Don't Settle for Stupid
My pretty, blond sales rep came in the form of a health care coaching call, so I'm not sure if she was blond or pretty. I do know she didn't have a clue. Like Toni, I expect more from someone with a health care degree.
I'd spoken to a health care representative who set up my coaching call with Laterica, RN. We didn't get to talk at our first scheduled appointment, because she kept hanging up before I could answer the phone. When we finally connected a couple weeks later, she couldn't explain the program or answer my specific questions. Her catchphrase was "evidence-based." Apparently, using medical-sounding terms can pass for competence.
About 15 minutes in, I guess she'd had all she could take. She told me that our time was up. When I told her the representative asked me to set aside 30 minutes for this initial phone call, she said she allotted 30 minutes for each appointment, but only spoke with clients for 15 minutes. She needed the rest of the time to document. I'd like to see that note.
Later that day, she left a message that she was returning my call -- a call I never placed. When I phoned to clarify, the woman I spoke with took a message and asked to confirm my next appointment. Laterica had entered the wrong time and the wrong day.
Out of morbid curiosity, I'd planned to speak with her again -- ostensibly giving her a second chance. My suspicion was the long-term plan would be to request another coach and speak to a supervisor about how poorly Laterica represented the program and the insurance company. My time line moved up to... immediately.
If you're a service provider -- a physical therapist, a waiter, a customer-service representative etc. -- assume your clients have specific knowledge of your expertise. Don't try to fool them. If you don't know the answer, just say so.
The supervisor set me up with another coach: Robin, RN. When she phoned a few days later, she spent over an hour explaining the program and asking questions to see how the program could best meet my needs.
If you're a client, don't settle for a lazy or incompetent provider. Demand a provider whose goal is to meet your needs.