My boss is out of town for 10 days. She tried, before she left, to get as much done as she could so that we (my coworkers and I) wouldn’t run into any huge issues while she was gone. Then she gave each of us some things to take care of on our own. I was beyond excited to have the responsibilities, and motivated at the chance to show my boss all that I could handle on my own.
Two of the projects I was "given" include clients who are ordering wall covering. The same paper hanger is bidding both jobs. Both clients have received and signed their contracts, which I figured and typed up, and all purchase orders have been sent in. In short everything is in progress... the jobs have begun.
Now, I distinctly remember getting the bids from the paper hanger and, sequentially, the quotes from the (3) wallpaper companies involved. One of which sells their product by the YARD, and others by the ROLL and the double-roll BOLT.
Confused? If you are, that’s awesome, because so was I when woke up this morning in a pure, sweaty, shaky panic. I sped to work thinking that I had ordered 16 YARDS of a wall covering that was quoted at 16 ROLLS by the paper hanger. Not only would this completely change the contract for that particular client, which might cost us the job, but it would also be a pain to explain to the company I ordered from. And some of these companies, just flat out DO NOT take returns.
I flew through the office and went straight for my table. Flipping through the file, I found that indeed the paper hanger had quoted 16 rolls. Dammit! So I ripped at the paperwork until I found the purchase order. Wait… I ordered 16 rolls… so what was quoted at yards?
Uh, the other client.
So I tore through that file until I found the purchase order. There was no mistake… I had ordered everything correctly. My body went completely limp and I flopped back against the chair. I don’t even remember sitting down at this point. My whole body was shaking and my heart was pounding. I sat there for a second and just took breaths until I remembered the other thing I was worried about...
I checked my email – I had sent my boss an email regarding an important question about lighting for one of the projects I am overseeing.
I was concerned about the sconces that we ordered not actually working in the space because of the existing recessed lighting being too close to the wall, and the sconces too close to the ceiling. My coworker seemed to think it was unimportant yesterday, but I still put a hold on the sconce order because as a designer, I knew it would look strange. Knowing the clients wanted the sconces, I felt like they would be upset if they couldn't get them.
For some reason, I thought that this would come down on my head, and that I would somehow be held responsible for this issue (which might seem small to those reading -but if you paint a picture in someone's head, and they just fall in love with the idea, then they get a little pissed if you suddenly tell them they can't have it).
My paranoia comes from working with my "lightswitch" of a boss. One minute she is fine and the next... CLICK... everything is a disaster.
But when I read the email, I was pleasantly suprised.... It said, “Thanks for checking the lighting. I think you could talk to the client and we could possibly hold off on the sconces or move the recessed. We will have to decide before the wallpaper goes in.”
I had gotten a 'thank you'?
BOO-YA, BABY! Suddenly I was a problem solver, and had prevented a huge issue. Sort of like a pro-active Batman... which was the complete opposite feeling than what I had twenty minutes before. The flip-flop fried my nerves, first they were on fire with apprehension and my brain was screaming, "No, no. Please, no." Then they went completely calm and proud, like I was invincible. Crazy.
And this was all before 9:00 am!
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