humility and a lesson learned
Technology has kicked my ass this week and it’s been pretty painful.
To briefly summarize, my website’s “contact us” page has been malfunctioning and I didn’t know it. When an inquiry comes in, I am supposed to get an email notifying me. Unbeknownst to me, the technical tool has been broken for months.
I just thought business was a little slow.
Even though the technical malfeasance was caused by my web provider, it is my brand, my company, my name that has in the minds of some of these prospects, been tarnished. They don’t care about my web provider…in their eyes it’s ME that did not respond or ignored their inquires.
While on a much smaller scale than, say, the Tylenol problem of the 80’s, I have been executing my own little version Crisis Communication Response.
It’s necessary and it’s humiliating.
I don’t think I’ve ever written the words “apology” and “I’m sorry” in greater frequency. But it must be done with expediency and sincerity.
One of the biggest slaps was a lead for a voice over job that wasn’t yet 24 hours old that I responded to only to find that job had already been completed. In normal circumstances, I would have at least been in the hunt.
There were (so far as of this writing) a few voice talents who wanted to study in the Voice Over Workshop and tried to contact me through the “contact us” page. I can’t even imagine the bad feelings they were left with when one of their peers didn’t respond with an email or call. My head aches at the thought of it.
It’s NOT how I run my business but these prospects don’t know that…my actions (or lack thereof regardless of the reasons) speak louder than words.
But maybe there’s a lesson in this for Voice Over Workshop students and you too. Something about always double checking and testing your computer settings; not putting too much faith in your web provider to guard your website as if it were their own; knowing that into each life a little rain must fall.
I can’t sort it all out right now but I guess as you drive by this wreck of a technology case study, you’ll be able to pull a lesson out for yourself…and if that saves you from some fate similar to mine, then that is of consolation.
As my Mom was fond of saying “this too shall pass.”
…take heart, dear sir. except for the missed job leads, you’ll probably come out alright.
no excuse is accepted more often, indeed with so much attached sympathy, as one which includes a phrase like, “my computer/server/program messed up”.
good on ya for catching and fixing it yourself though.