Businesses are supposed to be conducted professionally, concerning clients and partners both old and new regardless of status but with humans involved, we are bound to experience business conduct with a nonchalant attitude and disrespect to one's time.
I have a friend, Dima by name that recently pulled out on a business deal and she phoned me to ask if she was too harsh and sudden to pull out on the deal. Before sharing my response, I'd like to share my experience which I find similar to Dima's.
My Freelance Experience In Telecoms
The Northgate mall IBS project was the first freelance experience I had to partner with a company in which our agreement was for him to provide the manpower (employees) and I come in with the skill to get the project done.
We weren't halfway to the project, my partner would frequently pull his guys off the project for another job. For me that was going against the agreement, costing us longer time and money to get the project delivered.
The difficult part was, this wasn't a project to just back out, and being my first time I wanted to make a name for myself that I can deliver in the hope of more projects.
Not one for giving up I worked under the toughest conditions alone on-site at times, there was a day I was chased off-site by the center management for working alone at heights which I know is against safety rules.
So due to circumstance, being the first freelance project I got during the time the Covid pandemic was subsiding and a source of income was needed after being retrenched I stuck through and had to endure the unprofessionalism from my partner.
Dima's Experience & Why She Pulled Out
Dima is a freelancer well, a social media manager, and VA, amongst other remote work she is involved in.
Dima recently landed a potential gig to manage a company's social media page. She is good at her job and the company was keen to hire her services after seeing her presentation and other international clients which whom she works with.
A verbal agreement was reached to work together, and Dima had a contract drafted so both parties can sign for work to commence.
This was supposed to be a simple process but it turned out emails are being responded to late, and text messages at awkward working hours, from my understanding the client canceled appointments (short notice) with Dima three times when they were supposed to meet.
For these reasons, Dima pulled out of the potential business deal with the company.
Time
Dima was disappointed haven initially elated for landing the gig which she shared with me some days earlier. She was wondering if she was too quick to pull out and impatient.
I told her I would have done the same, we are individuals that value our time. Time for us is important as it is channeled into being productive.
Canceling an appointment several times with a potential business partner is a no for me and disrespectful. Such business etiquette from the onset is a red flag in various ways I would stay away from. For a company struggling to keep to appointments, you get to wonder what will happen when the job is done and it is time for payment.
I think Dima made the right decision, do you think otherwise?
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