The Problem With Delays

It’s not the delay.

It’s the uncertainty.

It’s not knowing what will happen next. Will I make it? Will I need to rebook? What can I do to mitigate the situation?

In lieu of regular (what frequency is regular?) updates, what sources of information can one access quickly to see what’s common in this situation?

Can I rebook now? Can I reorder a delayed item or get it somewhere else? Do I need to cancel a meeting? Do I need to arrange for someone to pick up the kids? Can I pick up the delayed item at a local store?

Who do I blame for this?

The interesting thing about delays is that once the item is delivered, or you get to your destination, the urgency disappears.

Delays, especially those outside the control of a service provider, are a great opportunity to build trust. Getting frequent update emails, texts, etc. is a great way to build trust. Providing too much information is better. Even providing a definitive answer like cancelling or claiming something as lost can help put one at ease over just waiting.