Co-worker vent...

[telephus44]

So I have this afternoon off from work.  I left a few quotes and some orders on my desk.  None of them were hot or had to get entered today.  I took care of everything that needed to be taken care of before I left.

So one of my co-workers put through one of my orders and did something that I wouldn't have done.  I know this because she emailed the customer to ask a question and copied me.

I've had the same thing happen a lot in the last 3 months - people covering my desk process my work and do things that are either incorrect or make problems bigger than they have to be.  A lot of my accounts have very specific ways of doing things. Or vice versa, they don't care about some details.  So it seriously pisses me off when people pick up my work. Especially when I tell them not to.

For example - a customer called and complained we shipped them bad product.  We need to put in a pickup slip.  I was on my way out the door but I knew that the customer probably moved the product from one warehouse to another, so I told my co-worker standing right next to me NOT to put in a pickup slip.  She says, no, I'll do it, it will take me 5 seconds.  I said, no, don't do it I will check with them.  I come in and she's put it in and it's wrong, we ended up picking up the wrong item and now I need to do another pickup slip and another credit.

Last week, I entered a label in our system incorrectly.  A co-worker helpfully jumped in to fix it and it was still wrong, I had to fix it again when I got in.

Today - customer placed an order for an exact repeat item.  I started to enter it and realized that they picked our old stock construction, we've changed to a new one.  They take the new one just fine, but I didn't have time to change the whole order over.  But instead of waiting until Monday, my co-worker has to check in and email tell them that they need to change the construction or we'll have to change the price.  I would have just changed the order over and sent them a proof letting them know I changed it rather than making a big deal of it.

Am I just being overly protective and put my big girl panties on?  Should I just quit taking days off so I can do my work the way I want it done?  All of these instances (and I have more) are all times when it could have waited a few hours or even 15 minutes for me to look at it, but no, someone has to jump in and do it.  And yes, I get pissy about it.

This is one of those job duties that I would seriously like to get out of.  If other customer service reps want my accounts so badly, let them have them.  

[Deleted]

*  That's enough.  Stop spamming the board. - mmhmm, Administrator

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Why can't you train them to deal with your clients?  Or leave a bulleted checklist on your desk saying "How to deal with X client" ?  Might not prevent everything but might avoid big snafus.

If you really don't want them to touch your work and it's permissible then I'd suggest locking those files in a drawer so no one but you can touch them.  Then they'll still be there when you get back.

[kgb18]

I can understand how that would be really frustrating. Tell them flat out to stop touching your work, or, like drama suggested, lock it up.

I hate when my co-workers cover for me, but in my line of work, if I'm not there someone has to cover stuff. It's aggravating when someone screws something up because then it's up to me to fix it or catch the mistake on my own before I end up repeating it based on their work.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Side benefit of working alone: no one touches my stuff.

[Shooby]

  At work you don't really "own" the work, it belongs to the company and they are employed there as well and being paid.  For one, at least they jumped in and tried to help.  I  have worked in places where nobody would ever help anyone.  So, that is a GOOD thing.  And, do you really want to be thinking about work and worrying about it when you are not there?  You can let those things drive you crazy or you can just take your day off and figure that when you get back you might have  few fires to put out and oh well that is the price of having a great schedule.  If you get along with these people and they are teachable, you could show them their error and hope that next time they will do better.  So, that is how i would approach it.

[Deleted]

"Should I just quit taking days off so I can do my work the way I want it done?"

It sounds like you are VERY picky about how things are done and you have your own way so if it matters so much and the coworkers are not stopping "helping" then I don't see another option.

[hoops902]

I agree with Shooby, this isn't "your" work.  It belongs to the company.  Therefore if you don't want them doing it, you need to make sure the company has a "don't touch other people's paperwork on their desks" policy.  Otherwise they're doing what they should be, and listening to you when you tell them not to would be a mistake on their part (particularly if they are assigned to "cover your desk").

[Deleted]

"I agree with Shooby, this isn't "your" work.  It belongs to the company.  Therefore if you don't want them doing it, you need to make sure the company has a "don't touch other people's paperwork on their desks" policy.  Otherwise they're doing what they should be, and listening to you when you tell them not to would be a mistake on their part (particularly if they are assigned to "cover your desk")."

Yes, and they could get in trouble for not working.

[Opti]

It depends on how busy all of you are and how often you are gone IMHO. If you are never gone more than a day at a time perhaps
lock stuff up that will require more work to fix. If you are gone more often and/or people do not have enough to do I'd try documenting
special procedures for each client and let people know where those files are. Perhaps print them out and have them available on your desk.

[Phoenix84]

Well, would not leaving work on your desk and stop communicating with your co workers of what your working on help? 

[telephus44]

But that's the thing - I do tell them that everything can wait until I get back.  I come into work at 9am, they start at 8am.  Would the world stop if they waited a friggin hour until I come in?  No, it wouldn't.

And they pick the weirdest crap to do.  I can have a simple quote to knock out come in, but they'll try and pick away at the hardest one with the most history.  

I really can't bitch at my boss because they are "helping."  

A lot of it isn't training, it's history.  I work in manufacturing.  So if an order comes in, I might be the only one to know that we ordered special tooling last time so you don't have to reorder it.  Or there's actually going to be a second order coming in soon that has to run with this one because they were quoted together.  Or we actually outsource a small portion of the job and the customer doesn't know that.  I can't explain every historical detail of every order I do.

sorry, this is seriously pushing me over the edge today.

