The party

Over the years, I have encountered just about every "technique" a customer can employ in an attempt to get me to finish the job faster. But my least favorite is "the party." We have all experienced this.

The job is not going as fast as the customer wants it to. And it's not really us that's the problem because, in more cases than not, the customer was experiencing burnout long before we even came on the job. But now it's been a year when they thought it would take six months, and they are still quite a ways from the finish line. Plus, they are running out of dough because time is money so that extra six months has taxed their budget.

It's understandable that they are stressed. But, unfortunately, this is exactly the worst time for them to lose it because this is when the work that you will actually see is being done.

We try and explain this but they are not hearing us and respond to everything with "I just want it done!" That's when they come up with the idea of the party. A date is chosen that is at least several weeks before the soonest possible date that the job could be finished. From that day forward, everything is in rush mode because "it has to be ready for the party" … "We only have two weeks before the party!"… "But, that won't be done in time for the party." … "Everyone has to work overtime because we need to be ready for the party".

The party is not the only way for customers to try and turn up the heat. But it is by far the most aggravating. I hate the party!

D.D.