Last week I mentioned my Welsh friend who likes to laugh. Today I want to share a bit of advice he gave me years ago, it has always been sound, and you can probably benefit from it. He said this, "If you are ever in a situation where you are not getting anywhere with an official, ask if they have the authority to make the decision you want made, if they don't, go higher up till you find the decision maker." It is one of the best bits of advice I've ever had. Here are some examples of when I've used it.
Years ago we needed to get a visa from the British Embassy in Ottawa for a family member to travel to the UK. We went to the embassy and they told us they could only give us one that lasted six months. Since frequent travel was anticipated, I said we were not going to trot up to Ottawa every year for the paperwork and it was not acceptable. The person said it was all they could do. "So, do you have the authority to make a better decision?" I asked, the reply was no. "Then get me someone else who can make the decision" I replied.
Another individual showed up. I explained what we wanted and they also said it was impossible. "I don't accept that," I retorted. "What you are saying is you don't have the authority to change it. Get me someone who does." This went on for a wee while and eventually the highest ranking person in the office told me they could not change it. I pointed to a sign on the wall that said they were there to serve the needs of the British citizens in Canada. "That means me," I said. "And you are not doing a very good job. What's the phone number of the Prime Minister in London, for I intend to stay here till you fulfil your mandate, and a six month visa is unacceptable." Within minutes, they suddenly had the authority to grant my request. A visa was issued that did exactly what I needed.
Another example is currently ongoing. I got a loan from the credit union a few weeks ago to buy the Mustang convertible. We added a few grand to clear off a pre-existing loan from a finance company for another car. The credit union sent the money to the finance company on the last day of June. Trouble is the finance company closed their Regina office, and now they only want cheques in the mail. Aha, you may recall we had the mail strike, and the finance company has not yet received the cheque. Now they have been hounding me with annoying calls from their collections department, every day for a week. The calls have been ignorant, frustrating and frankly stupid. They have not accepted that I am telling the truth, and have threatened my credit score.
Today I'd had enough. I told the woman on the other end of the phone to get the supervisor. The man listened and made the decision to cancel calls to me, to give the cheque time to get there, or to allow the credit union to verify directly with the finance company that payment in full was indeed sent. I should have remembered my friend's advice and "gone higher up" a week ago, it would have saved a lot of frustration.
So, it is a lesson worth learning. Officialdom is burdened with too many layers of bureaucracy, and it does not matter if it is a government, an embassy, a finance company, bank, shop or school. Too often people try to get things done by talking to the wrong people. If you know what you want, and it is just and equitable and fair, then be willing to firmly but nicely stand up for what you want. Go up until you find the decision maker, if it is in their power to help, they will. If it comes down to some policy pronouncement, then you may have to take time and written correspondence to work through that, but there is no harm in trying.
And for those who serve the public, remember if you are not the decision maker, instead of sending the client away frustrated, why not take the initiative and refer them to someone higher up the pecking order. Isn't that what you would want if the shoe was on the other foot? Changes can only take place when senseless rules and policies are questioned. If you talk with the right people in a civil manner, it is amazing what positive things can occur.
