Social Norms??? 9/14/2006

Did I miss something here? Maybe they teach a class in social behavior in school --- and I didn’t attend it.

I received an email last night from a caterer that I spoke with back in May. After attending a tasting, I was set to hire them for the wedding. I emailed them a few days after the tasting with questions on the menu and the contract and never received a response. Then, I called and left messages with the OWNER of the catering company. The person that I had been dealing with never called me back. So, I went with another caterer. And no, I didn’t email them to advise them that I did this --- figured that they didn’t care.

Now, I get an email from K* (less than five weeks before the wedding) wanting to finalize the plans.

Wha???

I responded to K*, advised that I went with another caterer due to her not returning my calls/ emails. Then I received a follow up email from the owner who wanted to “set the record straight”. He advised me that they keep a phone log and my calls are not logged in. (I guess that is because HE answered the phone when I called – both times). But despite their going out of their way to accommodate me, and my not contacting them, they wished me the best.

(I don’t believe it. They don’t wish me the best. They hope that my wedding falls apart. And maybe it will. But the chances of it falling apart are much less now that I went with a company that actually did a site visit, a private tasting for us, and returns my calls.)

So I responded to the owner – and reminded him that HE answered the phone --- and also reminded him of some of the conversation that we had when HE answered the phone. I was nice – apologized for not sending a final email although I figured that after talking with the owner, K* might actually return the call. And wished them the best.

(I hope they don’t believe it. I don’t wish them the best. I hope that things will fall apart for them because they don’t respond to contacts nor do they take responsibility when they screw up. I believe that word will get around and they will receive less and less business.)

I was surprised --- what did I miss? Did I miss the class that said that you must doggedly pursue doing business with someone who doesn’t respond to emails and calls? Did I miss the class that taught that certain people are special and social norms don’t apply to them? Did I miss the class on social norms???