In December I actually was out for a doctors appointment and had an order come in and I needed to order paper right away.  I asked a coworker to do it for me.  She ordered the wrong roll size and I ended up with an order that was 3 weeks late and we spent $12,000 on paper that we couldn't use and had to be reordered.   That has seriously pissed me off and made me a lot of more protective of my stuff.

[Shooby]

  Either take their help in the spirit of helping or arrange your desk and computer in a way that the things you are working are hard to find.  There are ways to do so if you so choose.

[Peace Of Mind]

sorry, this is seriously pushing me over the edge today.

In December I actually was out for a doctors appointment and had an order come in and I needed to order paper right away.  I asked a coworker to do it for me.  She ordered the wrong roll size and I ended up with an order that was 3 weeks late and we spent $12,000 on paper that we couldn't use and had to be reordered.   That has seriously pissed me off and made me a lot of more protective of my stuff.

Do we need to talk you down from pulling a Dark? 

I would either try to get those things done before the co-worker can interfere or try to just ignore it.  Or you could start screwing up their work for them. 

[Deleted]

You admit to making mistakes before. So why is their mistake not acceptable and yours is? It sounds like you are being teritorial when you shouldnt. If it is such a big deal lock up your work or dont take time off. If your boss is not on your side then it is not just your job, is it? Is it really worth making such a big deal? Maybe next time somebody makes a mistake let them take care of it. If they keep messing up at least you gave a reason to justify getting the boss on your side.

[deantrip]

If this information that is history is so vital to the information, then it should be entered into a database tied to the ordering, so that way if you need to take a day off or if you get sick or whatever, then there is no issue.  Share the load but make sure whoever is working that particular part is responsible for it.

[Works4me]

Did youdiscuss the $12,000 paper error with your boss? If so, what did he say? If not, why not? Also, it may be helpful if you could come in at 8am - I have been places where I came in later than the rest of the office and it never worked out well. They seem to forget that I am there at least an hour later than they are and that I am also provifing professional coverage later but I have never found it to be appreciated or valued or even recognized.

If your boss will back you, I would say to lock up what you can, secure you computer and voice mail with new passwords. Also, I would discuss issues like the lack of respect from the person who did what you asked them not to do - and, again,  the total cost. I assume you were rushing out the door and did not have time to explain why not to. I try to explain that when I say something I mean it and there is always a reason behing whatever I do. Just ask and I will explain - f-it up and I will explain without your asking.

Maybe set up some stuff they can do to help you that they can screw up - like filing or mailings or something?

Finally, if your boss does not back you on any of this then you are really SOL.

[resolution]

Would it be possible to make a short note on each order that explained anything unusual that needs to be done? Back when I had some coworkers that could pitch in and help me out, I would make a notation of anything special and attach it to whatever documents were associated with the customer.

[haapai]

I think that you need to talk to your boss about the help that you are getting.  It sure isn't helping your customers.  I'm also willing to bet that some of the blame is landing on you. 

Are we talking about a physical desk that's having work picked up off of it?  Would something as simple as a sticky note on the tricky bits of work (and the boss's buy-in and "Heads up, everyone") do the trick? 

FWIW, you might be able to get more buy-in from both your boss and your coworkers if you promised to explain the tricky bit to anyone who found the sticky note. 

[kjto1]

Then there are the co-workers who are convinced that the accounts you have are so much more fun, better, etc than the accounts they have, and can't wait for you to be gone for a few hours so they can see the "mystery" of your desk.

And correcting your own mistake when you know what you did is way different than correcting someone else mistake when you aren't sure what they did. 

[ginpin]

I too work in inside sales.  All I can say is that I sympathize.  I hate when I mess up my counter-part's order, or visa-versa. 

[Deleted]

Do you have a desk drawer? Can you lock up the ones you really don't want them to touch?

Or can you ask your boss to make a official separation: every account/client have their own representative and only this representative handles the account or something similar.

[Deleted]

 I can't explain every historical detail of every order I do.

Sure you can, it's called record keeping. When you take and fill orders, special notes of the type of information you are talking about should be entered on the database on the client's account. And every customer service rep that deals with that client should be reading those notes. You can't complain or your boss will know you are not doing your job properly.

[Ava]

I understand you because sometimes people, no matter how good their intentions, make things more difficult instead of helping. That happens to all of us.
But you also have to think that maybe they are following management's orders when they jump into your desk and try to give prompt answer to everything. 
On the positive side; at least they are trying to help you. I've had to move cubicles last week because another department is taking over part of our floor. My new cubicle is overflown with old documents that have been sitting around for years, and were just dumped there. Now this documents cannot just be shredded. Some of them can, but others have to be stored for ten years. The cubicle has piles of them.
Things are very slow right now, and there I am every afternoon, sorting through reams of paper, and each trip I make to the storage area or the shredding machine, I have a glimpse of my coworkers playing with their computers or texting on their phones. Not one of them has offered to help. I understand it's not the same situation. But what would I give for a helping hand.
Another thing you have to consider is that you are seriously thinking about giving up your time off for this issue. That, to me, is troubling. You don't give up your personal time, or your work-life balance for a job. You just don't. Talk to the manager, write up notes, etc. There is a solution to this, you just haven't found it yet.

[Shooby]

One solution might be to chew out your coworkers for helping.  Then, they will probably stop making any attempt to help you.  So, that is an option.  But, be careful what you wish for.