The Hunter
I've been told too many times by my friends and now even some clients that I'm too nice. I really don't know what I did. But maybe I do now.
I had a client who has been with us for years now. As such, when we mailed the client for a renewal contract last year, we didn't follow up closely and we never received the signed contract. We trusted the client and actually, even if we realised a few months later that the client had not returned the signed contract, we probably will not chase for it. We didn't want the client to think that we did not trust him.
It was a judgmental error on my part. This year, the client decided not to renew the contract. When I checked with my accounts if the client had any outstanding payments, I was surprised to realise that the client still had an outstanding $6,000. He had only paid 50% last year. My accounts staff had been chasing for the payment for the past one year!
Recent months, we had intensified our effort in chasing all outstanding payments as collection of payments had been difficult this year. When we chased this client for payment, my accounts had been promised payments but it never came. He even went as far as telling us that the cheque had been sent and queried us why we have not received it yet. When my accounts staff assured him that we've not received, he said he had the cheque cancelled. The funny thing is, knowing him, if he had really cancelled the cheque, he would definitely have blamed us for wasting his $20 to authorise the cancellation of the cheque, which he didn't.
The most recent excuse he had given us was that his accounts will not release payment if we did not have a signed contract. Knowing that it was just a ruse, I called him and told him this is a simple problem and it is easily rectified. We all agree that he had utilised our services and received our products, all that's missing is a signed paper. I told him my staff can simply meet up with him and he can sign the document. He said he was busy and will call us back to arrange a meeting. Days gone by and he never returned our calls and he never answered our calls either.
Yesterday, using another phone, I called him. I suspect that because it was not a familiar number, he answered my call. When he realised it was me, he had wanted to hang up the phone citing that he is in a middle of a meeting. I did not relent and asked him where he is now and I'll come over to meet him. He said he'll be off to another meeting soon. I asked him where is his next appointment and I'll meet him there after his appointment. He agreed.
When I arrived, I texted him that I've arrived. He replied saying that his meeting will be long and suggested that I meet him other day. I'm relentless. I told him it is alright as I can wait for him.
Many years ago, when I was still a fresh grad and joined as a member of my hostel's business committee, maybe because I was first year, I was given the unenviable task of collecting a $500 payment which the previous committee had failed to collect during their one year term.
I went to the shop, met the owner and told him my intention. He told me he was busy and asked me to wait. I was relentless. I waited for 6 hours outside the shop until he was about to close his shop for the day. Seeing how persistent I was and secretly suspecting I'll be back tomorrow if I didn't manage to collect the payment, he wrote a cheque of $500 and handed it to me. To me, spending 6 hours at one go to chase for the payment is better than spending one year chasing with no results to show.
Yes, I'm relentless and I can be stubborn. Some people don't know how to handle me as I have extraordinary persistency beyond normal human tolerance.
Yesterday, I waited in the building for 3 hours. I had asked the security guard and he had told me that the elevator lobby was the only exit for guests. With a Sandman trade paperback, I planted myself at the lobby and waited.
After 3 hours of waiting, I felt that something was amissed. Call it sixth sense or gut feeling. I texted my client to check if his meeting would be done soon and he never replied. I walked out of the building at 9 pm and looked up the 4-storey commercial building. It was pitch black. Other than the security guard, everyone had left the building. Obviously, my client had sneaked out from the staff-access exit at the back of the building.
This really irks me. He had wasted my time and did not have the decency to answer my calls or reply my sms when his meeting had finished and made me wait in vain. By the time I came home, my younger son had already slept. I had missed seeing my younger son today. This had irritated me to no end.
He has now made himself my personal responsibility. He is in the line of sight of my bow and arrow. I'm ready to put war paint on my face and don my hunting gear. The tribal drums have sounded and the hunt has begun. I'll be quiet like a phantom walking through the Amazon jungle. I'll be tracking your trails and I'll follow you. I'll be relentless in my pursuit. I'll wear you down mentally and physically. I'll be relentless.
I am the hunter and you are my prey.
