My precious time

I have just one small favor to ask of the people and companies I deal with on a day to day basis. Please don't waste my time. See, I'm really busy. Between a pretty demanding full time job and raising two young boys, I'm kind of short on time. If I need to do something, I need it to get done. And if you ask me to do something, I will do my best, but I also expect you to do your part. Most of all, just don't assume that my time is not that valuable to me. Trust me it is.

For example, if I have done my best to find an answer for my question on your website but then resort to calling the customer service number you have listed, I really resent it if that number simply tells me that I can "find more information about our service on our website at www..." with no way to actually speak with a person. Um yeah, I was just there and I couldn't.

If I am required to fill in an online form for some reason, and that form won't accept the information I need to provide, so again, I call for support, don't tell me to just lie in the form. I assume there is some reason you are collecting this info, if not, don't make me fill in the form. If so, make it possible for me to include my true information, otherwise your data will just be wrong, and that kind of pisses me off. It makes me question the value of filling in this form at all.

If you need something from me, I don't need the whole long drawn out explanation of why this is important for everyone to do, just let me know what you need. I will do it if I have time and I won't if I won't. Every minute you give your pitch takes time away from me actually doing what you ask. The same goes for apologizing for asking me to do something. Quit saying sorry and just ask.

If you say you're going to do something for me, do it. Don't check back with me later to see if I've done the thing you've committed to. No, I haven't. I assumed that when you said you'd do it, it would get done. By you. Yeah, I'm crazy that way.

Can we all just agree to be direct, to the point and only ask for things that actually matter? No. Well, crap.