To be annoyed at client?

[Patriarchyaliveandwell]

I am in a senior role in a professional services firm. We provided services to a client earlier in the year who have said they were happy with the service overall but they were surprised at the insert my job title taking time off for her wedding, honeymoon and sickness (my baby was in hospital for 2 days over the course of dealing with the client) and that they expected more from me than taking that time off also made a comment about me returning from maternity leave which happened 6 weeks before I had any dealings with them.

my wedding and honeymoon were booked long before I even knew who this client was and bringing my son being sick into it?? I’m so angry.

they haven’t said anything about my role as such and I’ve got great feedback across the board from everyone else; so much so I’m up for promotion a year earlier than standard.

aibu to want my firm to complain about this?

Where I work, we use a lot of Big 4 consultants. I would be surprised if someone was provided to us for a project who was then taking planned time off imminently (wedding and honeymoon, obviously leave for your child’s illness wasn’t planned) as it would impact the project timelines.

Don’t take it personally- ultimately you’re a resource to a client.

Complain to the client about their feedback?

Er no OP, that’s not going to work for your firm. Be realistic.

The key is… has your firm dismissed internally and reassured you that they don’t think the same?

Yes you are. Presumably your firm asked for feedback, your client gave them feedback. It's rubbish feedback but that happens. It's not making any difference to your career prospects. Write your client off as being bonkers and go on to the next one.

It does seem very odd that you were given such a central role in a project when you had such extensive leave planned

It is telling that you even think it would be appropriate for your firm to “complain” to their client about feedback they voluntarily offered

And you’re being very naive if you think your girl will complain to the client about this.

That’s not how the industry works.

It’s not rubbish feedback, or bonkers for a client to feel surprised that someone central to a project they were paying for had so much leave planned.

It’s a bit of an oversight by your firm, unless staffing issues mean that there was no choice but to allocate staff in the way that they did. Still reasonable for a client to find it surprising though.

So no, I don’t think you can complain about feedback.

Telling of what?

YANBU to be disappointed by their comment but I think it was more aimed at the company for assigning a member of staff to them who had a good chunk of annual leave already booked.

You would be unreasonable to act on it.

Your wedding, honeymoon and sickness should've been covered so it didn't affect them.

They're entitled to give honest feedback.

I took a week off for the wedding and a week for the honeymoon. They pushed it back because they had a lack of information. The project was meant to wrap up before that and they pushed it back. It was done well within the deadline. And no we didn’t ask for feedback. My firm have said to ignore them they’re being arseholes. I just think they’re being nasty bringing my personal life into it when it had no negative impact on the project

You've got this the the wrong way round. The complaint is to your company for putting someone on this who they knew was going on leave. The client is right to be cross.

Daft of your firm to put you on the client team in a lead role when they knew you were booked off for wedding/honeymoon. This is on them, not you.

The client hasn’t given bad feedback on your performance. It’s good that your firm have said to ignore it. And it’s not holding you back in terms of progression opportunities.

I’ve been the client and the provider here and sometimes we (as clients) can be twats.

telling to think that a company would “complain” to the client about feedback!!!

Inexperienced? not at all business savvy? petty?

It was meant to be wrapped up a week before I went off. The client pushed it back.

the client was complaining about the firm for giving a central role to someone who had extensive planned leave on the horizon (both annual leave and maternity)

Oh, I thought you meant ‘telling’ as having some sort of insight into the issue being discussed.

and that was entirely their prerogative

I think you are struggling with the dynamic of the relationship between your firm and their client ie the company paying them!

My annual leave didn’t affect them. I came back 6 weeks before I started working with them and my leave was planned for after the end of the project; the client pushed it back.

no

But how can they complain then I was off when we agreed a time and fee for before I went off?

OP simply question

Have you raised your dissatisfaction with your firm? If so, what has been their response?

because they don’t expect to have to work around the annual leave of the company that they have contracted

Good grief Op… i don’t know whether it’s inexperience or… well, what?!

Can you really not see they are complaining about the firm?

Are you reading this right? We were contacted until the end of May that was agreed by us and the client. THEY pushed it back halfway through because they didn’t have the information ready. So I was meant to have a clear diary going off.

This wouldn’t bother me in the slightest. It’s feedback, they’re completely entitled to feedback whatever they like. I’d just shrug my shoulders and move on - it’s not impacted your career at all and they are happy with the overall project.