Bloodyminded Rudeness

It never fails to amaze and disappoint me how rude people can be.

There's a local firm we used to work with very closely. For reasons not possible to disclose, that's no longer the case. But they have clients giving them ongoing work that we referred to them. The simple logic of it should not elude anyone. You would not have this client if we had not referred this client to you. Your work for this client is low entry-level. Anyone can do it. But you've got the client, and you've got the income from their work. It's not. Rocket. Surgery.

The client (who is still our client for other things) sometimes asks us to get documents and information from the local firm. Like a piece of paper from a file that can be photocopied and mailed, or even scanned and emailed. We send them a polite request. Then... crickets. Nothing. The client asks, where's that document we asked you to get? We tell them, we've emailed, called, emailed, left messages, but we haven't heard. Or what happens other times, the local firm will tell us (after we've called them to find out WTF is going on) that they are Checking With Management whether they can send the document to us. Why? They're sending their bloody invoices to us, dammit. If we cut them a cheque for their precious little invoices they'll cash it immediately. But we ask for the bloody Memorandum and Articles of Association of the client's company in Singapore and we can cool our heels for a week before we get anything. Checking With Management my ass.

If they gave it a moment's consideration, they would realise that the income stream will dry up if the client stops using us, since they get our instructions THROUGH US. Also, if we simply tell the client (with evidence) that the local firm is bloody slow and they should use someone else, then they will.

Not, as I said before, Rocket Surgery.

Gah. Just cooling off after this morning's conversation with local firm representative.

"Hi! Did you receive my email of yesterday?"

"Yes, but I'm on my way out of the office. My secretary will attend to your request."

"So can we get the document today?"

"She'll call you."

"So can we get the document today? The client needs it urgently."

"If she hasn't done it by the time I get back to the office, I'll attend to it. OKAY?"

"Great! So I'll let the client know we can get the document today. Thanks!"

Slam! (I guess she was late for her meeting huh.)