This morning I dropped off my car for a service. In the male dominated industry of car servicing, I got the Italian supervisor 50 something dude behind the counter with a “I don’t want to be here at 7:30 am” look on his face. The smile matched the mood.
All his questions were matched with a one-word or one-line answer: To The Point. A lady came into the room and asked me if I wanted a ride to my office. It is her job to drive people to and from the service depot. I told her where I was going and thanked her.
This is where the fun starts…
There was another lady in the car getting dropped off too. The driver asked: “When do you need to be picked up?”. I politely let the other lady answer first.
“My husband is planning to be back at 4 o’clock. He’s driving back from Perth today, you see. If he gets back on time and makes it to my office without any interruptions, you know men, they get sidetracked, they can’t do more than one thing at a time, I have work that needs doing this afternoon that can’t wait, you see there’s a client that just keeps putting in his work to us in the last minute and wants it done yesterday, men… ,”
“When do you need to be picked up?”
“Well, (insert what seems like a 2 minute sentence without any punctuation or breaths)”
“What Time Do You Need To Be Picked Up?”
“Uhm…”
This is where I slipped in my answer: “4 o’clock thanks”.
The driver said: “Thank You!”
The lady next to me said: ” 4 sounds good, but…” and proceeded to add in a few more trivialities. At this stage my eyes where glossed over and we were all saved from chronic ear-canal rupture by arriving at the first drop-off.
Just get to the point already!
Life is good, fun and full of twists. Sometimes though, it does pay to answer a question directly when asked for a yes or no or a simple time, especially when they actually need an answer quick like in this case because others were waiting. I think getting to the point is polite and we can always talk about the weather when we both want to kill time. That’s just my take. Keep in mind, I haven’t had my morning Coffee yet. 
I could have told this story much faster, but that would have been straight to the point.
Sean Rasmussen
Success Communicator
Aussie Internet Marketer © 2004 – 2010
{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }
True. If people talk to much I tend to ‘vague out’ of the conversation and start thinking about other things, or find someone that does talk about things that are relevant and not just babble.
Oh My Gosh – there are more people out there like my mother! Sometimes she drives me to the point of distraction that I end up butting in with a POLITE “Mum, I asked you a question” (and maybe even pre-empt her answer) or “was that yes or no”.
Have to giggle at your last sentence. If it had’ve been faster then you wouldn’t have made your point, or would you? Maybe it you had of filled in some extra sentences we would have really got the point of what the woman was talking about and then we would have the even bigger point which I’m sure we’d all be getting by then ….
Hahahah Yes how irritating…I hope you didnt tell her to get to the point already!? tempting tho im sure, unfortunetly its a female thing the majority of women like to create convo and beat around the bush so to speak.
Definetly pays to be direct when it comes to getting your point across.
love the little miss chatterbox pic lol (shes so pleased with herself)
so much clearer can one be without paragraph’loads of words
Hi Sean,
What an ear bashing! If you had not been polite and let her speak first and said “4 o’clock” she probably could have given all those happenings as reasons why 4 o’clock was not suitable. Possibly you did the right thing by waiting. She probably thought you made the decision on “what time” after calculating her schedule.
On the other hand your short answer may have influenced her to, Just Get To The Point.
It’s amazing really how at times, we can’t see ourselves as we really are or how others see us.
Hello Jill,
Like how you say that “It’s amazing really how at times, we can’t see ourselves as we really are or how others see us” ……so very true
Maybe she wasn’t sure what time would be a good time for everyone !!
Cheers
Lisa
Lisa Wood´s last blog ..Weightloss Challenge
Please say hello to Mrs BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH, etc at 4.00, from the this member forum. Kind of reminds me of my sister in law who can waffle for hours about nothing……………..!
Cheers
Harry
Harry Lynn´s last blog ..SEAN RASMUSSEN’S ” LEARN AND EARN ” COMPETITION
The moral of your story is: get your wife to pick you up or even better send her with the car (sorry Cherie!) LOL
You know the worst wafflers are those marketers who send endlessly long emails or have huge sales letters. Brevity is the soul of wit! And should be for sales pitching.
This is too funny! Look on the bright side, ramblers keep life entertaining – I just smile politely and secretly roll my eyes!
And that’s where I’m the complete opposite Sean, I like to say things in as few words as possible, although that’s not always right either……the other day….hehehe
Hey Willem,
Maybe its a girl thing….we so love to talk and when we are working from home it gets a bit too quiet. Then when we are out and about our words all spill out
Or maybe its an old then – the older we get the more we have to say!!
Or maybe…..Like I said its a girl thing!
