Where In The World Is Sum1?

Difficult Customers

Locale: Bloomington, Illinois

 May 9^th, 2021

         This past week I delivered 3 separate one-day classes to a customer.  The classes themselves were easy enough, I've taught them many times before.  The students weren't hard to work with, they asked some good, valid questions.  The feedback I received from other instructors who have delivered a class for them though was completely different.  I guess when you're a customer and want things 'your way', you're labeled as a difficult customer.  In some cases, when that is said about a customer, it's 'okay'.  What I mean is, the students we teach can be, or were, complete 'you know whats' to us.  Rude, know-it-all's (yet when you cover the course, you find there's a lot they don't know). not very complimentary to us or Motorola, etc.  My thoughts on it are the following.  Treat them well, deliver the course, answer questions, and always, always, be polite.  They are biased against us for one reason or another.  Some of it may be earned, some may come from past experiences.  It's up to us to correct that bias, and the only way we can do that, is treat them as they want to be treated.  I just shake my head over those who say the same thing over and over.  "They are a tough customer, and want things a certain way."  Every customer does.  I think what happens is the Project Manager, and their management team don't communicate well enough about the course content.  All I know is that it's beyond my control.  All I can do is try and do my best, and let the pieces fall where they may.  I don't think I've ever had a case where someone else had to teach a repeat class for me because they were unhappy with what they learned from me.  Not that I know of at least, I also say that based on feedback from our support staff.  But I have been scheduled to deliver a repeat class when a customer was unhappy with the first delivery.    Okay, rant over.


         I teach from home the next two weeks, then have a week of vacation.  I will probably sit at home most of the time, since I have minor Sinus Surgery in the middle of my vacation week.  I will have my 10^th (yes, you read that right, my 10^th) COVID test prior to the surgery.  I think I'm getting to be on a first name basis with the testing center.    I'm actually looking forward to that, because I will start the treatment for the Myeloma once that is behind me.  It sure would be nice to feel healthy this winter.  At least as healthy as I feel right now.  Oh, by the way.  My manager has said I will not travel at all the rest of the year.  Unless it's an emergency.  We'll see.  I think I'm stuck at home for the most part, though there are about 5-6 weeks I have scheduled where I'm the only qualified person available to deliver the class.  Well, we have another one who could deliver them, but he's worse off health-wise than I am, so he won't be delivering them.  I miss traveling though.  It's always nice to get out and see other locations, meet new people.  If I never traveled again, it wouldn't bother me, I'd still miss it though....  And yes, I have been thinking about retirement.  But why should I?  I'm being paid for more than I ever thought I would make to sit and home and teach from here.  As long as my health allows me to do it, I will.  Unless a major change happens.... 

In Closing

         I have been home since the second week of January, and will be home the rest of this year more than likely.  I teach the  RCMP next week.  I may travel (my manager said "In an emergency" I could travel), but I doubt it.  Til next time, be good to yourselves and those you love, and WRITE!




Jim Dorrell