Well folks, let me just preface this by saying that I really love God and KNOW that I shouldn't have said some of the things I said today. (Thankfully, I know God loves me too and will forgive me. I'm not sure the people will be as nice.)

Have you ever just gotten so mad at a client that you said something sarcastic or just plain wrong to them?

I had that experience TWICE today once on the phone and once via e-mail. (Same client...very rude).

I just wanted to feel like I'm not alone in my stupidity.

Anyone? Anyone? Anyone?

I don't know what you said, but I think we've all been there at one time or another.

so what did you say???

God gave us the gift of sarcasm too...it helps with stupid people....or stupid acting people...

we have all said things that we know we shouldnt.....I have even had second and third thoughts about a few of the things I have said on this site! I have got to stop thinking I have to comment on behalf of the underdog! Sometimes you just have to say I am starting over fresh tomorrow with a whole new attitude...it helps me!

Of COURSE you're not the only one that says something they regret! I could probably go with, at least once a day! ha!

Sometimes people/situations frustrate you so much that you just can't help yourself - and as soon as it comes out of your mouth, you wish you could pull it back in and reverse time for that moment. Everyone does it, it's just how you move forward to handle it. Maybe you shouldn't work with this client. Business is great, but at what expense? If you don't mesh, you don't mesh. It's impossible to like EVERYONE - absolutely impossible!

Maybe this client would work better with someone else. We all have our own personalities, and you don't always click - it happens. Don't get down on yourself. It's hard to want to work with rude people - why are people rude anyway? I've never figured that out!

Good luck to you - and don't fret!!!

But God loves stupid people - that's why he made SOOOO many of them! No just joking - since you mentioned God, here are some verses to review : )

Ecclesiastes 3:7
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

Proverbs 21:23
23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue
keeps himself from calamity.

Proverbs 17:27
27 A man of knowledge uses words with restraint,
and a man of understanding is even-tempered.

We all do stupid thing sometimes - and God forgives us - maybe you should tell the woman you were sorry you were rude to her - be the bigger person...... maybe it will help her realize that she was rude to you too...... Good luck! We all fall short sometimes!

Thanks guys. I certainly hope I don't ever have to speak with these people again. I guess you could call them "former" clients at this point.

I just felt very unprofessional. I can't believe I let someone get me so upset as to be childish and petty and make a snide comment. I sounded like a five year old.

I am looking at this as an area I need to work on. Honestly, it's been over 10 years since I've had anyone speak to me in such a belittling way.

Buuuutttt...I have heard my husband say once or twice that he feels I sometimes speak to HIM in such a belittling way. What a good lesson in that sense, too. I would never want to talk to someone in such a way as to make them feel like I felt today.

I guess there's a lesson in everything....
)

Again, thank you all. It sometimes just helps to know that others make the same mistakes you do, pick up, and move on!

imartsy:

Very good scriptures. I believe if I had taken time to consult the Bible or even pray about it first, I probably wouldn't have been so childish.

Now I'm just a matter of praying that God will not allow my silly words to do any more damage. I'm kind of "retro-praying" now. "Um...Lord, could you kind of do some damage control for me????"

lol I have been there and done that damage control type of prayer.....

I think there are plenty of prayers being offered up on a day like today.

OMG, all the friggin' time!

Open mouth insert feet!

Okay, this is my last post about this (as far as I know right now).

So interesting things happen when you stop to ask God what HE thinks.

I stopped being so hyper and worried and just took a second to ask God what I should do.

I re-wrote the letter that I had already sealed in an envelope to be mailed. The new letter was short and to the point. It was extremely apologetic with no hint of blaming or trying to escape guilt. There was no self-justification, no "poor me." Just: I acted inappropriately. Please forgive me and here is your check back.

I felt so much better. It felt like a 50 pound weight had been lifted from my shoulders! It never ceases to amaze me how it is NEVER TOO LATE to do the right thing. Sometimes humility is even more effective because of the way you acted before.

Well, it's out of my hands now. I've done what I could do.

