Why does nobody talk about the time a client brought their pet parrot to a site meeting?

Last week, I was meeting with a client about a bathroom project. Out of nowhere, they brought their parrot, who kept squawking 'measure twice, cut once' the whole time. It was funny but also made it hard to focus on the details. The bird even tried to nibble on the building plans we had laid out. We had to stop the meeting to calm the parrot down with some seeds. In the end, we finished the talk, but I'll always remember that bird's loud advice.

3 comments

3 Comments

hayes.tara21d agoTop Commenter

Setting a clear rule is smart, like @finley_price28 said, but maybe also add a line about it in your meeting reminder email. That way it's fresh in their mind right before they show up. It just saves the awkward talk at the door.

finley_price281mo ago

Set a rule about pets before meetings start. Serious talk. Had a client's dog chew a sample board once. Now I say no animals unless it's a service pet. Bring it up when you book the time. Keep some treats in your kit just in case though. A separate quiet room helps if they bring the pet anyway.

karen5571mo ago

Last month, a cat knocked over my coffee during a Zoom call. I totally get having strict pet rules now. I put "no animals" in all my booking emails after that mess. Keeping treats and a spare room ready just makes sense for backup.