Don't assume

Just had a negative experience that I had to share with you. My wife and I are getting the interior of the house painted and a handyman suggested I contact a local company. I contacted them and met with the owner who came to the house. I walked through the house talking about what we wanted done and he later sent me a quote through email. At the time, my wife was home because she was sick so she also had input and asked him some questions. He took all my information including my home, cell, my wife's cell etc. We scheduled the work to be done and they were supposed to start Monday at 8 am. 8 am rolls around and no crew. Owner tries to contact foreman of job and no answer. The owner states that at the very least he should have called the day before to confirm yet I received no call. Turns out he did call. He called my wife's cell phone and left one message. We sent an email asking why her cell phone was called and not mine and he told us that our initial call was from my wife. BULLCRAP. Turns out they called my wife's cell because they assumed that they were dealing with my wife and not me even though I was the only one communicating with them via email and phone.

It is something to think about if you own a business or a service that deals with something in one's home. With roles changing everyday in who is working and staying at home just don't assume that it is the wife that is staying at home and the husband at work. I am meeting more and more stay at home dads and you need to save yourself from the embarrassing mistake these guys made by assuming that it was the wife who needed to be contacted. How about just calling the home phone and leaving a message for Mr. AND Mrs. So and So? Part of the onus is on the owner who met with me in person and KNEW that I was a stay at home dad. He seemed to be listening to everything I shared with him about my kids and staying at home but clearly this was not communicated to his crew. In his case he forwarded an email and did not meet with his foreman in person to delegate the job. Don't say you are 100% service minded and then commit an epic mistake by not relaying the information you learned from your client. Times are changing and if you want to keep my business make sure you address that in the future.

I know that this happens all the time with women. I don't know anything about cars but I am sure it is just as frustrating when you do and you go to get something done and they close minded people pander to you. Don't assume that we are typical men or women because we aren't. Anyone else have an experience like this?