Cheers
Lisa
Lisa Wood´s last blog ..Weightloss Challenge
And maybe she was on maternity leave as I can tell you right now when there’s an adult listening I’m rambling! My husband worries about taking me out to dinner now because I go on an on and he always thinks “just get to the point already” but then discovers, eventually, I don’t have a point. lol
When you sit at home talking to a baby all day it’s difficult to contain your excitement when an adult asks you a relevant question and listens to the answer.
Some of us are lonely and need interaction at the end of the day. I know I’m thankful for visitors who ask me about me and not my son.
Sarah Butland´s last blog ..Smiles and More are Contagious – Pass Them On
Oh I can so relate .. and all before that morning kick-starter !! I wonder why her hubby gets ’sidetracked’ on his way home? Or more to the point (sorry) where he ends up!
“One for the road bartender I’m late already might as well make it worthwhile”
Ha Ha! What happen to calling a spade a spade, and one word answers, its underrated in my book…
Though I’m glad that we are all different, as it keeps things interesting, but it seem there are some people out there who seem to go from one drama to another, and have to drag as many into their “Drama Glue” as possible. Its a real time and energy waster, for sure!
Cade´s last blog ..Stock Market Strategies – Stack the odds in your favor
I like your phrase Drama Glue because it is like glue if you let it in. As for energy waster it can really zap your mental energy. It used to do my head in because a lot of it was negative. I very quickly learned how to circumvent the waffle in a tactful way.
I just want to strangle people like that!! Guess I am sometimes too direct but at least everyone knows exactly where they stand with me!!!
Leigh Aubrey´s last blog ..MY WARNING HEART ATTACK
OMG!! How funny! and before the morning coffee top up! I have a family member who could possibly be related to this lady. Love the ‘Drama Glue’ comment, Cade, think I will borrow that one.
Some people need to be reminded ‘a short story is a good story’
Cheryl Griffin´s last blog ..Online Stock Trading
Ahh, don’t we love them? It’s funny how some people can ramble on when being asked a simple, closed question.
I guess the group having perfected this is called “politicians”
Renee´s last blog ..What Is Self Esteem What Is Self Confidence
It always happens before you have that coffee in the morning. I know exactly how you feel Sean.
One thing though you found out that men are only good for doing one thing at a time. Funny that I can do a lot as well and I know you can too, i think she needed that coffee more than you.
Richard Colum´s last blog ..Save for Your Australian Home Down Payment
Hi Sean,
Very funny for us; not so much for you maybe. Some people just talk for the sake of talking. They use a lot of words but say very little. It sounds a little like Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott at the moment.
Jazz Salinger´s last blog ..Internet Marketing Success – Make It Happen
LOL Sean, I could just imagine you sitting there thinking FFS!! Just answer the question without all the fluff… hahaha. Hope your coffee tasted good when you got it.
Oh Sean, sounds like you had a lot to take in first thing in the morning without coffee!
We are taught about asking direct questions for a direct answer however I think this woman if asked what colour is the sky would tell you what her favourite colours of blue are, where she bought her last blue shirt from and what type of blue it was and oh, what was the question again?
Sigh, very frustrating when you just want a straight to the point answer. I hope you got your morning coffee when you got to work
Tania Shipman´s last blog ..Nestle Customer Service is Excellent
I don’t know how many times I’ve encountered similar situations. When I worked, there were meetings I abhorred going to because I knew that some of the people attending were the type that would ramble on incessantly without ever managing to make a point. It seemed that they liked to talk just for the purpose of hearing their own voice.
Don White´s last blog ..With A Little Help From My Friends
i tried to get to the point- but then, there was a phone call and then the baby got sick and then … yeah sometimes it is hard to get right to the point, but what a good reminder that no one likes to hear us blather on about nonsense and polite and short is the smartest option!
I think she was undecided – but now she is not so sure
That’s a very straight to the point response to the above predicament!
Hi Sean
Maybe she is in training to become a politician, you know they never give a direct answer.
Hi Sean,
It’s really frustrating, annoying, irritating and blah blah blah to have to be sitting next to people who can’t just get to the point.
It’s kind of funny but not funny when you haven’t had your morning tea yet.
Rose Kawe´s last blog ..Just Get To the Point Already!
Very funny!
People who talk that much are the cause of a condition known as “selective hearing”.
However when you are in that close proximity it is a hard sell.
Just get to the point already!
My sympathies Sean. Sometimes verbose people should opt to internalise their thoughts before trying to sort them out with their mouth. How frustrating.
David Moloney´s last blog ..What is a Favicon
It is frustrating and annoying and time wasting and a good point for us not to waffle and to keep to the point………but…………
The lady….it is sad as she needs to share her story with someone … is she lonely?
Yes, say 5 words instead of 100, but sometimes there are people who need to say more and need compassion – probably complete strangers aren’t the best audience, but she didn’t set out to be purposefully annoying.
