Thank's Angel for asking.
I'm not a very active hobbyist. On average I may see a provider once a month. Usually, I stay with provider(s) I know.
So, I always check TER for all information about a provider, including price, and hourly discounts.
Also, I check the provider's ad posting,as well as her website. I check for inconsistent information, so I'm sure I know what her expectations are.
I much prefer to call providers when making appointments, for a couple reasons. Firstly, I like two hour appointments. Sometimes neither TER, nor the website/ad posting discuss multiple hour discounts. Second, my schedule doesn't allow me to do a lot of advance scheduling. When I see a provider, it's usually a spur of the moment decision.
Texting is fine, but many providers state "no texts" in their ads. Email is my last choice, and I will only use it when I REALLY want to see a provider.
Thanks again Angel. I hope this helps.