"I'm having personal problems"
Discussion
Maybe I just hadn't noticed it before, but this phrase now seems to be used by everyone, often as a reason as to why they have provided such terrible service. I have heard so many people use it over the past 12 months or so, and it just seems a strange thing to be saying to clients or strangers.
Few examples from the last few months:
I went out to several companies to price up the supply of windows and doors for a work project, and 2 came back sharpish with a price, the other one didn't, then the CEO phoned me several weeks later to say "Is it too late to provide you with a quote? I didn't manage to get it done as I'm having personal problems".
A gas engineer failed to turn up at my house when he had arranged to do so and sent me a text saying he "Couldn't turn up due to having personal problems".
Roofer went AWOL during a job and wouldn't answer his phone for a week. He then reappeared to carry on with the (now delayed) work and told me he was having "Personal problems".
A work colleague of mine was caused a whole heap of problems when an engineering consultant made a total hash of some structural steelwork drawings/calculations, and when challenged over it all, he said "I'm having personal problems at the moment".
I honestly don't even know what it means? Health? Mental problems? Wife left you? Dog died?
I appreciate people do have issues, and they have my every sympathy, but this phrase now seems to be used as a 'get out' clause whenever someone cocks up or doesn't deliver on time.
The cynic in me suspects that this particular phase is chosen to shut down any further criticism, because no one wants to be the one lambasting a person who is suffering health problems.
Maybe I just work with a load of people who genuinely have 'issues'??
Few examples from the last few months:
I went out to several companies to price up the supply of windows and doors for a work project, and 2 came back sharpish with a price, the other one didn't, then the CEO phoned me several weeks later to say "Is it too late to provide you with a quote? I didn't manage to get it done as I'm having personal problems".
A gas engineer failed to turn up at my house when he had arranged to do so and sent me a text saying he "Couldn't turn up due to having personal problems".
Roofer went AWOL during a job and wouldn't answer his phone for a week. He then reappeared to carry on with the (now delayed) work and told me he was having "Personal problems".
A work colleague of mine was caused a whole heap of problems when an engineering consultant made a total hash of some structural steelwork drawings/calculations, and when challenged over it all, he said "I'm having personal problems at the moment".
I honestly don't even know what it means? Health? Mental problems? Wife left you? Dog died?
I appreciate people do have issues, and they have my every sympathy, but this phrase now seems to be used as a 'get out' clause whenever someone cocks up or doesn't deliver on time.
The cynic in me suspects that this particular phase is chosen to shut down any further criticism, because no one wants to be the one lambasting a person who is suffering health problems.
Maybe I just work with a load of people who genuinely have 'issues'??
I'm sure they do and I don't think you're in a position to really judge or question it (sort of backs myself into a corner where you can say "SEE - I WAS RIGHT!".
Very recently I needed some work doing on my car.
I had used a new garage for the first time a while ago.
While I was there I explained I was looking to build a good relationship with a new garage as I had a bit of a "falling out" with my last one.
I had an alignment done, it wasn't done very well.
In August I called to discuss some upgrades and asked for a quote and said the alignment wasn't very good, explained why and said I understand things don't go well so just do me a half price on the next alignment.
Then from August to October I got nothing. I chased a couple of times.
Then I got a "sorry, had a member of family passed away".
Sorry to hear mate, etc etc, but can I get my quote please?
"Yes, it will be over end of the week".
It wasn't, so I went elsewhere.
He may have been grieving so much he couldn't get a quote together (for around £1000 of work) but he was able to post to his business Facebook page multiple times a day.
At least in your example, you got a call from CEO apologising.
The good thing is, that there are so many other people out there equally capable of doing the job it's of no concern to me if one or two businesses seem to not live up to my perceived expectation.
So no I don't think people use it as a get out clause generally. Some probably do, but people lie - what do you expect. The majority of cases will be genuine.
Very recently I needed some work doing on my car.
I had used a new garage for the first time a while ago.
While I was there I explained I was looking to build a good relationship with a new garage as I had a bit of a "falling out" with my last one.
I had an alignment done, it wasn't done very well.
In August I called to discuss some upgrades and asked for a quote and said the alignment wasn't very good, explained why and said I understand things don't go well so just do me a half price on the next alignment.
Then from August to October I got nothing. I chased a couple of times.
Then I got a "sorry, had a member of family passed away".
Sorry to hear mate, etc etc, but can I get my quote please?