Jayne Pleysier´s last blog ..Why Product Marketing Is Important For A Small Business
Hello Jayne,
I was thinking the same….maybe she needed to speak but has no one that is around to hear her? So when does go out she ends up saying to much?
Also think that us girls sometimes have to think through our day (sometimes out loud) to be able to come to a decision about what time would be good!!!
Cheers
Lisa
Lisa Wood´s last blog ..Weightloss Challenge
Hi Sean,
I think Ange should get the prize for being straight to the point this time – FFS does the trick more often than not.
Rob.
hehehe Which is why it’s great to have a blog as it’s not necessary to just get to the point already. If we want to get to the point we can read the last paragraph – highlighted by a “headline” and go about our day. But then we don’t get the humour, don’t get to smile a little and really have nothing more to say in response than “true”.
Sarah Butland´s last blog ..Kelly Moran Took Me On Summer’s Road
I like blogs to get to the point – either in short succinct paragraphs or using headlines to help me quickly find the points that may interest me. I don’t use blogs for fun or to just chat – I go to friends for that. I don’t see it being beneficial to do one’s socialising on the net
Very funny story Sean and I agree, it is so frustrating when all you want is a simple yes or no and you get told what the person ate for breakfast last week and what colour underwear they wore to their sisters wedding. Getting to the point quickly will also encourage your readers to read to the bottom of your post.
Jackie Stenhouse´s last blog ..Anxiety Separation in Children
We all experience this type of delay from time to time and wish that the person we are waiting on would just hurry up and get to the point! Maybe this lady had not used up her weekly quota of words,
or perhaps she was on the way to a meltdown. I often handle this type of situations by doing the opposite of others and try to engage with and talk to the person. I think that when people ramble they are just in need of someone to really listen to them. It only takes a few minutes and I think it helps the rambler by letting them know that someone cares enough to listen. It just might make their day!
Bev Langford´s last blog ..Internet Marketing Education
Hello Bev,
So agree….take the time to listen and it might make their day. I think she probably was talking out loud while thinking out loud!!! I sometimes do this, just so I can plan my day around what I need to do
Cheers
Lisa
Lisa Wood´s last blog ..Weightloss Challenge
Are you sure this lady wasn’t a politician? Most of them couldn’t answer a question if their life depended on it. Possibly her business is writing spin for politicians. Your patience is admirable. Did you think to slip her a business card?
She probably would have been too busy talking to notice LOL. Then next time when she’s at the ATM, bending some poor buggar’s ear, she might try feeding it into the machine instead of her card ROFL!!
I think the people need to be taken the way they are. Besides the lady in question is imprevisible because of her ‘’sidetracked husband” and the client who ” just keeps putting in his work in the last minute and wants it done yesterday”. All she needs is a mobile telephone and some compassion.
Hi Sean
I laughed when I read this, maybe it’s just the way you wrote it but i’t’s funny all the same.
At least you were not rude to her. Sometimes it’s nice to sit in our own silent space and let others fill theirs.
Elly´s last blog ..Sean Rasmussen Creates The YOTA Internet Marketing Forum
Hello Sean,
I so feel for this lady !! I can see both sides….it would of been frust..ops meant fascinating for the guy who was asking, and interesting for the passengers in the car:)
Maybe she needed to plan her day out by speaking out loud so that she could find a time that suits her, or maybe she did not want to seem too forward by stating a time?
I can see where you are coming from with Just Get To The Point Already, but I can also see the lady’s point of view – Hey us girls do like to talk!!
Great to have a laugh, thanks Sean
Cheers
Lisa
Lisa Wood´s last blog ..Weightloss Challenge
Some people should really have that little conversation with themselves first and maybe there else self might have the courage to tell the other to just get to the point.
Maybe she would want to read Sean’s blog post about being your own best friend. Might give her an insight as to what other people already see!
I think when people talk incessantly like this it is more that they don’t realise what they are doing and the impact it has on people around them. When other people get short tempered with them – they don’t understand. Sometimes they just have to be interrupted so that you don’t lose patience.
Jayne Pleysier´s last blog ..Sean Rasmussen- A Successful Internet Marketer’s Journey
I was just messing around and did a search for “just get to the point” and your page was the top out of 1,510,000,000. I had to come and see who held such an honer. I do SEO work and it’s not often that you come across a phrase with that many listings. Congratulations! Many marketers would love to have juice like that. Oh, thanks for running commentluv as well. I use it also. Peace
Chuck´s last blog ..New Mobile Marketing Training Course
Hi Lisa,
Yes I think that’s a possibility as well and why she went through her schedule. Thanks for your input.
Jill Brown´s last blog ..Lifestyle with Sean Rasmussen – Affiliate Marketing