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?

And this is their friggin prerogative!

Good. lord. OP

you say you are senior?!

Why don’t you want to share your firm’s reaction to the feedback?

They aren’t complaining about you

They are complaining about your firm’s organisation and contingency plans (which appear to be piss poor)

As other people have said they aren’t complaining about you. You are just a resource to them, and clients always move deadlines so they are expressing concern that your firm placed a consultant in a key role when they had leave booked shortly after the original project deadline. Maybe they are also trying to express to your firm that they felt it was a risk assigning someone who had just returned from maternity leave to a key role, however it’s been clumsy worded and clearly it wasn’t a problem because you delivered the project.

Some (most) clients prefer to have resources that don’t have lives outside work and can be at their beck and call all hours and weekends, it’s not personal. In fact that’s the advantage of hiring consultant, it’s the consultancy that have to manage to people and their issues.

It would annoy me too OP. But I’ve worked with companies that weren’t afraid of saying, we only want to work with clients who treat us like human beings.

They are complaining about your firm’s organisation and contingency plans (which appear to be piss poor)

How are people supposed to book annual leave, if they always have to be available in case a project overruns because of the client's delays?

the FIRM should have contingency plans

The Op presumably booked her annual leave in advance

when the client decided to delay launch, the firm should have been able to adapt to the change

it is the fact they seemingly struggled to adapt is what the client is complaining about

Former law partner here. If you complain about the client feedback you are likely to scupper your promotion prospects or being allocated future projects.

Working in law is no different to shop work - the client is always right and you grin and accept feedback whilst seething - unless you need to push back on the comments as they want a discount on their bill?

If not, the sooner you move on and focus on the next client and your promotion prospects the better. You don't want to be labelled as overly sensitive or emotional by not being able to let this go or an idiot for thinking that you or your firm can "complain" about client feedback - unless they posted it on social media and it was factually inaccurate - but even then your firm will in all probability want to rise above it and expect the same of you.

Put it behind you. You aren’t a person to them, you are a resource and your firm should have effected a handover to a new PM when it became evident the project was going to run into your leave.

Obviously the feedback isn’t fair (I used to work in consultancy for financial services so know the industry) and having holidays etc. is completely fine and all the clients I’ve dealt with have been happy with this.

In terms of complaining about the feedback - no! If your employer is decent they’ll dismiss this feedback - I know mine would. But definitely do t complain to the client.

This exactly - aimed at the firm not you personally

Presumably this more on the PM or engagement lead who should have made sure the resourcing was consistent?

I work in consultancy, but having been on the client side, it is annoying when folk bob on and off projects, especially if they're time-sensitive.

Honestly it sounds like you need to grow a thicker skin. if you are up for a promotion then your company aren't concerned about it so don't make a big deal out of it as you'll only highlight the negatives. Just move on and chalk it up to experience with dealing with "silly" (insert more offensive word) clients

Can you clarify who you intend to complain to, and what you want the outcome of your complaint to be?

They sound like twats. Your firm seems to have your back so forget it. No matter how much someone is paying a firm, employees are entitled to have big life events happen and nothing can be done if a project is pushed back. Surely people use big firms because there is likely to be someone else as back up.

I think it’s sexist feedback, tbh. Everyone’s entitled to annual leave, but I highly doubt they would namecheck a male employee’s wedding and honeymoon! And as you say, you’d a clear run gif the project, with your AL only impacting because they delayed the wrap up.

Your company should really support you and call them out on this. It’s not personal but it clearly is a bit. Do you ever review clients, like as part of a 360, or to decide whether your company would want to work with them again?

I’m with you here.
I’d be pretty angry too.
You might be a ‘resource’ to them but you are also human!
It is completely unreasonable and unprofessional of them to mention your private life in any way at all.
If they push a deadline back, that’s on them
and it’s a risk they take.
You can’t put your life on hold for them.
Of course your little one takes absolute priority over anything they need you to do. It’s disgusting that they should even mention it. What on earth did they expect you to do?

Perfect example of how society expects us to raise children as if we don’t work and work as if we don’t have children.
I’m pleased your

I hope little one is ok now x

The clients are just dicks. Your company know it so all they have done is made themselves look stupid.

ignore it

I suspect the reason why the Op is upset and starting this thread is perhaps because her firm are not especially happy with the OP and have not dismissed the feedback out of hand

Otherwise why would the op be starting the thread and clearly very annoyed and upset

Most clients can be totally unreasonable and get you annoyed at times and the charities / "third sector" ones are ALL totally unreasonable and get you annoyed ALL the time.

You just have to suck it up.

You’d suspect completely wrong

So they are going to “complain” to the client about the feedback? or they’re not?

What did they say to you when the feedback was fed back to the team?

They apologised I had to read it and said That the client was being an arsehole and not to worry about it and that the client didn’t mention anything about the quality of my work (because they couldn’t, i done a 1st class job) so it didn’t impact my rating or my upcoming promotion

Some (most) clients prefer to have resources that don’t have lives outside work and can be at their beck and call all hours and weekends, it’s not personal. In fact that’s the advantage of hiring consultant, it’s the consultancy that have to manage to people and their issues.

This is so true. Moving from client facing to an in house role was the best thing I did post - DC!

but you’re annoyed that they’re not going to “complain” to the client?

I’ve calmed down a bit now. The exact wording in my opinion was very sexist and I was pissed off at the time. I’ve said I’m not working with them again and the firm are happy with that