Monday, November 24, 2008

Just Another Day at the Office

Some days you should just stay in bed and this is one of them. I've had the day from hell beginning with realising that I have nominated an incorrect account number for a client and instead of transferring $5.10 and closing an old managed fund, I've redeemed $32,000 and transferred it into his bank account. To make it worse, the fund I've closed is no longer taking applications and he wants to put his money back in it. Great start to a Monday. I wonder if clients know or give a toss how knotted up we get when we make these mistakes. It makes me sick inside when something like this happens. It was my fault but he signed the form without checking (won't do that again I suspect) . So my day started with this lump in my throat and feeling like a total idiot. I actually relly like this client, he bought me wine not long ago he was so grateful, now that's all gone to shit. It won't be resolved for three days and if we can't get him back into the old fund even more shit will hit the proverbial fan as we try to get him into an equivalent investment.

We're having a knee jerk seminar for Clients who are nervous about markets and their falling stocks tonight. I organised quickly and I've got everything under control. Nice posh venue, screens and data projectors, evaluation sheets, two speakers. I've done the invitations, responses, booked the tea coffee and gourmet biscuits. We've all got name tags and the run sheet has been handed to the Boss who will be MC. 120 clients and friends and at 5:30 tonight he pipes up - "I think we should print these 8 page pamphlets and have them available to clients tonight" then he walked out the door! Noice. So half of them have printed on letterhead and I'm still going.

Advice to young lovers wherever you are . . . run your own businesses, be responsible for your own mistakes and take the consequences. Doing the bidding of others is no fun.

Now let's just hope the speakers turn up on time!

24 comments:

Miles McClagan said...

And I couldn't find any lamingtons in the shop! What a crappy day all round!

English Mum said...

Ohhhhh dear. I don't know anything about funds and accounts and whatnot, but I sympathise with the crappy start to the day as I've just woken up, taken Bert for a poo in the dark and stepped in something ominously squelchy. Cheer up B, it can only get better, and everyone makes mistakes xx

Anonymous said...

Jeez, that's dreadful, I think I'd be tearing my hair out and hoping to be swallowed up by a distant planet. Still, we've all made disastrous mistakes in our time, all you can do is try to restore the status quo ante as they say. Hope it all works out - and the feel-good seminar as well.

Not sure about self-employment, that can have its downsides as well - particularly in the UK right now where banks are calling in loans and overdrafts left, right and centre.

Bear Naked said...

Sure hope your day got better.
Thanks for your kind comments to me on my blog.
They are very appreciated.

Bear((( )))

Anonymous said...

That sucks, I had a situation on Friday where I messed up for a very important client.

It's shitty, but this time next week it'll all be a memory.

Anonymous said...

Maxi Cane said it best -- next week, it'll be a memory.

Sending you hugs -- I know how it feels to make a huge mistake. I'm sure you'll come out just fine. Keep us posted, hon!

Unknown said...

Oh you poor thing, what an awful thing to happen! It is just totally shite when stuff goes pearshaped like that (and on top of the markets being what they are), and especially when it was a client who's been good to you in the past. Do so hope you manage to get it sorted out.

As for your comment to the young lovers out there - I hope Adam's reading this! ;-)

laughingwolf said...

ouch! :(

still waiting for the cops to show up for their assessment on my car so i can call my insurance company....

Unknown said...

Well that kind of unpleasant. My mother woke me up 30 minutes earlier with her argument with my brother.

TCL said...

Sorry to hear about that. But it'll pass soon. Good wishes from across the big pond.

My family members have always started their own businesses. I'm not first one to deviate from that path. But it didn't take long for me to have my fill of it.

Anonymous said...

Thats nansty! Hope it all works out soon.

Remember the wo/man who never made a mistake, never made anything!

Anonymous said...

Remember, Some days are Diamonds, some days are stones .

Excellent Adventures said...

Deep breaths. I know the feeling and its not nice. But this time next week it'll be all sorted and you won't even remember. You're only human, everyone makes mistakes.

