For the second lost job quote in a row (and the third time this season), the poor old Dougster™ seems to have been cursed by the "Mama vs. Papa" dilemma. That's where Papa calls you to come give a quote based on one scope of work (
typically well-suited to your advertised skills & capabilities)... but Mama is there when you go to actually give the quote (
with or without Papa being present) and Mama has very different ideas from what Papa told you!
And almost always, what Mama wants done is
not something that you do or can do competitively.
While I left laughing out loud from the last failed meeting (today) at how totally different Mama's ideas were from Papa's, I was crying a little inside and making a mental note to myself that I can never again go out to give a quote when the contacting party (Papa
or Mama) is not going to be there. Further, if I get any hint at all that married partners are at great odds over the type of work to be done... I should just politely tell them to call me when the debate is over and they make up their minds.
Dougster™
