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Well, it didn't completely fail yet. It's still going 13 years after I left, actually. But part of the struggles were brought on by my mistake with a military
by stretchwithme 8y ago
Well, it didn't completely fail yet. It's still going 13 years after I left, actually. But part of the struggles were brought on by my mistake with a military customer that probably cost us the contract.
This was back at the beginning of the Iraq war. Our main contact told me the US should attack France, as they weren't supporting the invasion. I made the mistake of saying I was glad he was executing policy, not making it.
Oops. They started migrating to another product. Oh well.
Lesson is, if you're going to object to what a customer thinks, do it when its your own company. It's not really fair to make such a choose for everybody at your company. Kind of self indulgent, actually.
And people are entitled to their opinions and my mouthing off didn't change anything. An exercise in futility that only cost us.
- solveit 8y agoAttack? As in invade??
- adventured 8y agoYou can't take people like that too seriously, the world is filled with plenty of nuts. During the Bush vs Gore chaos right after the election, the people - from another developed nation - I was working with on a start-up told me they hoped the US would collapse into civil war over it (they wanted to see the US suffer a political catastrophe for a change, they said).
- Leigho15_M 8y agoThat is a nutty idea!
- scabarott 8y agoThis sounds like a story straight out of the Onion, or Dr. Strangelove. That must've been one kooky customer.
- the_clarence 8y agoI mean. What could you have told that stupid guy
- tim333 8y agoI find sarcastic positivity often is good eg. "that's a really great idea - you should be president." Let's you take the piss and often they think you're being serious.
- beaconstudios 8y agoor just be professional and divert the topic to something else so you don't have to give an opinion on craziness. The guy was probably just mouthing off anyway and responding literally isn't going to do anyone any favours.
- stretchwithme 8y agoExactly.
- r3vo 8y agoIt's kind of a question of integrity. Do we have a moral obligation to disagree with something someone says that we feel is wrong? Even if it's not in our interest to do so? Maybe we do, maybe we don't. Personally, if someone with a large influence on my income says something I find offensive or outright idiotic, I disagree in a polite way that shows that I respect their opinion even if I don't. If I feel that it would really offend them I'm not above lying and pretending that I do. Sometimes I feel morally conflicted about this, but it's kept me out of trouble.
- stretchwithme 8y agoI think that's wise. I could have done that. I actually sort of insulted him and that was probably unnecessary. But if I had expressed an opinion explicitly maybe there'd have been a debate. Probably just should have said "I can't agree with that, but you are entitled to your opinion."