How-dee all!!!! :)
Okay....lots to share here.
So, to recap a bit - I have completed all of my Success Strategies work for this week, and received a 100% on last week's work - AWESOME! Like I told y'all before, this is kind of a "bird" course, if you will. It's a dumb little requirement course that you can do on extreme auto-pilot. However, this week's discussion is proving very interesting. The scenario we are working from is dealing with an irate customer who calls up, is verbally abusive toward you, then hangs up before you get a word in edgewise - what do you do? It's all under the context of business communication and specifically e-mail communication. What's surprising is that so many people are either a) totally in victim mentality and saying this hypothetical customer is right to call and go apeshit over an 'h' in the wrong place in his name in the second paragraph of a document, or b) falling all over themselves to suck up to this asshat not to lose his business. Seriously people? Seriously? He's okay to call you names on the phone and hang up on you? You're going to crawl on your lips through busted glass just to pucker up and kiss his ass so as not to lose his business? Seriously? Wow! The Day Self-Respect Died! I've lived to see it!
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for preserving the financial income, but I'm not about to sell my soul for the almighty dollar. Sorry, ain't gonna happen. And I'm certainly not going to crawl around sucking up to someone who acts like a petulant two-year-old because someone put an 'h' in his name in the second paragraph of a document that didn't go out to anyone but him for review. But I am shocked at how many other people will just fall all over themselves to reinforce this hypothetical customer's inappropriate behavior. Don't people realize that how you deal with this kind of situation sets the tone for your entire business relationship with them? If he's this much crazy before you get his account, imagine how much crazier actually working with him every day would be - worth it? I don't think so. Not unless he removed his head from his ass and did a little apologizing of his own. But that's just me. I'm all for great customer service and "kill 'em with kindness", but I'm not going to go flagellate myself just to make this jerk feel like a king. Weird how many folks can't wait to though. *shivers* Scary.
My actual response to this scenario was this:
Firstly, I have to admit that people like Mr. Jonson in this scenario really get my back up. I've dealt with them throughout all of my working life and in my experiences, it's never a one-time thing, but the way they normally conduct business. It's an attitude I find completely unprofessional and exceptionally irritating to deal with.
That being said, the standard operating procedure I have always used (and that has always worked well for me) consists of the following:
Step 1: Immediately contact supervisor. Explain in verbatim detail the conversation and the customer's complaints. This allows my supervisor to 1) contact the customer directly to smooth things over, 2) have a detailed knowledge of the customer's complaint(s), and 3) have an idea of how the customer is handling their business relations with our company.
Step 2: Examine the proposal and rectify any issues that there are within it. Send an updated proposal to the customer ASAP with a sincere written apology attached.
Step 3: Follow up with supervisor in writing detailing that the corrections were made, an updated copy of the proposal sent, and also attach a copy of the apology sent with the proposal. This is standard C-Y-A procedure.
Excellent customer service is always the number one priority. Also, in settings where a lack of professionalism and courtesy is shown to you, the best response is to double-up on your courtesy and professionalism - the old "kill 'em with kindness" approach. It's always worked for me to diffuse situations like this.
So....now you have the jist of what's going on in that class. You're glad I haven't posted more about it now, aren't you? ;)
Next up, English Composition. Again, I received 100% for my project and discussion last week. This week's assignment was an outline for our research essay project. This was easier for me than I thought it would be. I'm not an outline writer - I sit down and let the words flow and that's how I work. However, I used the example he posted for us as a guide and I think it came out okay. Here's what I came up with:
Diversity in the Film Industry
Thesis Statement: A more diverse film industry that includes more women in higher level positions will help ensure that the portrayals of women and girls, and their life experiences, are more accurately depicted in films.
I. Introductory Paragraph
A. Current trends in filmmaking
B. Women and girls on film
II. Women in the Film Industry
A. Current statistics
B. Motion picture industry
C. Animation industry
III. Portrayals of Women and Girls
A. Current portrayals in motion pictures
B. Current portrayals in animation
C. Inconsistencies and distortions
IV. Benefits of Diversity
A. Women as peers
B. Accuracy of depictions in motion pictures
C. Accuracy of depictions in animated films
V. Future Trends
A. Women helping women
B. The Twilight effect
C. The next generation
I think this turned out pretty good myself. I may actually even be able to work off of it. :) We shall see.
I have more information to impart, but I will cut this entry here and post a bit more later.
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