Baino said...

Miley thats worse than only being able to buy pink ones or running out of bendy straws.

EM it was probably me, I feel like something on the botttom of a shoe!

Nick it's small potatoes to this particular client but frankly the fund was falling big time anyway so I may have inadvertently done him a favour. Actually the seminar was very interesting in terms of what's happening in Europe at the moment. It's not good news I'm afraid.

Thanks Bear it'll all work out in the wash as they say. He's a reasonable fellow and earning more while his money's 'parked' in his account.

True that Maxi. I'm not really suited to number crunching. More your marketing, pragmatic officey managery, team building type.

Wornerd, I'm sure it will, it's not the worst of mistakes, I just take it personally. Anyone would think it was my money!

AV I'll sort it out, I've never known a fund manager to not want someones money! Now if I'd invested it by mistake and wanted to get it out that would be a different scenario. (He's got a quiet week this week so turning his hand to painting my ceilings!)

Ah good luck with that Wuffa. Tough to make a claim without any witnesses an the police are a bit slow off the mark?

Ah Ropi . .to be 18 and not a care in the world. Enjoy it while you can!

TCL you'll be off soon enough . . who knows what you'll be when you grow up hehe.

"Nantsy" hehe . . I use that phrase all the time! Erm about not making mistakes not 'nantsy'

That they are Moon. I'm just glad it's one of my boss's clients not one of the other partners or I'd be in the poo big time! (My boss has nicer clients)

Thanks Darls, you know how 'knotted' up I get about these things. Next week, work will not seem important. 7 more sleeps!

Megan said...

Ooh, no wonder you did not like my smiley face yesterday! ;)

Hope Tuesday is better and that the meeting went without a hitch!

Anonymous said...

Ooops! Well, to err is human. Did you try telling him that?

I'm sure it will blow over. Meanwhile, try not to get too much of an acid stomach. Relax with a Lamington or something.

My kids used to love those!

kj said...

baino, mistakes happen. don't knock yourself around for too long.

from one of my favorite mary chapin carpenter songs: 'sometimes you're the windshield and sometimes you're the bug'

and your advice to young lovers--ha! your newly self employed son will appreciate that!!

:)

Anonymous said...

*hug* I hope today has been treating you right, unlike yesterday which was a bastage!
I think a single mistake doesn't have the power or the weight to undo so many good deeds and hard work over the years.
Gx

Paddy in BA (Quickroute) said...

That's good advice - work for yerself as anything else is a mugs game - just wish I'd taken that advice myself a long time ago

i beati said...

But I understand you looked good !!!! sandy hahaha

a. said...

Bosses are the worst like that, aren't they?!

Baino said...

Megan trust you to be so cheerful whilst I was having a nervous breakdown! I liked your sandwich idea tho!

Jay can't do much about it until my scanned request moves up the queue, hopefully tomorrow when I consider offering my body to some BDM if they'll just let my buy back into the fund! What is it with lamingtons today?

Yeh kj feel a littleles buggish today I have a que sera attitude and he's earning more interest in his account (although the bloody markets went up two days in a row)

I'm learning some lovely words today GM's Nantsy and Gaye's "bastage" hehe . . no resolution till tomorrow but I've been too busy to think about it. It is true though that people focus on failings and mistakes and never good deeds or little victories. Shame!

God Quickie, you have no idea how I wish I'd done that. I'd have a crack now if I wasn't burdened with debts and could afford to lose.

Not sure about that IBeati . . .

Annie, Nah, he's a good egg. He's my best friend but sometimes he forgets! It's all good, he gave me a few words of encouragement and appreciated the effort put into the seminar(Eventually). It's him who'll have to smooth over the client! Poor sod.

Anonymous said...

Nope, but but I said that one mistake doesn't have the power to undo the good work over the years. People may get peeved and momentarily forget to be grateful for years of service and support, but in the long run they know better. :) well most anyways.
Gx

Ces Adorio said...

Definitely an "O Shit" moment.