What would you do if your boss treated clients like this
By renemouche
@renemouche (843)
United States
February 26, 2009 4:15pm CST
Ok so I just wanted some peoples opinion about this. My boss NEVER returs phone his calls. Clients will call for months at a time and he doesn't return their calls. Some get so fed up they come to the office looking for him.
After they have called several times during the week and he has yet to return their phone calls, they start to take it out on me. They question whether are not Im doing my job because they don't understand why he can't and doesn't call them back.
I give my boss his messages every single day and the ones he doesn't want to call back he throws the message away infront of me. I always ask him what am I suppose to say to this person when they call again because they want some information. He just ingores me. Just because he knows the next step and has told them once very briefly how things work doesn't mean that they never will have another question. Sometimes I think he thinks its beneath him to call clients back.
At our office meetings I always ask him about these calls. I tell him all he has to do is give me the answers to the clients questions and I can call them back and give the information to them so they can stop calling. He always says ok but he never does.
I absoultley hate it and I can't tell the clients the real truth, he just dosen't want to talk to you. He has had a few griveances filed against him for lack of attorney/client communcation. You think he would learn his lesson. It just makes my job soooooooo stressfull to have to deal with these reasonable angry clients.
I think its totally disrepectful and because of that and other reasons i dont have much respect for him.
What would ya'll do if you had a boss like that? What does your boss do that gets on your nerves?
1 person likes this
8 responses
@NessaFilth (341)
• United States
26 Feb 09
If I were in your sitation, i would definately tell the clients "You know what, he honestly is not going to call you back. I have told him over and over, but it looks like he doesnt think he needs to call you back, so that's all i can tell you. You can give me a message, and i will take it and give it to him, but i will also watch him throw it away."
But hey, that's just me.
1 person likes this
@renemouche (843)
• United States
27 Feb 09
Thanks for responding. Maybe I should work up the courage to do that. My boss is just so spastic.
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@NessaFilth (341)
• United States
27 Feb 09
Yeah, then he would probably end up getting in trouble for waht he is doing.
1 person likes this
@czelie (10)
• Philippines
15 Mar 09
From the given information, I tink the boss don't care at all! But, looking into the positive side,maybe the boss is just too busy.Working into more important things that he could'nt even find his time to talk on those clients.However, if I myself would encounter the same boss, I would try to confront that boss in a way that,to let him know about right things he should do to such clients. I will make him realize that without those clients,the business,would be gone and will not be successful.
1 person likes this
@renemouche (843)
• United States
16 Mar 09
He is busy, but he finds time to play golf or card games online during the day, so to me he has time to call clients back.
Thanks for responding
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@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
14 Mar 09
renemouche,
First of all, what is the company's nature of business? What does your work involve in this office? What are your responsibilities in this company?
Sorry, but I cannot help but notice that it seems like you are the only staff in the office that is taking the phone calls. Are you the only staff in the office? Aren't there other colleagues?
I felt that I have nothing to help and relate to your situation as I just so much doubts and questions here.
However, I'd just add a little here and hope that it may be of help. If the issues of the clients can be addressed and resolved at your level then there should not be a problem except to convince the clients that you are acting according to the company's policy and boss's instructions. You may want to have an email from him to authenticate this.
The fact that he is not budging despite the filing actions of his client is just a further testament that his firm decisions are irrefutable and that there are no grounds.
I think you must remember your responsibilities and role in this company. You may not know or need to know every reason behind his decisions but you have to perform our duties. You may find decisions to be questionable but as long as they aren't illegal or immoral or risking your well being then there is no problem complying.
So, other than the little bit of my $0.02 worth, I think it will only help once all of us are clear with the detailed specifics in this whole episode.
Take care and have a nice day.
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
17 Mar 09
renemouche,
Thank you for your response here and all I can say is a "WOW" and I really feel for what you are going through. I hope that you will see better days ahead.
Your boss is really not only offending his clients but chasing away his business and unethical. I just cannot believe that there is such a kind where they can feel so comfortable at "throwing away money". I hope that his partner and spouse would be able to wake and turn his errant ways around.
