I expect to get my money's worth. Why should I have to give them the edge of my tongue and the implied threat of worse to come in order to receive adequate service?
I've been extremely laid back about the whole contract so far - which possibly wasn't the best idea when dealing with lawyers - but I can't afford to be now. I've booked the moving firm for the 25th and have to move out by the 31st, so actually having somewhere to go is somewhat important.
I have the suspicion if I were a bigger client, rather than a small residential job, I wouldn't have been given the runaround like this. It's also times like this I have the somewhat cynical conviction if I were a man I wouldn't be given this much trouble either.
Anyway, enough postmortem whinging. On the bright side, hopefully later today I will be signing up for house-ownership. :-)