"Yes, it will be over end of the week".
It wasn't, so I went elsewhere.
He may have been grieving so much he couldn't get a quote together (for around £1000 of work) but he was able to post to his business Facebook page multiple times a day.
At least in your example, you got a call from CEO apologising.
The good thing is, that there are so many other people out there equally capable of doing the job it's of no concern to me if one or two businesses seem to not live up to my perceived expectation.
So no I don't think people use it as a get out clause generally. Some probably do, but people lie - what do you expect. The majority of cases will be genuine.
Just say "Ahh, cant get it up eh"...
The other one is "Womens Troubles", which is code for an issue which is reproductive in origin, when these are mentioned, gentlemen must retire to their safe space, such as garage or other convenient outbuilding to reflect and do man things, never ask, no good will come of it. Funny how we are generally keen on those bits but not the workings and mysterious routines involved in its upkeep, which can be quite involved and there isnt a Haynes manual, and all jobs would be five spanner ones.
The other one is "Womens Troubles", which is code for an issue which is reproductive in origin, when these are mentioned, gentlemen must retire to their safe space, such as garage or other convenient outbuilding to reflect and do man things, never ask, no good will come of it. Funny how we are generally keen on those bits but not the workings and mysterious routines involved in its upkeep, which can be quite involved and there isnt a Haynes manual, and all jobs would be five spanner ones.
J4CKO said:
Just say "Ahh, cant get it up eh"...
The other one is "Womens Troubles", which is code for an issue which is reproductive in origin, when these are mentioned, gentlemen must retire to their safe space, such as garage or other convenient outbuilding to reflect and do man things, never ask, no good will come of it. Funny how we are generally keen on those bits but not the workings and mysterious routines involved in its upkeep, which can be quite involved and there isnt a Haynes manual, and all jobs would be five spanner ones.
The other one is "Womens Troubles", which is code for an issue which is reproductive in origin, when these are mentioned, gentlemen must retire to their safe space, such as garage or other convenient outbuilding to reflect and do man things, never ask, no good will come of it. Funny how we are generally keen on those bits but not the workings and mysterious routines involved in its upkeep, which can be quite involved and there isnt a Haynes manual, and all jobs would be five spanner ones.
Welcome to your new Millenial, boohoo i'm hard done by World. Borne out by many of the threads on here.
My O/H had her house sale fall through twice recently after the buyers backed out siting 'Personal problems'.
6 effing months of negotiation, surveys, inspection etc all a total waste of time, money and effort.
My O/H had her house sale fall through twice recently after the buyers backed out siting 'Personal problems'.
6 effing months of negotiation, surveys, inspection etc all a total waste of time, money and effort.
J4CKO said:
Just say "Ahh, cant get it up eh"...
The other one is "Womens Troubles", which is code for an issue which is reproductive in origin, when these are mentioned, gentlemen must retire to their safe space, such as garage or other convenient outbuilding to reflect and do man things, never ask, no good will come of it. Funny how we are generally keen on those bits but not the workings and mysterious routines involved in its upkeep, which can be quite involved and there isnt a Haynes manual, and all jobs would be five spanner ones.
The other one is "Womens Troubles", which is code for an issue which is reproductive in origin, when these are mentioned, gentlemen must retire to their safe space, such as garage or other convenient outbuilding to reflect and do man things, never ask, no good will come of it. Funny how we are generally keen on those bits but not the workings and mysterious routines involved in its upkeep, which can be quite involved and there isnt a Haynes manual, and all jobs would be five spanner ones.
The way to work around the problem is to advise ‘if you are experiencing personal problems at the moment, do not quote’. Also Personal problems are unacceptable reasons to stop work, if you are unable to conform to this requirement please advise you are unable to accept the work offer. 
On the one hand, I think it's not a bad thing that the less tangible or less physical ailments are being given a bit more weight and legitimacy when it comes to the reason why someone can't or hasn't done something.
That being said, there's a lot of folk who will still take the piss and use any old excuse.
That being said, there's a lot of folk who will still take the piss and use any old excuse.
In addition to people claiming that personal problems is a valid excuse for non performance I wonder if that would also accept the excuse of personal problems if you are slow at paying their bill.
Must admit that I am getting tired at people using Covid as a reason for non performance.
My bank takes over an hour to answer the phone and then says that they cannot see my account details due to covid.
Credit card company takes 3-4 days to respond to questions on my account.