Meanwhile, do take care and I really hope that you will arrive to the light at the end of this tunnel.
Have a nice day.
@renemouche (843)
• United States
16 Mar 09
I am the only staff. I have no colleagues. In the only one who answers the phones. I work for 2 small law firms. They are a husband and wife who are both attorneys. The have separte law firms with separte ste numbers but its the same office. Im the paralegal but im also the sectary and office manager for both firms. My female boss is great about returning calls or telling me what to inform the client if I dont know that status of a particular case. Im much more involved with her cases than I am with his because of his nature.
Of course when the information the client is asking is within my knowledge and if I can answer it I will do so but most of the times the are asking legal questions and advise. As a paralegal I cannot ethicaly give any legal advice even if I know the answer, only a person that has a a license to practice law and give legal advice.
As far as his decision about why he wont talk to the clients, he staight out tells me he dosent want to be bothered with some of the clients who call. I tell him you know they are going to continue to call until they receive an answer from you. If he dosent think their question is valid he dosent care until the client shows up to the office to go off on him.
Him not returning phone calls isnt illegal or immoral but it just adds unessary stress to my job and not very professional on his part.
A Lawyer has a legal and ethical obligation once he accepts a client and not giving them the advise they seek is wrong.
Thanks for your response.
1 person likes this
@elai03 (12)
• Philippines
14 Mar 09
if i had a boss like that who does not cares about his clients, i will tell honestly to them that he has no plan to return thier phone calls.. is there any such a boss like that? it is very disrespectful. he is using his position to gain power bu that is not good.. in job, you should be professional and do your responsibilities and duties.. dont take your clients for granted because they are also important in your work.. so i would tell the clients to stop calling my boss so that if they are gone, the boss will realize his mistakes that he has done to his clients..
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@renemouche (843)
• United States
16 Mar 09
Thanks for responding. I think I will start to tell the clients that because its starting to get bad again.
@Hubfee (665)
• Thailand
17 Mar 09
I think your boss is really someone who think he is the best! honestly, from the things you said, I think your boss a person who doesn't know how to handle his job then he will just assign it to someone else. And if you ask him what to do, he will just say to you that you should have known it. In my case, I don't care how people think, I will start look for a new job which is not worse than now. However I suggest you to do great on your job first and see if you have chance to succeed him. I think there are a lot of people hate him for what he has done. Since he doesn't know how to retain the management then I don't think he can be a boss last long time.
1 person likes this
@koelle16 (12)
• Philippines
15 Mar 09
if i am in the mans situation i'm going to him directly and tell him to stop acting like a bratt...and it would'nt do any good for the company if he keeps on being unproffessional, he is my superior so he must have to act like one...anyway he must not be chosy on the clients he wants to deal with..so if he will still keep his annoying attitude i might as well resign...if he's not concern of he's own company...thne why should i bother to explain...it will surely be a disaster for him..
1 person likes this
@renemouche (843)
• United States
16 Mar 09
His wife(who he also works with) tells him that all the time. He is just a person that is set in his ways.
Everytime we have an office meeting she tell him that if he doesnt start calling or emailing clients that it will be a disaster for him and it sorta already is. he already has 2 grievences filed against in with the state bar regarding attorney/client communication
thanks for responding
1 person likes this
@brendagalpo (10)
• Philippines
19 Mar 09
Wow that's just not right. I think your boss needs to again enroll in a business ethics class. I'm surprised that your company is still operating with a boss like that. I think it would be best to talk to your boss about his attitude. Hopefully your boss is open minded and open to criticsm, If not then I suggest that you think about your future in the company since working for a boss like that is just not woth it.
@lhanie04 (11)
• Philippines
17 Mar 09
If that's the case to my boss i will tell to the clients that my boss don't listen and don't give any answer to their questions.Don't even want to call then back so that the clients will know what to do next.It is disrecpectful to my boss but more on the clients because my boss is not responding with their questions.So that he will know that he have the duty and responsibility in his job and not to neglect his clients eventhough he is powerful than them.Maybe from their he will learn his lesson and do what is suppose to do.
