is to leave specific instructions when leaving a VM message. "You can call me before x time" or "Only I answer this number so call anytime". A lot of ladies will not return a call if the VM is more than 30 minutes old. This is part of discretion.
Well...after doing all my research and selecting a provider to contact for my first experience in the hobby, it seems I have struck out. The provider, who is well reviewed on this site, appears to have booked up all of the time she had allotted. I am now questioning if I did something wrong. Maybe some of you can tell me.
The lady I wanted to see was visiting my area for a few days this week. I contacted her assistant via email the week prior to her availability and was told scheduling shouldn't be a problem. On Monday I recieved an email from the provider that she was now accepting appointments. I called her cell, but did not get an answer or voicemail. Not wanting to miss out, I sent another email explaining my difficulty in reaching her and left my cell number for her to get in touch. Late in the afternoon, I recieved another email simply stating she was in town, but with no refernce to trying to call me.
Tuesday morning, I called her cell again and left a message that I would still like to schedlue time with her. I left a second message 3 hours later. 2 hours after that, I called and her voice mail stated that she was booked through the end of her stay.
I feel like I have done everything I could to get in touch, pretty much following the same basic professional guidelines for calling and emailing that I use with my own clients in my business day. I am now frustrated that I have not even received the curtousy of a phone call or email to acknollege my attempts to contact this lady.
I can't help but wonder if I tried too hard or somehow gave her the impression that I was LE and she decided to stay away. I never mentioned any thing in my messages beyond the fact that I would like to see her and the fact that I was a newbie, to which in her first email she stated that was no problem.
Sorry for the length of this post, but I would like to hear from any providers of experienced hobbyists who may be able to tell me if I did something wrong. Thanks in advance.
Sorry to hear your first time out of the box ended poorly. Chin up dude as there are plenty of more at bats in store for you if you so desire...
I don't think you did anything wrong per se. I notice that your provider works with an assistant. Sometimes they can be a real help and at other times they can be real a-holes. Unless the provider has specific email addys and/or numbers for her assistant vs. herself, you never really know which of the two you are contacting. So it is quite possible that the assistant is to blame for the lack of reply although at the end of the day this is a biz and the assistant's professionalism reflects upon the provider.
In any case you took a good first step in selecting a well reviewed provider. Don't ever abandon that plan. Next time when doing your research have a backup choice available. I do not mean to make a backup date but rather to have another potential contact at the ready if sealing the first deal falls apart.
I know you have likely heard or read this time and again but there are many, many, many well reviewed and responsible ladies out there who will conduct their biz with top notch professionalism. Make a small list of those well reviewed ladies that interest you and start down the list. No need to make more than two attempts at contact. If your second query goes unanswered, move on to the the next name. Better times await you RobPBC...
Lady 1 Saw her on a regular basis for a year. She left me a text mess that she was out of town and would call me when she got back. That was 2 years ago. Not a word Email bounces cell is disconnected
Lady 2 Saw her on a regular basis for about 6 months. She dropped off the radar about a year ago. Last week I get an email that she wants me to come see her. So I email her that last week wasn’t good for me how about next week. No reply Tried her cell it’s been disconnected
File it under stuff happens and move on
is to leave specific instructions when leaving a VM message. "You can call me before x time" or "Only I answer this number so call anytime". A lot of ladies will not return a call if the VM is more than 30 minutes old. This is part of discretion.
When you leave your message, either vmail or email, it often helps to be specific about the day and time, maybe a couple of options, you are interested for the appointment.
I know its tempting to try to be cooperative and say you are willing to arrange your schedule around hers. However, I've found that a request for an hour at either 2 or 3 pm on Wed is more likely to be responded to than a message of "are you available an hour sometime on Wed." You're giving her something to work with when she checks calendar, and saves her a call to negotiate a time.
I don't know about others, but I've had much greater success since I changed tactics a few years ago.
jazz32
I appreciate the input from everyone. I was expecting the same level of communication that I am used to when doing business...why I don't know. I'm sure there are many providers out there who will demonstrate that, but many who will not. Just the nature of the beast I suppose. As much as anything, I think I was just frustrated at not being able to make a connection on my first attempt.
In any case, thank you all for your messages and advice. And so the search continues...