Finally! A big name company (HP) gets it...in a good way.

Yesterday a blogmiga forwarded me an Evite she had received inviting Silicon Valley/Bay Area bloggers to a Hewlett-Packard blogging event scheduled in California on September 29th. When I looked at the Evite I saw a couple of things that concerned me:

1. The date of the event. The first night of Rosh Hashanah is September 29th and the event was scheduled to begin at 6:30PM.

2. The contact information for BSM Media* at the bottom of the Evite; The same external consultancy Disney had hired last Spring to coordinate their blogger event which had been scheduled on Passover.

Admittedly I rolled my eyes and heaved a sigh. I knew I wasn't going to contact the external consultant named on the Evite because she wasted my time in April and lied to me. A lot. And no, I did not confuse what she told me with stretching the truth so let's leave it at that and move on...

I googled the name of the HP contact on the Evite in California. I picked up the phone and called. Hoping not to be dismissed with a "Sorry you weren't invited. It's a personal decision everyone invited must make for themselves. If the event was held on {Insert Major Christian Holiday} I just wouldn't attend. You just need to figure out what is best for you. I'm sorry your feelings are hurt. But you know what? There is one Jew coming to the event and that Jew said it was okay." Every time I hear that bullshit response, and I've heard it plenty, I scream in my head, "This is a business function, not a family bar mitzvah. It's not personal, it's professional. Why don't you grow some? Own the scheduling mistake, apologize, postpone the event and move on!" Expecting the worst, but hoping for the best, I left a message expressing my concern about the event scheduled on Rosh Hashanah and ended with my call back number.

Karen Cage from HP returned my call and apologized. The kind of no excuse apology which can only be described with the word genuine. The only kind of apology that actually means something and is worth making. Karen hit one out of the ballpark for herself as well as HP.

We had a very positive conversation. She explained the event had been originally planned for the prior week, but another event would have conflicted so HP had to make new arrangements very quickly. In the haste to reschedule, she hadn't realized the new date is Rosh Hashanah. She also told me Rosh Hashanah wasn't on the calender she was using which contributed to the mistake being made. Certainly I understand both of these things. Calenders aren't perfect, neither are human beings. Mistakes happen.

Karen further explained it was HP, and not the external consultant, who planned this event. Of course it was then my turn to apologize for any incorrect conclusion I had made about their external consultant. (However, I maintain it is a consultant's role, when coordinating an event on the behalf of a client, to double check the date to determine it is indeed clean and clear. So the external consultant isn't off the hook entirely on this one. Why? Because I believe if your company name is on the Evite, then your company is responsible for the mistake. 'nuff said.)

We then moved ahead to the "What now?" Karen said it might be very expensive to postpone or cancel the event but she would bring the suggestion back to the team at HP. I shared with Karen just what I tell myself and my kids, "Some mistakes are expensive. I've made some costly ones myself. We all do." I also shared with Karen a mantra I repeat to myself and my kids, "You can't put a price on integrity and doing the right thing. You just can't." I made the suggestion HP eat the cost and take the only appropriate action; Postpone the event.

However, a flip side could be considered; HP policy. Knowing I don't work at HP, certainly it may be policy the company doesn't acknowledge any holidays when planning functions. After all, our son's preschool in Illinois was holiday free, only acknowledging birthdays. So I said to Karen, "If HP commonly holds business functions on other major religious holidays, and doing so would be consistent with HP policy, then by all means, have at it." I am a big fan of being consistent, both at home and away.

Karen and I concluded our conversation as I shared my hope HP would make a stand in corporate America by postponing the event and in turn sending a powerful message that HP values and respects all of its customers and employees. Not some more than others. Everyone counts. Everyone matters. Equally.

Karen called me back last night. HP chose to postpone the event. Thank you HP for stepping up and making the best decision ever.

Do you know what this really means? Do you? Wait for it...

Now that HP has come to me asking forgiveness, seeking reconciliation and I have granted them atonement, we all have one less sin to worry about on Yom Kippur!

Can I get an, "Amen!"?

*Edited to add: BSM Media is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Fort Lauderdale is in Broward County, Florida. According to the Jewish Data Bank website:

Broward County is estimated to be the 4th largest Jewish community in the United States of America.

Edited to add: In response to a post written on BSM Media's site please note: My statements in this post are factual. I have the proof and I am willing to provide it.