Business Blunders that Drive Me Nuts

oopspictureBeware of the scope creeper. The scope creeper is someone who consistently asks for services outside of the scope of their contract and expects to get them for free. Now, I do not mind doing minor things and do them all of the time for clients, especially when it is quick and easy or some marketing advice; but the scope creeper takes this one step too far. It starts with one freebie then “creeps” turning into 10 million website changes to expecting a free logo coming with their website. I am really not sure the logic behind any of this, especially when things are clearly spelled out in a contract. The worst version of the scope creeper is the scope creeper without a scope … a.k.a. NO CONTRACT. I am not kidding here. I had someone attempt to put me through the ringer, not to mention my phone ringing nonstop and then asking me to call people I did not even know to help out with his project. I did double check my forehead to make sure I did not have “Assistant for Free” tattooed on it. Luckily, I am aware of these individuals and shut down the situation from the very beginning. My point? If you give certain people an inch, they will take a mile.

Business hour blunders. Now, for my friends and colleagues in other time zones … deep down I forgive you, because I am time zone challenged a majority of the time. I leave my phone on because I am a parent (and, maybe at some point I could read the instruction manual to my iPhone on how to turn off text alerts, but the idea bores me). Anyway, what I am talking about here, is respecting fellow colleague’s business hours. I do have clients that work full-time and an afterhours call is necessary and planned. What I am referring to is the after business hour space invasion – meaning texts all weekend, then Facebook messages, then cell phone & business line messages. P.S. – here is a thought, leave a message on one of the above and not all methods of contact for starters. Here is a second thought, if your crisis involves a website you have had for a year that is terrible, it is not suddenly an emergency that needs immediate attention Saturday morning at 6 a.m. This problem has been an emergency 12 whole months and can wait until Monday. Just some food for thought.

Blowing of media interviews. As a marketing professional and publicist, this is my biggest annoying blunder ever. I know what you are thinking. Why would someone completely blow off a media interview? On occasion it happens and emergencies do come up (and it better be in you are in a coma … publicist talking here, sorry). Luckily for me, this rarely happens. If you just blatantly blow something off, your publicist will look bad in the eyes of a producer that put time and energy to get you on the programming schedule. Your publicist has also put in at least one hour for a basic 3 – 5 minute television segment. My advice? Do not do this ever. If there is a media outlet you do not want, communicate that ahead of time. The bottom line is that your PR person will end up firing your A$$, before you even have had time to come up with “I have a cold.” (take Dayquill), “My dog is sick.” (go to a vet), “My Grandma is ill.” (Not that ill – you have been talking to her all morning on Facebook about your shopping outing), or whatever other lame excuse you come up with during the 11th hour.

 

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