Another Pet Peeve

One of my pet peeves is people who ignore me whether family, friend, or stranger. My kids are constantly being told not to ignore me. They usually respond by saying that they didn’t hear me or that they heard me but were busy doing something. Okay, if you didn’t hear me, that’s fine; if you heard me but were busy, that’s unacceptable. If you can’t muster the strength to answer in a full sentence, at least grunt at me so I know my message got through to you.

Friends do the same thing at times and I can’t stand it. Generally, any adult who’s in the room with me will respond and converse. With technology as advanced as it is, though, friends I call or email take their sweet time responding and it really irks me. I’ve actually cut so-called friends out of my life because they ignore me. I have a three strikes rule of my own. If I call and leave a message, I’ll give you a day to respond. I realize people are busy and I’m not the center of the Universe. I’ll call a second time and give another day. Then I’ll call a third time. If you don’t respond to me within the next 24 hours, I have no time for you.

Whether you’re crazy busy at work, cleaning the house intensely under the influence of OCD, trying to deal with a bad bout of constipation, whatever, you still have 30 seconds to dial my number and tell me that you can’t talk but will call me back at a specific time. I’ll wait as long as I know you got my message and you were considerate enough to call me back. If you don’t consider me important enough to even call me as you mop the floor for the 32nd time, I don’t need you in my life. The same works for email. I know people are constantly on the computer and checking email on a regular basis. I know, some people don’t do that, but most do. How hard is it to respond? “I got your message but don’t really have time to read it. I’m backed up and running for the soapy hose right now. I’ll email you back when I have more time.” That’s all it takes; I understand shit happens. I can deal with it.

What’s especially annoying, though, are the businesses and corporate morons who think that clientele isn’t the most important aspect of a business. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve contacted a company using the company website’s “Contact Us” link only to be ignored. I know I shouldn’t take it personally because large corporations probably get hundreds of emails a day and can’t respond to each and every inquiry in a timely manner. I am starting to take it personally, though, because that “we can’t respond to everyone” mentality is just an excuse, if you ask me. Reason being, I’ve also contacted some very large companies and have gotten automated responses telling me I’d be contacted by customer service within 48 hours – and I get contacted by customer service within 48 hours. If some can do it, all can do it. So why shouldn’t I take it personally?

Apparently I’m not important enough in the scheme of the business dealings for someone from the company to get back to me and answer whatever question/s I have. If I’m not important enough, why should I continue to utilize your service or business or whatever else I’m utilizing? I can always go somewhere else to get the assistance I need. Unless you’re the only business in the country that handles my particular issue, I’m sure I can find someone else who will think my business is important.

The reason I’m on this topic tonight is because, not only am I having trouble getting a friend to respond to me via email to help me with a big problem, but Ellen and I are having trouble getting in touch with the lady who’s running a local consignment sale next week. I contacted her last week to tell her I want to participate in the sale – I want to sell some of my kids’ clothes and buy some for them also – and I gave her all the requested details. After three days, I think it was, she finally emailed me back giving me further information. Almost immediately after I got her response, I emailed her to tell her Ellen also wants to participate in the sale. That was Thursday. Friday was the deadline to contact her in order to participate.

On Friday I emailed her again, and even called the phone number she gave me that evening. Three times in two days I contacted her and I still haven’t heard anything. Today, or yesterday if you’re looking at the clock, Ellen emailed her and called her; she still hasn’t received a response. This woman is running a huge children’s clothing consignment sale and can’t bother to get back to people who want to participate. I understand she’s married, based on the message on her answering machine giving her and her husband’s names; I’m going to assume she’s got kids and/or grandkids, too, or she probably wouldn’t be running a children’s clothing sale, and she’s probably busy doing the wife/mother thing. That’s all well and good.

However, when the sale is next week, and she’s having participants dropping off their items starting Monday morning, she needs to get back to people who contact her. We’re scrambling to get the items tagged and on hangers and in size order and whatever else she stipulated, and we need answers to questions. With as much money as this lady stands to earn from the items Ellen and I are selling, you’d think she’d be quicker to respond. Leave the kids under Dad’s care for a couple of days, or just hours even, while you check your email and answer inquiries. I guess she doesn’t understand that. Someone needs to tell her that the proper way to run a business is to put the customer first. Granted, and contrary to public opinion, the customer isn’t always right, but the customer is the backbone of the business and deserves some respect.

I try to give it and I expect it in return. If I have to follow the rules, so do you. I always try to treat people the way I want to be treated, and I always try to return a phone call or email as quickly as I can. If I can’t, I’ll let you know I can’t, and why if possible, but I will always get back to you as soon as I have the time. Even if I’m constipated I’ll take the phone with me. (That’s an honor reserved for really close friends, however. :-) ) I don’t ignore people and I don’t expect, nor do I like, being ignored – by anyone. Keep that in mind the next time I contact you; otherwise you might end up being “It” all the time with nobody left to phone tag. ;-)

Until next time…peace to all.