To answer the questions about what exactly happened: I delivered a wedding cake and either misunderstood or was mistold the time of the reception. The cake was late. I was horrified. The kitchen staff took the cake out to be sliced. Evidently the top tier got knocked askew when they set it up. The mother-of-the-groom was very upset with me and was inconsolable.

We have all been there at least once. Something that might help in the near future that works for me, is that I call the day before the wedding to check in and make sure we are still on the same page as for times etc. It has saved me more then once.

I had a customer in another business of mine who would really get to me. She had wrote me 2 bad checks totalling over $300 caused my family all kinds of problems with finances. I had to take out a payday loan at my bank. Still can't pay it off. She paid me money alittle at a time and belittled me so bad. We have had some bad car trouble. I understood she had money problems. But she expected me to still place orders for her. And when I didn't cause I was unsure I would recieve money for items I ordered for her she unleashed on me. Then she found out she had cancer. She had called my store to complain about not recieving the order she wanted me to send her and then she would send me the money. I didn't have the money to pay for the postage. Crap I didn't have money for food let alone pay postage to send her some products. My DD was with me at my store at the time(she is only 7). I was so upset cause she was laying a guilt trip on me. She said I might as well die tomorrow no one would miss me she said. I had written her aletter pryer to the call to offer my sympathy and prayers. But she bashed me on the call telling me I had no idea what she was going through. I told her personally i don't know what is like to have cancer. But I have lost family and freinds and know what they and our family went through. But she kept on and I finally flat out told her I could no longer order products for her and she would get the products she ordered when I had money to send it. And I said some things I know I shouldn't have especially in front of DD. I felt so bad because I am a very compasionate person. Sometimes to caring for my own good. I felt so bad about this. I felt God wouldn't frogive me. I talked with many people about this and they reassured me this was her problem and not mine. She cased my family the grief. Not me but I still feel bad. I know this is awhole different ball of wax but had to vent cause this was only a few weeks ago. And feelings are still raw What I am trying to say is don't be to hard on yourself. Keep your chin up

Glad you got it all worked out, frankandcathy!


WOW, kay, that's quite a story.

We have all been there - we are human and we make mistakes and sometimes say things in the heat of the moment. If you want to feel better and more professional, offer an apology to the person - not necessarily for what may have been said - if you feel you had justification, but the way it was communicated and if that is still not good enough for the person, then forgive yourself and move on. I too have a tendency to let my temper get the better of me and sometimes open my mouth before thinking. I once read a quick prayer from an unknown source that was both funny and profound and whenever I feel I may lose it, i say it to myself; it is. . . ."Lord, keep one hand over my shoulders and the other over my mouth"

You know it's easy to be mean to people that are being mean to you...I tell my kids all the time, God doesn't expect you to do what's easy, He expects you to do what's right!! It's soooooooo difficult to be nice to people when they aren't nice, but I feel it's what is expected of me by God and when I realize that I'm living my life to honor and Glorify God and not to have the last word or walk away from a bad situation having hurt THAT person way more than they hurt me.............it does make it easier, and frankly you reap what you sow.....and I don't ever want someone to be surprised when they learn I'm a christian.......I want it to be blatantly obvious when people come in contact with me that no matter how much I'm tempted and how much they poke at me.......they will not gain control over my emotions......God has a way of remedying situations like these if you trust him. I've had people be soo vicious and rude and I just keep quiet and tell them, you know maybe you're right, if I'm at fault I apologize........and you would be surprised at how many people change their tune when they realize I won't attack them back. Some people in this world I swear are just waiting for someone to lash back so they can unleash their ugliness or whatever it is ........because hey, if they're mean and then you're mean back........they feel like then they have an excuse to continue their bad behavior!!! Love em like Jesus.......that's what I repeat to myself......I always envision when I'm standing with an "ugly" acting person that Jesus is standing next to them and how would I react to them then???? Would I cuss them out??? I don't think so!!

KHalstead... that was beautifully said..