What happened to that old rule of owning up to your mistakes? We have all seen kids point to their little sibling when the vase broke or the last cookie was eaten, but this ploy is not reserved for the younger generation. As people age they seem to be honing their ability to blame others, and not take responsibility when they make a mistake. Some are so proficient at this trick that they don’t even realize they are doing it. It has become part of who they are.
In the design world, or any world for that matter, when a mistake is made the person making the error should own up to it and come up with a solution to the problem. It may cost in time and money, but at the end of the day the ultimate goal is a happy client.
Recently I ordered cabinets that were delivered and installed at the jobsite. I then got a bill for the product but to my surprise, the invoice was $1,000 more than agreed upon at the time of order. When I questioned the salesperson regarding the price increase, I was told that I ordered more expensive cabinets. No, this was not true. I suggested that they review the order, check the shipping paperwork and, if they were not satisfied, look at the installed cabinets. Of course, the correct invoice was paid in full although the salesperson said they would “settle” for that amount instead of what they billed in error.
There was never an apology for this unprofessional behavior. The salesperson would not admit that an error was made and was insistent that the extra $1,000 was owed, so consequently that supplier will not get a recommendation from me or from the end user.
Remember that old saying, “It only takes one “oh s#@t” to wipe out 100 atta boys.”
