This is a story from nearly fifteen years ago, when I was a strategy management consultant.
I once wrote a cover letter for a final report for my project. This was my first letter to a client at this company, by the way . . .
The very last line of the cover letter was meant to convey thanks to the client for the opportunity to work with them. I used the words ‘blah blah blah’ in that sentence – hoping to talk to my team on what exactly to put there, and fix that sentence later.
To my horror, no one picked up on that. Everyone instead focused on the project report itself that went with the cover letter. So the cover letter went via email as is, along with the final report to the client!! In addition, I had copied my CEO on the email.
I realized the this egregious mistake a little bit after sending the email. Needless to say I fretted about it and informed both the executive who managed the client relationship and the CEO. To my surprise, both of them suggested that we wait and see.
A couple of days later, the client sent back an email to me and a copy to the relationship manager and my CEO who were on the original email. It was a very short email, addressing me by name and stated the following.
“Nice work on the project. Looking forward to our final meeting to discuss your findings. By the way, the correct terminology these days is yada yada yada…!”
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Note:
Many of you have reacted with a combination of laughter and horror at this story. You have asked what happened later - my job, our relationship with the client, the presentation itself etc.
The answers to these questions are laced here below within the whole lot of reaction that this little story has garnered!
The very last line of the cover letter was meant to convey thanks to the client for the opportunity to work with them. I used the words ‘blah blah blah’ in that sentence – hoping to talk to my team on what exactly to put there, and fix that sentence later.
To my horror, no one picked up on that. Everyone instead focused on the project report itself that went with the cover letter. So the cover letter went via email as is, along with the final report to the client!! In addition, I had copied my CEO on the email.
I realized the this egregious mistake a little bit after sending the email. Needless to say I fretted about it and informed both the executive who managed the client relationship and the CEO. To my surprise, both of them suggested that we wait and see.
A couple of days later, the client sent back an email to me and a copy to the relationship manager and my CEO who were on the original email. It was a very short email, addressing me by name and stated the following.
“Nice work on the project. Looking forward to our final meeting to discuss your findings. By the way, the correct terminology these days is yada yada yada…!”
------
Note:
Many of you have reacted with a combination of laughter and horror at this story. You have asked what happened later - my job, our relationship with the client, the presentation itself etc.
The answers to these questions are laced here below within the whole lot of reaction that this little story has garnered!
34 comments:
:-) classic !
Maybe you can follow in your son’s footsteps and compile a book of such stories…
Too funny –
There responding humor shows that you had done a great job and they valued substance over style!
Love that story,
Does the fact the client copied your CEO mean that you got into trouble and also, did you work at this client again?
Good question. The client was a friend of the CEO. So it was all taken in good spirit. The relationship remained strong and I continued to do well at the firm!
That is a FANTASTIC story and great sense of humor exhibited by the client!
Mine was a common, rookie mistake… When I was in the financial planning group, we did a direct mail campaign to clients promoting financial foundation reports (bound financial plans). In the letter I mistakenly flipped the last two numbers of the telephone number for our financial planning desk. The number was actually that of a retired lady in a different office. Fortunately she was a fairly good sport about it…
That is one of the funniest and yet most horrifying stories I have ever heard.
Early in my career I had to create a brochure for a membership organization. It was a very simple piece but every executive under the sun had to review it and rework it (as is their way). After many, many edits and iterations it was finally printed. Unfortunately the headline on the back page with the list of honorees read: And the following people will have their names displayed on a plague at headquarters. Obviously it should’ve been plaque. In my case, no one was amused.
Oh my God! You must have been terrified!
Thankfully sounds like they were good natured. Good thing we can laugh about these mistakes.
Thanks for sharing – that is really funny
Best story I have heard in a long time. thanks for sharing!
Hahaha that’s a good story. Assuming you retained the client?
God, that is my WORST nightmare. Seriously, I have had bad dreams about doing that ..... hilarious!
Reminds me of a Readers Digest joke!
OMG - so funny!!! Client had great sense of humor!
That is hysterical - result of being a busy executive!!
That is absolutely hilarious! Straight out of Seinfeld...
That is hysterical!!!! I would have been horrified and sure that I was going to get fired.
That is hilarious! I love how the client handled it. I predict your relationship grew strong after this incident.
Here is my equivalent. I was in Napa Valley with friends drinking wine at Francis Ford Coppola's winery with his grandson. The grandson introduced me to another visitor who was an executive from HP. The HP executive asked me to send my resume to her. She took offense to my cover letter saying that Hewlett was spelled with an 'e' not an 'i'. Needless to say I did not get the project!
I have read this story 3 times. Each time I laugh harder!!
This is priceless. I made the same mistake with 'XXXXXX' sometime back. Now I make sure it is in red so no one can miss it!
I bet your heart skipped a beat! I hope everything turned out all right!
This reminds me of a classmate who submitted a paper where the last line was 'my grandmother wears blue bloomers". Luckily the professor did not notice!
This is indeed expected; often the clients are happy with you before the final report is delivered
It is the process of walking together
Similar to our life, we need to walk the walk with our children and spouse
Every one would have experienced an embarrassing situation similar to this. Sometimes I will mark a copy to a wrong person by mistake and after sending the mail, I will feel helpless not knowing how to recall it.
Your client must be a cool person, sure he would have laughed his heart out..
Wow! That client surely had a big sense of humor!
Hysterical! Glad he had a sense of humor!
I' rather be lucky than good...!
If I’d had gotten a letter like that from a consultant working for me… I’d have loved it. The assumption I’d have made is that it wasn’t a mistake but rather a proclamation that this consultant was an iconoclast with a healthy irreverence for empty formalism (which describes all too much of corporate communication). So I’d have thought… this is my kinda guy. I need the truth… with the bark off. And I’d welcome a reprieve from consultese.
Of course, such a strategy is highly risky. It won’t always turn out like this: Liar Liar (7/9) Movie CLIP - Roasting the Committee
Well sir, you WERE my client! And slthough this boo boo was with a different organization, I feel lucky that I have had great clients such as yourself!!
I sent a note to my client suggesting everyone get their ducks in a row, and misspelt second letter of ducks.
The client replied, "ok whatever you say...!'
This one is for the BOOKS!!!
Very interesting episode. Good that the guys have great humour.
Now my personal experience during late seventies when we were
setting up A three star hotel in Vizag, we had to take several approvals
from Ministry of Tourism to get finances from Banks and Financial Institutions.
A new secretary typed a letter addressed to "Ministry of Terrorism"
and none of us noticed the mistake as all concentration was on the content
of the letter and the annexures. The letter went and no one noticed.
When I went for discussions in Delhi and opened my file, saw our letter copy
to my horror I noticed this mistake, but without panic observed whether
the Secretary to the Ministry saw this or not..hurray, no one noticed at the
Ministry of "Terrorism" ...!
My most embarrassing e-mail (which easily escaped my sincere spell-check that I always do for my every e-mail) was when I wrote to one of my team mates saying "Thanks for your massage (I meant message) and the kind words, my sincere appreciation".
He wrote back saying. "Ganesh, I will always give you kind words for all the support we receive from you, but I don't plan to give you a massage, however you want to appreciate me!".
I called him up that day and we had a good laugh!!
I was lucky this was a male colleague!! Otherwise, things could have gone even worse!!
Great story, Surya. I was trying to remember this incident... and the "yada yada yada" brought it all back!
Read blah,blah, blah, it was good story i enjoyed it. keep writing
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