Unsolicited Rant: Skipping Meeting Not Kosher When You're The One Who Called It

By Jon:

So early last week, I get a meeting invite with one of our clients.

The meeting was scheduled for two hours and was set to go over their biggest products of the year. It was apparently high profile enough for our SVP to announce it during our division meeting at the beginning of this week. Big event, I figure - I'll make sure I'm present.

When I arrived, our whole marketing team (about 10 people) are sitting in our boardroom, waiting for our client. Everyone's complaining about a two hour meeting and they all look ready to hunker down (with water bottles, etc). Ten minutes pass, and no one shows up.

We call down to their offices, and no one answers. Another call to their receptionist later, and we've got their head of sales on the phone. He remarks that he doesn't have the meeting on his calendar and didn't know he was needed.

Umm... he's the ONE WHO CALLED IT.

We all sort of stumble through it and leave feeling slightly more aware of their plans and products, but overall I don't feel like anything good was accomplished. Seriously people, you have GOT to make sure your email/calendar programs work, and you have GOT to bring an agenda to a meeting that long. Otherwise it gets off task or worse, off your calendar.