Quiet

This week, I had one of those small epiphany moments at work that just might work given enough time. What was the epiphany you ask?

I will just do my job and not go back to the phone people for anything.

I have been in this position for 4 1/2 years. From the beginning, I have tried to make the position more streamlined and more error-free by creating helps for my co-workers, changing the way some things were done, and other ideas. They actually worked for a while. The store people were trained on what do to and how to do it. There were still the occasional "I refuse to do it myself" person, but he was few and far between.

And then along came the change.

After that, everything quickly descended into one giant quagmire no matter what I did to try to slow the process. I realize that they have a lot more phone volume to handle, but that increase in phone volume needs to correspond with a increase in accuracy and actually trying to help the customer instead of passing him off to my co-worker or myself like it was a hot potato. Their increase also means an increase in special orders and technical questions. So after fighting it since January, I decided to just remain quiet.

No more asking for clarification.

No more begging for the correct name, store number, part number, or anything else.

No more calling of a specific person with the "what have you done now" tone in my voice.

No more giving back the orders written up with incorrect information.

No more telling the phone people what they need to (and really should) remember.

What will I do? I will just do it myself. If I have questions, I will take the time to call the customer myself. It will really be a waste of my time when I could be answering legitimate questions or actually ordering a part for a customer. But be that as it may, I will do what must be done without being accused of being demanding, snide, or accusatory. I've heard enough of the complaining, the "why can't you do it" questions, and the smart comebacks.

Who knows? Maybe this strategy will work. Only after 2 1/2 days of my quietness, one of the people asked what is wrong with Kevin and why has he been so quiet lately. I didn't comment. If the pressure mounts too much and they demand an answer, I will give it to them. They won't like it, but they will get one.

Maybe, just maybe, they will get the message after all.