Dealing with customers at times can be exhausting especially if you are an employee of an organisation that prioritise profit over employees well being. As a Nigerian I have had series of awkward moment when dealing with customers or clients of organisations especially the private sector. here is one of it.
My most awkward experience on a job with a client was during my CIWES programme at Lagos traffic radio, a kind of industrial activity mandatory for Polytechnic students after the first year of our national diploma.
Lagos traffic radio is a broadcast entity that primarily focus on dissemination of traffic news about Lagos state and other related activities in Lagos state, it is owned by Lagos state governments and it is situated at agidigbi, Ikeja. I was employed as a news editor in the news room, where we compile news in a bulletin to be broadcasted in the studio. our major source of news includes, the side mirror programme and the NAN website but in some cases we go out to cover beats, A beat is a geographical location where a reporter is assigned to carry out their primary assignment.
When we have event taking place around Ikeja and our field reporters are occupied, the editor hand pick capable news editor to cover the event. on this awkward day, it was during the deputy governors cup, A football event that took place at the deputy governor's office compound at Secretariat Ikeja close to shop rite mall.
As at then I was the sub editor in the news room, immediately the editor heard about the fact that there was no reporter to cover the event, he picked me and some of my colleagues or underlings in the news room to cover the event. as a sub editor in the news room I'm automatically the lead reporter which makes me responsible for the well-being of the rest of my crew.
On getting there, we had to first visit the office of the event coordinator, to receive our event pass, in order to participate in the event. we went straight to his office, his office was closed as usual. Coursey demands that we knock before opening the door but one of my underlings was so impatient that he just barged into the office without knocking, so when we got inside we met the man and one other lady in a non professional conduct, I guess they were having a nice time😓😅.
Immediately we got in they were shocked and I quickly tried to apologize but the woman stood up and gave the guy that opened the door a slap and she asked for who is in charge they pointed at me, immediately she landed me a smooth slap, I ran out of breathe immediately 😅😅😂. I was so shocked that I couldn't make a sound but then my brain just kept on rotating for hours but I knew I needed to apologize to her again because I don't want them to call the office and report, though I did nothing wrong but I didn't want my underlings to get fired for his impatient.
I knew if I should allow the matter to escalate, it would be beyond my control, regardless of the physical and emotional damage I have endured, I had to put my ego aside ND apologize to both the woman and the man we came to see. he was mad at us also, but he eventually he gave us what we came for, I guess he realised that his actions were unjust also. and he knew that we were reporters, his actions could become a story.
All through the event coverage I was moody and bitter. I was so upset because I knew that if that person was just an ordinary person I know what I could have done😂😂. we covered the event and went back to Lagos traffic radio, we submitted all the event coverage to the senior editor without saying a word of happened at the event because it won't do either of the party any good. After all customers are always right
Lead picture design was created and edited using Canva.
Thanks for reading, I appreciate everyone on hive for continuous support. As you all know my writings are description of my day to day lifestyle and thoughts, hope you understood as much as you could?
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