Cut the crap. Tell me the solution!

Today, I experience that it is all up to you (especially if you are in authority) to either make it easy or make it uneasy for your customers. 

You can choose this attitude, "I am the one who decides here, you follow my decision. Full stop." Or you can think outside the box and ask YOURSELF "How can I help this customer solve his issues?" 

If the satisfaction derived from delaying someone's work far outweighs the happiness for helping someone finishes that work early, then I am so sorry for you. Then I would say, I pity the staff who works under such leader. If he is worthy of that word, leader.

Observe this conversation and you will get the drift, I hope.

After calling the Manager twice on his hand-held phone and sending him four (4) text messages of which none was answered..


Me: Mr Manager, my clients wish to sign the document today. Can you get someone to send the document to the clients' office?

(The client's office was about 10 minutes drive away from Mr Manager's Bank)
 
Manager: Oh! The document is with my officer/staff and that officer is in Malacca. I have already told the officer to call the customer and make arrangement when and where to sign the documents. Maybe he'll be back tonight and he'll see the customer!

Me: Oh, ok then I will let the customer know.

(So I informed the customer not knowing that the customer was already waiting at the Bank's lobby!) 

And then I text the Bank Manager.

First text:  Mr Manager, the client is now in your Bank. He wants his documents now. 

Second text: Mr Manager, can you print a new set of documents for the customer to sign.

Third text: Mr Manager, the customer is waiting for the documents at the lobby now!

After 3 texts Mr Manager replied:  Ok I will print out another set!

Shortly after that Mr Manager sent me a text : Ok I got him signed the document already. The customer will bring the document to the other signatory to sign.

The Author

Now, I was thinking had Mr Manager put on his thinking cap, he could have saved a lot of time texting me and me saved a lot of time texting him! I had expected him to have told me  that earlier. Cut the bloody crap. And just told me that he will print another set of the document for the customer to sign and solved the issues. And he did not even have to mention about his officer in Malacca (whilst we are in Batu Pahat!). Malacca to Batu Pahat will take at least 2 hours 30 minutes!! 

Now this was what I meant by thinking outside the box! 

Bank's Shareholders, you should know who are the people working for you. Are they Order Takers or are they customer-friendly-problem-solver-Money Magnets?!! 

Good luck and ensure your shares are not at stake!!! :(~