Why am I always kept waiting when I go to see a lawyer or an accountant? It’s not as if I drop in out of the blue. All the appointments are arranged in advance and I’m usually paying the person I’m meeting. Sometimes people have legitimate reasons for being late but I don’t think there has ever been a time when I’ve been met promptly.

Issues of time are a major source of offense in our culture. Keeping people waiting is a petty power play that usually insults the one kept waiting.

– The Niceties of Negotiating

I contribute to this problem because I rarely complain about being left waiting. What is the best way for me to handle this situation? I don’t like to complain at the start of the meeting. It causes bad feeling and the person I’m meeting with can become defensive and annoyed. So what should I be doing?