Call Waiting, and waiting, and waiting....

Our client is habitually 15 minutes late to conference calls. (Numerous conference calls) x (numerous people) x (high hourly rates) = a dizzying amount of waste.

C'mon, I really have to pee.

This week we had a 2:00PM call scheduled for one hour to talk about a training presentation:

2:00 – All contractors dial in. An orchestra of "BEEP-BOOP"s. Approximately 12 people on the line. We are not allowed to speak with each other as directed by the client. Silence for 15 minutes.

2:15 – Client logs in to indicate that another meeting is in progress. “Please hold”. Silence for 15 minutes. "Hello darkness my old friend, I've come to talk with you again..."

2:30 – The half-hour tipping point. Contractors start dropping faster than Kate Gosselin’s bank account. A cacophony of “BEEP-BOOP”s. The mono sound should be identical as joining the call but instead it expresses a hint of frustration. Yes, I’m dumb enough to stay on. 15 minutes of self-inflicted silence. "In restless dreams I walked alone, narrow streets of cobblestone..."

2:45 – The client logs in asking where everyone is. Really? A five-minute discussion to explain that nothing happened on the conference call and no one talked to each other.

2:50 – The client explains how they want to save money on training. In order to alleviate costs, they do not want to implement an operator-assisted call. Projected savings, $500. Great idea. But you probably could save money by....nevermind.

2:55 – Schedule a time for the following week. Top agenda item is to further discuss penny-wise pound-foolish cost savings for training.

Hello? Was that a BEEP or a BOOP. Hello!

Oh well. Hang up and get ready for the 3:00PM call.