I read it the same way. I thought Jessica and Bailey were the office staff that made the arrangements.
> Jessica is the office travel arranger type person no?
awww Heck, I don't know now... and is Bailey a male or a female?
Let's just say there is lots of information missing here and leave it at that.
Ted was fond of cats, as I recall, too!
> Jessica is the office travel arranger type person no?
Yes she is.
Survey "couple" is man/woman (not sure the kittens gender)
> > Jessica is the office travel arranger type person no?
>
> Yes she is.
>
> Survey "couple" is man/woman (not sure the kittens gender)
Its not Michelle is it?
This is starting to sound like a cat fight (pun intended)
(Next time, consult Ted Dura!)
> ..... Go to wal mart, and get you 5 gallons of water!
Water!!!! what are you talking about? No water until they get back home!.....I'm on to you; this is not Ted speaking.
I'm confused.... are they in Vegas or SoCAL??? I traveled a bunch and had lousy and great places to stay but I only could blame myself because I made my own arrangements.
Surveyor friendly accommodations where you can park next to the room are harder and harder to find (that you would consider staying in, anyway) My place of choice in the past ten years or so became Holiday Inn Express. The micro/fridge thing should have been arranged ahead of their arrival.
Siding with the field crew on this one. Sounds like you are the office guy who needs a few of these surprises to become more empathetic. A crew that is all you say deserves to be treated better.
> Siding with the field crew on this one. Sounds like you are the office guy who needs a few of these surprises to become more empathetic. A crew that is all you say deserves to be treated better.
They are in SoCAL. I will be leaving the office and traveling down there Monday (same hotel). [sarcasm]I just hope I'm not worn out from the walk to my room.[/sarcasm]
Spoke with the fellow a few minutes ago, he confirmed, based on a phone call to the hotel, they would have a fridge on the travel down when they get there. Hotels screw up, not mine.
I'm empathetic to a point. I spent many years in the field, and stayed in almost every po-dunk, fire camp, no-fridge, Indian reservation hotel throughout this part of the west. Stayed in some nice ones too.
I improvised, and didn't complain! Hotel don't have a fridge... Place water and food in that floors main ice machine chest (after I got my whiskey ice, of course) and it would be nice and cold in the morning.
"Survey "couple" is man/woman (not sure the kittens gender)"
I'm gonna' withhold opinion until we get some more information about the cats; how many, indoor/outdoor, short hair/long hair...But it's starting to sound like some crew members deserve a raise, and maybe a big hug when you get down to SoCal.
Reminds me of a working road trip early in my career.
Left SE Massachusetts at 4AM
Arrived in Springfield Ma 7 AM. got chewed out by Architect for not being there a week earlier.
As-Built hundreds of pilings, dragging chain through the mud, 2 pile drivers still working, concrete trucks filling piles as we're locating them. Cold, rain showers.
No budget for motel, so we stay at the house of the Springfield Office Manager. His in-laws and all their kids are visiting so the septic tank is backed up - no showers. Family style dinner and sleep on the sofa.
Get up early next day and work late so we can hit the road and get home.
those were the days!
> "Survey "couple" is man/woman (not sure the kittens gender)"
>
> I'm gonna' withhold opinion until we get some more information about the cats; how many, indoor/outdoor, short hair/long hair...But it's starting to sound like some crew members deserve a raise, and maybe a big hug when you get down to SoCal.
Think I'll hold off on any hugs.
Turns out they got a raise last month.
Here's what I see happened.. The party chief (boyfriend), had to plan a ten day outing with his instrument person (girlfriend). Instrument person said she couldn't go unless the cats come with her. It was either all the kitties or no kitties.. Probably had to make 15 stops for the kitties to pee. By the time he had rolled into SoCAL late last night with 10 bags of clothing, having to lug all that crap to the room, no fridge, pay for parking, he felt like venting.
Hopefully the six pack on ice I had delivered to his room from the concierge, has calmed him down a bit, and he has a fridge to put them in, and all the kitties are happy!
Good grief
I think it's a very well done email. I would not want people working that don't feel they can bring up issues with management. If you don't hear about stuff like this; what other problems are they not telling you about?
Old school to me means one delivers on their intentions. Doesn't sound like the company did that here. It also means having a sense of self worth and independance sufficient to speak up to the employer, rather than being a meek subservient lackey.
A couple with cats may sound strange to those that don't know them, but obviously the company thinks they do good work or would not have sent them.
Criticism is due us all on occasion. Sounds like you handled it well.
My experience with SoCal is 4 or 5 star hotels don't work well for surveyors due to parking and multiple floors. Better to go with a suburban Best Western or Holiday Inn.
Give them a budget, some constraints (proximity to job site) and have them arrange their own accommodations so they have no one to blame but themselves. Saves you admin time and potential miscommunication.
