As I opened my eyes this morning, I already knew today would not be my day. My whole body was aching and I couldn't get out of bed. I dragged myself out of bed nevertheless, because I knew I had scheduled some work today. One of my tasks was to draft a text message to reject the request of a client. I kind of knew the consequences of sending this text yet I had no choice.
I finally pressed the 'send' button and within half an hour I received the client's reply. He sounded harsh and I had to explain patiently to him. Of course, my explanation didn't calm him down as expected. He then called my colleague (who is also his friend) to resolve this matter. I was really unimpressed with his unprofessionalism because he was dealing with me all along and he's supposed to discuss this matter with me first.
The colleague, who is currently out of town, phoned me and confronted me about this matter. Things just got complicated out of a sudden. My body ache was getting worse and I didn't know what I should do next. In fact, I was really moody and didn't feel like working anymore.
So, I rang up a friend for help. I didn't remember much what happened after that, I only knew I was at Genting Premium Outlet after an hour!
I was really stressed before going to Genting Highlands. I had a million 'what should I do' in my mind. How should I talk to the unhappy client? What should I say to my colleague who is also a personal friend of that person? What should I do so no one is unhappy? Well, I think I just can't please everyone. So, I put aside these questions and head to Genting Highland instead.
There are few lessons I learnt today:
Trust your gut feeling: Chances are if I cannot get along with my client, we are probably not suitable to collaborate in any way. Even though I manage to strike a business deal with him today, I can't guarantee there will be no problem in the future. I would rather lose a potential client today than risk entering a wrong business collaboration. My gut feeling tells me to let go.
Do not over promise anyone: The reason why I had an unpleasant encounter with the client today was because I had to turn down a verbal promise I made during our very first meeting. I have valid reasons of not delivering my initial promise due to unresolved issues regarding our business agreement. However, if I'd never made any promise at the beginning, things might be less complicated today.
Rest first and think tomorrow: I was upset about everything today. I couldn't focus on anything. So, instead of finding an answer today, I went on a mini road trip to Genting Highlands. This short trip gave my body and mind a sufficient break. I believe I will think more rationally tomorrow and come up with a better plan.
OKAY, so here is me drinking my Sangria while explaining why I ended up at Genting Highlands on a (freaking) Wednesday! Share with me if you encounter any similar experiences, would love to hear how did you cope with these challenges =)
Cheers!
