You have done everything right, woke up early, left the house with plenty of time. But the universe has said no. And whether it’s traffic or some unforeseen event, you are going to miss your business appointment! There are a number of reactions that you may have. The temptation is to scream and lose your temper, blame the other drivers, the train, that nail that flattened your tyre. We all understand, you have been looking forward to this meeting, and now you’re going to miss it and look unprofessional. However, most business people you meet will understand if you let them know what is happening. Here are some simple tips for handling a missed business appointment.
Take a Deep Breath
First things first, it’s not the end of the world. It may be extremely frustrating but being angry is not going to fix the situation. Anger will not make you feel better, it can lead to a more embarrassing situation. Take that deep breath, exhale slowly and let all of the negative emotions go. If necessary try counting to ten while taking a series of deep breaths. Whatever works best try and let the negative emotions go as it will affect your productivity later on. Mindfulness techniques will also help. Here are some links to useful websites: Yogi Approved and Mindful.org
Contact the Appointment
So this one’s a given, let your appointment know that you are going to be late. For one it’s just good practice and manners. If you are driving it will be best to pull up on a side street or find somewhere safe to make the call. That goes without saying. Don’t sound annoyed, always be professional. A simple, “hello x, I’m afraid I will not be able to make our appointment as [insert reason here]. Would it be possible to reschedule or arrange a business call?” You will find most business people will be sympathetic and will accommodate you.
Do Not Supply Evidence
One thing I have found is that it will annoy your appointment if you supply a photo for evidence. For me it implies that your word is not good enough. The appointment should be able to recognise that you are telling the truth. Why would you deliberately miss your appointment? Plus, if you are planning on deliberately missing an appointment, you will be caught out. Not that you are planning to of course!
The Appointment Does Not Reschedule
Ok, so there are those times when an appointment does not want to reschedule. You have missed the opportunity and that is that. Ask yourself this question, “have I just dodged a bullet?” I ask this because if the appointment is so unforgiving that they refuse to accommodate a genuine reason, are they truly worth your time? The last thing you need in business is to be working with a client who treats you badly. And I am speaking from experience here.
Treat Yourself to Something
This one is not a given, but you will feel bad for missing the appointment so have a small treat. This can be a small thing, I myself like to have expensive coffee. It will provide a small pick-me-up, which you can use to catch up on some other work. Enjoy whatever you decide to have. Be it a coffee or a MacDonald’s, try to relax and let the negative emotion go. Then get yourself back in the game, this was a small blip and the world doesn’t stop turning.
Conclusion
Missing appointments will happen in business because the world is unpredictable. The universe can be an unfair thing and when it says no, then that’s just tough. But how you handle this is what will define you in business. You can lose your temper and tell the universe it’s a big jerk (amongst other colourful expletives). Or you can roll with the punches, calm yourself and do what needs to be done. The choice is yours.
For more interesting articles on life as a freelancer please check out my other posts.