Managing Expectations - A Vital Skill

Ever notice how wrong things can go when intentions become expectations? "I tried to get it done Thursday, but I didn't get it done until Monday." Effect - Whoever was relying on the result is unhappy - possibly unreasonably so. Andthey probably think less of the intender, however unfair that may be.

What cause me to focus on this.? My continuing auto body shop saga.

Here goes:

We had a low speed collision on May 10th - we rearended another car. The damage to the other car was minimal, the damage to our car was a crumpled hood, gouged bumper - but it was driveable. On the 11th, off to the recommended auto body repair shop for an estimate and to start repairs. Got the estimate - was cautioned that there might be additional damage that could not be determined until the crumpled hood could be opened. OK - the guy I was dealing with took me on a tour of the shop - clean, busy, well organized.

On the following Monday, May 15th, I dropped the car off to be repaired. On the 17th I got a call that the damage was more extensive than originally thought and the estimated total repair period from the day I dropped it off was 13 to 15 working days. Damn - the original estimate was 3 to 5 days. I wasn't happy, but OK. On the 24th I get a phone call telling me that the repairs are completed and the car is at "Paint." Great!! My expectations were really exceeded!! As I write this - on June 2nd, the car is still at "Paint." Not painted - just at Paint. I went to the body shop this AM to see my car. Sure enough, it was at Paint - masked, prepped, ready to paint - but not painted. Every day since the 24th I have talked to my Customer Service Manager contact who always assures me that the car is "at Paint" and they will try to get it to me by the following day. Today my contact assured me they would paint the car today and work hard to get it to me by the end of business today. Four hours later my contact calls me to tell me the car has not yet been painted and there is no way he can get it to me today - Friday. But he will "try" (there's that weasel word again), to get it done and to me by the end of business on Monday - the 15th work day since they received the car - and within his original estimate. I am really ticked off, unimpressed with the service, and will never, ever use this shop again! And I have serious doubts that the car will be painted today - he's been telling me that for seven days now - with no results.

I told him I would be at his shop Monday 8AM - and would hope the car was at least painted - there are other final steps that have to take place after paint. I then called our insurance company that recommended this shop - they said there was nothing they could do. Next I got on the body shop website and E mailed the manager of the shop with the facts of the case and asked for his help in getting my car back to me. The E Mail came back as undeliverable. I have forwarded it to their corporate location and asked their representative to get it to the person in charge of the location. I will not hold my breath.

Am I being unreasonable? If you look at the original estimate, you could say Yes. If you look at the communications and the expectations that were started on the 24th, the answer is No. The Customer Service Manager said all he was trying to do was get the car to me as soon as possible, and I think he considers me unreasonable for pressing him. But I only pressed him because he established expectations that have not been met!

Has that ever happened to you? I think we are all guilty of letting our enthusiasm get in the way of our common sense, and the results are often bad news. Better to establish bulletproof expectations and exceed them than to push for a maybe - and miss.

Don't ever confuse intention with results when establishing expectations. You may assume others affected by the missed deadline will understand how hard you worked - how much effort you put into the commitment. They won't.