What’s the dumbest way you’ve ever received a document from a client?

The Most Unusual Document Submissions: A Professional’s Perspective

In the world of client interactions, we often encounter all sorts of communication methods, but sometimes it’s the document submissions that take us by surprise. As professionals, we strive for efficiency and clarity, yet we occasionally find ourselves navigating through rather baffling document formats.

One particularly memorable experience I had involved a client who submitted a photograph of a PDF displayed on their iPad — and this photo was snapped with a Samsung phone. To make matters more challenging, I received it via email. As you might imagine, this resulted in a time-consuming manual processing of an invoice that could have easily been streamlined.

This incident got me thinking about the various bizarre ways clients have submitted documents over the years. Everything from handwritten notes to upside-down scans has crossed my desk at one point or another. I’ve even received files with generic names like “Image(345).jpg” — no context, no description, just a series of numbers and letters.

So, I invite fellow professionals to share your own experiences with unusual document submissions. What’s the most perplexing method you’ve encountered? Whether it’s the unexpected format of a handwritten list or an oddly titled file that left you scratching your head, I’d love to hear your stories.

While I’m currently working on a project aimed at alleviating some of these document chaos issues, I’m mainly looking to connect with others who have faced similar challenges. It’s comforting to know that we’re not in this alone. Let’s share our experiences and laughs as we navigate the often chaotic world of client submissions!