Virgin media say that services in my area may be disrupted and service is difficult due to Covid.
The only bloke who carries on as normal is my window cleaner, good as gold every 4 weeks, rain or shine.
Not as if this is new, coming up to 8 months now and every chance of another 3 months.
Must admit that I am getting tired at people using Covid as a reason for non performance.
My bank takes over an hour to answer the phone and then says that they cannot see my account details due to covid.
Credit card company takes 3-4 days to respond to questions on my account.
Virgin media say that services in my area may be disrupted and service is difficult due to Covid.
The only bloke who carries on as normal is my window cleaner, good as gold every 4 weeks, rain or shine.
Not as if this is new, coming up to 8 months now and every chance of another 3 months.
Evoluzione said:
Welcome to your new Millenial, boohoo i'm hard done by World. Borne out by many of the threads on here.
My O/H had her house sale fall through twice recently after the buyers backed out siting 'Personal problems'.
6 effing months of negotiation, surveys, inspection etc all a total waste of time, money and effort.
Citing. I agree, though.My O/H had her house sale fall through twice recently after the buyers backed out siting 'Personal problems'.
6 effing months of negotiation, surveys, inspection etc all a total waste of time, money and effort.
Scrump said:
J4CKO said:
Just say "Ahh, cant get it up eh"...
The other one is "Womens Troubles", which is code for an issue which is reproductive in origin, when these are mentioned, gentlemen must retire to their safe space, such as garage or other convenient outbuilding to reflect and do man things, never ask, no good will come of it. Funny how we are generally keen on those bits but not the workings and mysterious routines involved in its upkeep, which can be quite involved and there isnt a Haynes manual, and all jobs would be five spanner ones.
The other one is "Womens Troubles", which is code for an issue which is reproductive in origin, when these are mentioned, gentlemen must retire to their safe space, such as garage or other convenient outbuilding to reflect and do man things, never ask, no good will come of it. Funny how we are generally keen on those bits but not the workings and mysterious routines involved in its upkeep, which can be quite involved and there isnt a Haynes manual, and all jobs would be five spanner ones.
Before I moved South from The Lakes, I needed some work done on
a grassy bank that had lost its grass in places on account of some wet werather slippage.
I stuck a request on the local FB Smell and Squeak (Sell 'n' Seek) and received a reply
from 'Darren's Garden Services.' Long story short, he wanted me to front up sone monety
so he could 'get the materials'. Like a five-star, gold plated, mink-lined nob, I did so. Naturally, he never
showed.
So, cue the chasing - and the excuses. One: It was too cold and wet for him to do the work - the poor lamb.
Two: 'I've been ill.' With what? Dengue fever? Grass snake bite? PMT? No answer. Then came the one that
took the Jaffa Cake with honours...'I've had my appendices out.' Really? Either the back pages had been torn
out of his copy of Brittanica or he's a Siamese twin. Back then, he didn't even have Covid for an excuse.
Funny thing, among the 'services' he included pressure washing. Strangely, he could put videos of
himself doing this on FB for other customers, despite it being cold and wet.
So Darren, you're a lying little s
te and I hope Karma gets you big style...and you owm me £64.
a grassy bank that had lost its grass in places on account of some wet werather slippage.
I stuck a request on the local FB Smell and Squeak (Sell 'n' Seek) and received a reply
from 'Darren's Garden Services.' Long story short, he wanted me to front up sone monety
so he could 'get the materials'. Like a five-star, gold plated, mink-lined nob, I did so. Naturally, he never
showed.
So, cue the chasing - and the excuses. One: It was too cold and wet for him to do the work - the poor lamb.
Two: 'I've been ill.' With what? Dengue fever? Grass snake bite? PMT? No answer. Then came the one that
took the Jaffa Cake with honours...'I've had my appendices out.' Really? Either the back pages had been torn
out of his copy of Brittanica or he's a Siamese twin. Back then, he didn't even have Covid for an excuse.
Funny thing, among the 'services' he included pressure washing. Strangely, he could put videos of
himself doing this on FB for other customers, despite it being cold and wet.
So Darren, you're a lying little s
te and I hope Karma gets you big style...and you owm me £64. 
timbo999 said:
Nobody's ever said it to me... maybe its you?
Entirely possible, although one of my examples was of someone else being on the receiving end of it.The other people don't know me personally and I haven't even had much/any contact with them for the work jobs, so I'm fairly confident I haven't given them cause to make excuses and disappear!
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