Professionalism question: how bad is this exactly?

[maxsolomon]

a client calls me at 4 on friday - message is "call me back ASAP". no topic whatsoever. he always calls me with this message, and its rarely good news. usually an unfunded mandate.

basically, i've had enough of him this week: we're in the middle of an invoice dispute; he's bitching about a 3K bill while his boss just gave his other boss a brand new 7 series, he's a blowhard, he always calls me 'brotha', and his dad was a Nixon staffer.

the question: how bad is it that i'm not calling him back until tuesday? monday is a holiday, BTW.

i don't feel guilty, but i know i'm procrastinating...

[Rosemary2205]

1. It's only bad if a life is in danger.

if it's about money it can wait -- whoopdidoo.

[Bunny]

2. Anyone who calls at 4:00 on a holiday Friday and expects an immediate

call-back is an amateur who deserves to wait until Tuesday. You're fine.

[WhollyHeretic]

3. Most people I deal with don't call back after 3 or so on Fridays

I usually don't either unless it's something critical.

[SPKrazy]

4. I Wouldn't Call Him

unless he is like your top client and your business depends on his being your client.

[Hosnon]

5. Well...As Soon As Possible is Tuesday, right? :) S/He gave you that much. nt.

[Kutjara]

6. I make a point of delaying my response to people...

...who just leave cryptic, demanding messages. If they can't be bothered to tell me what they want, I can't be bothered to find out. It's common courtesy to at least mention the topic you want to discuss, so the other party can prepare for the conversation (pull the file, check on account status, etc.)

I respond very badly to people who snap their fingers and expect me to jump.

An important part of getting good customer service is being a good customer.

[maxsolomon]

7. thanks!

very very good points all.

i think i will have a kamikaze cocktail & a toke.

:beer: :smoke:

[Xipe Totec]

8. With your client?

maybe that's what the call was about...

[maxsolomon]

9. yeah i doubt it

although he could use this drug:

[Hosnon]

10. I would like to add that I, personally, wouldn't be able to

feel I was doing all I could, professionally, if I didn't return the call - even on a Saturday/Sunday/Holiday.

I don't think it is necessary AT ALL to return the call...but I probably would.

[struggle4progress]

11. Is the call-back phone number an office or home phone?

If office phone, for example, I'd call back sometime when he was likely to be home ...