I usually have great experiences with the folks at Confero, but I received a very rude email today from a scheduler who is under pressure to complete a round of alcohol compliance shops. I had volunteered for two shops and committed to conducting them, and then casually mentioned that I'd be willing to conduct any that are still left in my area code. The scheduler confirmed the two shops that I applied for.

I then received further emails from this scheduler asking why I had't applied for more shops, as if she had expected me to take on more. I had made it clear that I was not committing to any shops beyond the two that I applied for. More importantly, I told her that there were no shops left in the area--there no options that were within 50 miles of the zip code I had previously mentioned. She sent me a very nasty email acting as if she expected me to take shops outside of my identified area. I had said nothing to indicate that I would automatically take any shops in any of my communications with her. I was not hedging or backtracking on my word in any way.

This scheduler's emails were very terse, entitled, and rude. She assumed a very condescending tone with no appreciation for a shopper who is willing to help her meet quotas. I understand that schedulers are under a lot of pressure but shoppers and schedulers have a mutually dependent relationships with each other and I think it is important to treat each other with respect. I tried being kind to this scheduler to no avail and was disheartened that she didn't feel the need to reciprocate.

BTW I usually I have the nicest interactions with schedulers but I felt deeply disappointed in my exchanges with this particular one. Thanks for letting me air it out and vent!

Obviously there was some confusion there with her feeling you were making a commitment to more shops than just the two. Confusion may about being too vague about your specific distance limits. My 'area code' is vastly wider than my 'zip code' and so she may be feeling grossly betrayed by having given you two and you 'not following through'.

Trust me, I am not condoning the scheduler behavior or saying that is what DID happen but rather opening it up for thought. There are some schedulers out there who are downright rude and there are also both shoppers and schedulers who are not clear about what they intend. There is also the wishful thinking aspect that the way the words were heard was not what was actually being said.

I am sorry that the experience has left a bad taste.

Did you mean to say zip code instead of area code....seems like a mistake on your part. Rudeness over an error is never acceptable, but should be workable.
You area code covers miles and seems impossible, and you did say you could do more shops in your area code. Just explain what you meant and your radius to do more, maybe she'll calm down if you do a few more. We all get stressed, an
apology from her should be in the works...good luck!

I meant zip code . I did specify my zip code in my email and there were no shops left in my zip code, and even within the parameters of both my zip code and area code! Thanks for hearing me out Flash and Irene. And you're totally right Flash, I think wishful thinking may have been a part of it--I keep reviewing my emails and I was perfectly clear in saying that I wasn't volunteering for more shops. I even told her I wasn't committing to anything.

I think she was just under a lot of pressure and misread my responses!

I like your last line. End of the month and lots of shops to fill can be a high pressure situation. It's never bad to give someone the benefit of the doubt once. You're next interaction with her could be a lot different. On the other hand, if it is just as bad next time........

But it is also helpful to vent, get it out of your system and be ready to try again. Pressure can make us all snappy, as can having just burned dinner, the kid coming home with an F in his normally best subject, the cat not eating, the . . . you get my drift. And indeed, if it is just as bad next time there are a lot of other schedulers and companies to work with.

Yes I think I know *who* you're talking about. I accepted 8 email compliance-type shops and didn't quite understand the instructions. I emailed for clarification and she sent me a terse email response saying I should "READ THE INSTRUCTIONS" before I ask questions. Yikes!!

Maybe she was having a bad day and took it out on you? Maybe she has an issue with communicating properly. It can be difficult to decipher tone in emails and they can come off ruder than it's meant to sound. Then again, it could be as Hudge95 stated and she just doesn't have the best personality. It'll bite her in the rear when shoppers get tired of attitude and won't offer to help her out at the end of the month.

I know my limits and I don't like depending on others. I'd make a terrible scheduler and I'd probably be irritable from dealing with those who keep flaking. I can get moody enough editing terrible reports, so that's a good thing I'm not a scheduler. LOL

AlwaysAngie Wrote:
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> Maybe she was having a bad day and took it out on
> you? Maybe she has an issue with communicating
> properly. It can be difficult to decipher tone in
> emails and they can come off ruder than it's meant
> to sound. Then again, it could be as Hudge95
> stated and she just doesn't have the best
> personality. It'll bite her in the rear when
> shoppers get tired of attitude and won't offer to
> help her out at the end of the month.
>
> I know my limits and I don't like depending on
> others. I'd make a terrible scheduler and I'd
> probably be irritable from dealing with those who
> keep flaking. I can get moody enough editing
> terrible reports, so that's a good thing I'm not a
> scheduler. LOL
OooooooooOooooooooooooooo

I almost always give schedulers a benefit of a doubbt... Meaning if I get one really terse reply, I will write it off as the person having a bad day. (I usually would reply back that I apologize and that we must have had a misunderstanding.) If I continue to have problems with the scheduler, I would write a letter to the MSC with copies of the emails and,again, be tactful and truthful.
I did this procedure with Confero and, today, no longer do business with them. There are dozens of other companies that I can do business with..(I used to like its oil changes, but I have found other MSC's that do oil changes.)

jerry1552 Wrote:
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> If I continue to have problems with the scheduler, I
> would write a letter to the MSC with copies of the
> emails and,again, be tactful and truthful.
> I did this procedure with Confero and, today, no
> longer do business with them. There are dozens of
> other companies that I can do business with..(I
> used to like its oil changes, but I have found
> other MSC's that do oil changes.)

Huh?! Was that by your choice or theirs? I don't think a professional, legitimate complaint should equate to getting booted as an IC for a company. Ouch!