A Glimpse Into My Workday..

Here is a tale from 2 weeks ago:


My company is implementing a new system this fall. We are all in preparation now for that change. Our site hosted a training session last week and I was sent an email letting me know how many people would be participating and asking for me to please order boxed lunches for that day. There is only one shop I know of that produces boxed lunches, so I called them up. I spoke to a guy, placed the order, gave him the payment information and then gave him directions. From where they are located it is VERY easy to find our site. I confirmed a delivery time and was told there would be a delivery charge. I said, "Alrighty how much is the charge?" The response, "Ohhhh. I don't realllly know. Maybe 10 bucks, but no more than 20." Professional. I said that would be fine and we hung up the phone.

The next day I got a call from the gentleman. He wanted to let me know that he was going to be on his way. I told him that was great. Then he said, "I didn't really have time to charge the card so I just want you to know that I'm gonna drive the food over to you and then I'm gonna come back here and charge the card and then I'll come back over and have you sign the receipt." I responded, "Are you already on your way?" "No, I'm outside by the car." "Ok, well if you haven't left yet, it'll only take maybe 3 minutes to charge the card, we can spare 3 minutes, how about you go ahead and charge the card so you don't have to make another trip?" "Ok, I'll do that and be on my way."

5 minutes later my phone rings. I answer. He doesn't even identify himself. "Hi Suzanne. Can I get directions?" (In my head I thought 'Strike One.' I gave you explicit directions yesterday. And 'Strike Two' my name is not Suzanne.) So I gave him detailed instructions one more time.

5 minutes later my phone rings. Still doesn't identify himself. "Hi Suzanne. Do I turn by Del Taco?" I never said anything about Del Taco. I told him, "No. Keep going. It's the next light."

5 minutes later my phone rings. Again no name, he just blurts "Suzanne. How far up [a certain street] do I go?" I said, "No. You weren't supposed to turn. I said, 'Go straight.' You needed to go straight." He eventually got here. He was 20 minutes late (their business is like 7 minutes away). I told the supervisor as I saw him pull up that the guy had called me 4 times that morning and everytime he named me 'Suzanne' and judging by the way things were going I would NOT be surprised if he came in through the warehouse, through the back offices and around to the front. So as the gentleman pulled up and parked I said those words to the supervisor then headed outside.

I stood there a minute or two and the gentleman did not surface. I turned to come inside and the supervisor was walking the gentleman out from the back offices and up to the front where I was headed toward them. I couldn't believe it! The supervisor had a huge grin because he KNEW what I had JUST said.

The gentleman was kind enough to remove the delivery charge for me.