Question about communication at work

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I have a question about communication at work.

When new programs or promotions are rolled out, the details are frequently not elucidated. (For example, what if someone wants to add additional tickets to a package? Can the customer get the discounted rate?)

In the past, I have asked for clarification in these situations. I estimate that well over 90% of the time, I have received no response. If I do so in writing, I never hear anything from management. If I do so face to face, I am told that it will be looked at - but I never receive an answer.

This has not been limited to one job: it is common to all of them. I have concluded that normal people think that I am just being difficult, for some unknown reason. Yet, I am not trying to be difficult: I ask basic questions that customers invariably end up asking.

In future jobs, how should I handle this? My current plan is to abandon asking questions in these scenarios.

It may be best to wait until a customer actually requires an answer,.

No, that's a terrible idea. As a customer, I sometimes ask questions that I think are pretty obvious but this kid somehow doesn't know the answer. How has nobody asked this before and why do I now need to wait 15 minutes to figure it out? Any possible question should be handled before it's asked.

Depends on your perspective. If someone finds that they can't stay employed, perhaps they should be looking out for themselves more. Sure, it is nice to look out for the customer, but not at the expense of endangering your job.

Look at it this way. If a customer really needs better service, they have to pay for it, which means patronizing companies that do a better job of what they do. They can't have low prices and the best service. Doesn't work that way.

Is it correct, as I hypothesize, that neurotypicals think that the person asking questions is being difficult, or perhaps something else undesirable? (This is not a rhetorical question.)

In the past, I have attributed this non-answering to poor management. However, given the pervasiveness of this phenomenon, it recently occurred to me that it may be due to some way of thinking which I do not grasp. I do not think that the non-answering is due to sarcasm or tone of voice issues. I employ a very plain communication style, in order to to try to avoid pitfalls.

I wonder if a certain personality type is attracted to the job of management. There is a book, "Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths go to work" by Robert Hare, that indicates that.

I can think of several possibilities for you not getting an answer:
- the person you contacted doesn't know the answer, either
- the person you contacted does not think s/he is responsible for giving you the answer
- s/he is unsure if their answer is correct and does not want to stick their neck out by guessing
- s/he does not have to deal with the consequences and therefore doesn't care
- s/he is overworked and too busy to respond
- s/he thinks you should work it out for yourself and stop bothering them

If it's the last one, they may be thinking of you as a troublemaker, but that's not your fault. It's theirs for not being capable enough at their job to give you the information you need when you need it.

If you really are 42, you really do need to start looking out for yourself. You are approaching, if not already there, the age in which you will run into age discrimination. Which will make it even harder to find jobs.

The New England Patriots have a very successful mantra of "Do your job." No more, no less. Yes, they don't expect people to do more than they are realistically capable of doing. Same here. Do your job. No more, no less.

Thanks for all responses.

The statement that customers have to pay for better service puts a different perspective on matters: there may be no need to try to have answers to common questions in advance, as the customers aren't paying for this service.

I have never lost a job due to asking questions, as far as I know. However, as the company is downsizing, I am thinking about how to behave in a new job.

The conclusion I have to draw is that management prefers to answer questions when they occur. I do not understand that preference, but one should be practical. I was looking for perspectives on what neurotypicals think when someone asks questions.

(And yes, I am actually 42.)

A work environment is predicated on interpersonal relationships with coworkers, management and customers (in your line of work). Interpersonal relationships as such have an emotional component to them. Perhaps your personality, demeanor, delivery is irksome to some people. Managers are human. Humans are far from perfect.

Upper level managers put expectations and pressures upon middle managers (i.e., your bosses, most likely). Those are the most crucial expectations for the middle manager, not your questions. When you ask supervisors questions - before situations occur - it is felt like an expectation or a demand, and the manager is already pretty busy. If you ask a LOT of such questions, it may well lead to the supervisor ignoring your questions entirely.

Therefore, I would suggest only asking a question when it comes up with a customer, and not before.

OP,

I spent 32 years anticipating questions before I needed to answer them. Much depends on the type of work you are doing. I was in a healthcare related field (various types of work) and it was fairly easy for me to convey to my higher-ups that it would be sensible for us to know the answers before we needed them. I did have one supervisor who tried to brush things off, but she got cured real quick when the CEO had an emergency request and it was something I'd asked her about - after that, she took my questions much more seriously.

You may need to find a different line of work, or a different place to work, one where forward planning is welcomed. Because that's really what you're doing. Contingency planning, they used to call it, and it used to be much more valued.

This answer contains a very reasonable explanation for what is happening, without assuming poor management.

(I still think that a brief anticipation of common questions would be more efficient and professional, but the pressure explains why this would not be done.)

Actually, not to be a pain about it, but corner-cutting because of arbitrary internal organizational pressure is kind of the *definition* of poor management, isn't it?

Just sayin'.

It may be hard to switch to a quality organization that will see your valuable skills if you have a poor employment history.

The Patriots are known for finding such underutilized talent. But, they are also known for quickly letting players go if your vision of what you should be doing differs from theirs.

A fair point. Something like: 'without assuming managers are incompetent or don't care' more accurately expresses the thought.