Before I begin, let me preface this by saying that I, by no means consider myself an expert or the foremost authority on this matter. I understand that, in comparison to others on this board, I would certainly be viewed as a relatively new hobbyist. However, even in this short time, I've been exposed to enough scenarios to offer an informed opinion on the matter.
Since the first day I discovered and joined TER, the Los Angeles board has been littered with posts debating as to what faction of provider has the strongest hold and presence in the market... Independents or K-girls. Now I understand that other groups (Non k-girl agency, porn star, etc.) also exist, but for the sake of this argument, let's lump them all into the Independent camp.
Providers and hobbyists alike have argued for and against both sides and have offered one or more of the following reasons (among others of course) for their choice:
1) Price
2) Quality
3) Experience/ambiance
4) Language barrier
5) High volume vs low volume
Recent personal experiences however, have brought to my attention a seldom discussed, but crucial facet, of any interaction... the initial introduction and subsequent response.
Just like in any business or personal venture, initially getting yourself through the door is almost always the most challenging. Whether it be a new provider trying to establish herself or a new hobbyist having to deal with the verification process and/or a lack of references, getting over that initial hump can be daunting at times. After you get passed that phase (through perseverance, luck, or whatever) things do tend to get easier. So long as you don't commit one of the cardinal sins (overcharge, underpay, be violent, rude, etc.) staying in the "club" and enjoying all of its perks are usually attainable goals. This is where I've noticed the first division between the Independent and K-girl camps exist.
Any time I reach out to a provider of any kind that I was hoping to meet for the first time, I try my best to send my initial correspondence well in advance of my desired meeting day in order to allow time for things to run their course. Whether it be verification, a provider being unavailable, or simply not having an opportunity to come across my email or text, I understand that people are busy and can sometimes take longer to reply back.
But a complete and total lack of response after a prolonged period of time?
I recently attempted to contact a very well known and reviewed OC/LA provider. I believe she ranks in the top 10 of the OC list and if you plug her into the LA top 100, she would land somewhere in the top 50. Anyhow, I initially attempted to reach out to her by email. In my email, I included all of the requisite information. Never heard back from her. I then tried text (which was her other preferred form of communication). Still crickets. I'm sure someone reading this might offer up a possible explanation of maybe the provider is on vacation. She has made several ad posts on this site and others very recently. Others might offer up the possibility of providers I've seen having a negative view of me and offering up a bad review to another provider during the verification process. I'm pretty sure I've done my best to be a complete gentlemen during my time in the hobby and see no reason for that to be the case. Also, responses from other Indies and their complete comfort in willingness to meet leads me to believe that's not the case either. The lack of the simple common courtesy of a response remains a mystery.
I know I can probably chalk this up to an isolated incident. I've also experienced a couple of extreme delays in responses from others, but things were eventually cleared up and interactions have been great with those providers ever since. I know for certain that this type of conduct is not the norm for most Independent providers in the hobby. Almost all of my experiences and interactions with providers I've seen or plan on seeing have been amazing and I thank you for that.
As someone who has dealt with both factions however, I can't get rid of this one lingering thought. Even though there have been a few hiccups and one glaring incident regarding a response from the Independent camp, I can tell you that I have NEVER not gotten a response from a K girl booker in a timely manner. Whether I've ever communicated with them before or not, I have at the very least ALWAYS gotten a response. I know that might sound trivial and like I'm splitting hairs, but that's got to count for something and I have a feeling that I might not be alone in this.
I love both sides of the hobbying coin and would never forsake one and be exclusive with the other. I have been fortunate enough to meet some great people, Independent and K girl alike, in my brief time here. But if the most important part of any battle or contest is simply showing up, I would be hard pressed to believe that "almost always" would win out over "always.
