How many times have you found yourself “pissed off” because you have been running behind some company or organization trying to fix something that wasn’t even your fault?
Well, I know, you’re not going to like this but you really have to take that extra step to document everything that is going on in the process. I know this doesn’t sound right but the simple fact is that the longer you have to go through the steps of calling and leaving messages, you may not remember everyone you talked to or left a message. More importantly, if you get transferred around a few times, you may not even remember who you started your initial conversation.
EXAMPLE:
Let’s try a simple exercise and show you how this thing can unfold. You subscribe to something and you get a bill. Well, you decide that you don’t want the item so you pay off the balance and cancel your subscription. The next thing you know, you get a new bill. You call the company and tell them that you want to cancel again. They say “No problem. Disregard the bill.”. The next thing you know, you get a late notice. You start to get worried. You call the company again. Again, they tell you “No problem. Disregard the bill.”. You, get another notice. Now, the late notice says “Pay up or be referred to collects.”. Now you’re starting to get annoyed because a collections notice will affect your credit. You call a third time and now you’re mad. They tell you that they apologize and they will resolve the situation. A few weeks later, you get a letter from a 3d party collections agency regarding the notice and how your credit has been impacted. You call the collections company and they tell you that they got it because you hadn’t paid. You call the original company and the person you speak to doesn’t have any notes in their system about you calling in the past. They ask you who you spoke to about canceling? You don’t know because you didn’t ask. They asked you when you called? You don’t remember the exact date! They asked you if you ever got anything in writing saying they would fix it or did you send anything? You say no. NOW, you are THOROUGHLY HOT!
How many of us have gone through this exercise on a regular basis? Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? So many times, we think that if we just clown and get live, everything will work itself out. Unfortunately, the example I provided is really something that happens daily.
Now, I know this may sound troubling but here are a few tips to help you out:
1) Who? What? When? Where? How? The moment you start trying to correct something, you need to document WHO you spoke to, WHEN you spoke to them, WHERE are they located, WHAT are they going to do and HOW soon are they going to do it! Don’t rely on your memory. Contrary to popular belief, you can’t remember it all.
2) Follow up with documentation! The moment you get off the phone, you need to write down the conversation and mail it to them. Don’t get off the phone TRUSTING that someone is going to “NOTE IT” to your account. Write them a letter so that YOU have documentation as well.
3) Send it certified! Looky heya! People LOVE to say “It got lost in the mail”. They can’t say that if someone signs for it. This piece of paper is your documentation that the conversation occurred.
4) Send a copy of the previous! If you find yourself in a situation where you are having multiple conversations, make sure you send a copy of the PRIOR correspondence you sent to demonstrate that you have been aggressively following up with this situation.
5) Also send a copy to the top dog! Make sure you send a copy to another decision maker. Hey, I have no disrespect for people and the things they do but I have found that sometimes, your issues are not a priority unless someone a little higher UP the food chain is kept informed.
6) Return receipts and copy as well! When you e-mail people, make sure you have the capability to use the “return receipt” prompt in the e-mail. This way, you know if the person received the e-mail. In some systems, you can tell when the person OPENS the e-mail as well. Keep copies of these transactions so you can provide them.
7) Keep a folder! I know. No one likes to be a pack rat. However, you want to keep close tabs on your documentation so that you are fully aware of all of the things that has transpired. Trust me. you will appreciate the fact that you can just grab your folder and pull out what you need instantly.
No one likes to have to go through all of these changes but the simple fact is that sometimes, it’s necessary in order to make sure that you have some peace of mind.
