Crystal Trino's Journal Nov 16 2006 Entry

November 16. Thursday Night.

Hi Journey.

Today my Shelly actually clenched her fist while telling me about how one of her clients had stood her up for lunch. Shelly had spent most of last weekend and then all of Tuesday rushing about to gather fabric swatches and paint chips and had poured over the numbers time and again all because her client simply had to have a presentation by Wednesday.

And then the woman bailed on the appointment. Shelly rang her up--and caught her in Los Angeles at a trade show. She’d completely spaced off telling Shelly she’d be on the road. Worse, she tried to weasel her way out of it, feigning she didn’t know the two of them had for-sure agreed on yesterday.

"Right, after I fired off two follow-up emails and a voice mail letting her know I’d be there," she said, shaking her head back and forth. "She’s not the kind of client we need, Crystal. Not when I’m busting my tail on these bank branches."

"I agree," I answered. We were sitting in Tethered Helium, surrounded by little mounds of WriteBack cards Joni was sorting. Before I leave for Carm’s she’ll hand me several rubber-banded stacks for me to review. "None of us need customers like that."

"Of course, she just had to live in Brentwood."

I threw my arm up, pasted the back of my hand to my forehead, feigning fright: "Not Brentwood. Oh no, we’ll never be able to show our face there again if we lose her."

"OK, OK, I’m worrying too much, right?"

"As usual." I reached across and touched her arm lightly. "But it’s that same intent focus on pleasing them that keeps makes your customers love you."

"I suppose," she said half-heartedly.

"You can suppose all you want; I know. Now, I’ve an idea. Why don’t you call up Mrs. Dr. Ruice, and see if she even knows this lady. Maybe there’s something else going on we don’t know about."

"Good idea," she said as she nodded. "Maybe give me an excuse to drive out to her place for a cup of tea."

"And an upsell."

"You know, that’s my favorite flavor," Shelly said.

Goodnight, Journey.

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