Here's her link.
Plan B bro, always have a plan B.

Tired of repeated bait and switch, no shows, and days long email trails that eventually went unanswered, I have drastically cut back my involvement in this hobby. Given the holiday though I thought on the one night I didn’t have to work to give it another go. To put it bluntly, I should’ve stayed at home.
I contacted this provider by phone and arranged a later night appointment. I pointed out to her that I was calling from a number different from my cell and give her my cell number. She asks for the traditional hour before call to confirm and I say no problem. After hanging up I text her from the cell just to make sure she has the number, this even though she supposedly copied it down over the phone. Between the time of confirming, I get a voice mail on my cell phone from her, saying she thought we were talking about doing the appointment tomorrow night. So I call at the hour before not knowing what to expect, but she says “oh, that was you.” I explain again about sending the text from my cell to make sure she has the number. She even thanks me for following up. She says she can do ten o’clock for the appointment, which is the original time. I should say that when I got her voicemail on my cell about thinking we were speaking about tomorrow, I tried to call her number and her voice mail was full and no message could be left. So now speaking with her I say I’ll be there in an hour and she asks if I can pick up some candles. I say no problem. Knowing I’m going to have to hunt down the candles, she asked for a specific scent, I grab my coat and head out.
I get to the hotel right at the time agreed on and text her as agreed. No answer. Ten minutes later text again no answer. Finally, one more try twenty minutes after the appointment time and then I leave. While walking away, I check the machine of the number I called her from before. There is a message left at twenty minutes before the appointment time saying she can’t do anything until an hour after the appointment time of ten o’clock. But I’m no mood for it and go home. I get home and there’s a message on my machine, left at eleven o'clock saying she’s been trying to call and I haven’t been answering. Well, there’s no other message on the machine after the one at twenty minutes before the appointment so that’s a lie.
I do call her and she says she got to the hotel twenty minutes late. I ask why she didn’t respond to my texts. “Oh,” she says. Nothing more just that. Then she says she’s been there and went to get something to eat when I didn’t show. I ask why she didn’t respond to my texts and instead called the other number. Remember she called and left a voicemail on the cell before. Yep, again she has no answer. i asked why she called saying she couldn't do anything until 11. Again no response. Then she gives the old stand by, “I never do this. This never happens to me.” At that point I hang up. Oh she did have the nerve to ask if I might want to come to the hotel now or maybe we can do something tomorrow. Not a chance, I say. Okay, I should’ve expected this. When speaking to her about setting up the appointment she sounded spaced out. I’m sure the white knights will read this and come to her defense, but everything I’ve written is true. And again if she deals with someone like this once she is capable of doing it again so have a backup plan. Just another example of deceit and unaccountability in the hobby. Spending my time and money on something else this holiday season .
p.s.
anybody need two citrus scented candles.

My plan B does not involve double booking.
It means having some contacts on hand who you can usually see with short or no notice.  
A perfect example would be one of the K-girls at the one of the local AMPS. Someone is always available. There are also low volume providers who can be easily accessible on short notice.

Having to wait for an hour or so is better then going home with blue balls, something that I have never had to deal with.

Social skills, huh?

lady. Clearly your time was wasted but your money is still in your pocket.

First, except for the fact that she asked you to bring candles (a slight monetary and time investment...although you could have said no to her request), your story happens EVERY DAY in the hobby world. Hobbyists cancel appointments last minute, providers have to cancel appointments last minute, some one does not show up when they are suppose to, phone calls are not returned, text messages are left unanswered, the hotel room is not ready on time, someone gets sick, un-planned business meeting, childcare issue arises, etc. etc.  LIFE gets in the way. Things happen. So this provider did not keep her appointment with you and based on your fact pattern treated you unprofessionally. You are an experienced hobbyist; you should realize that it is just part of how the hobby plays out. Some ladies are more professional in their treatment of clients. It can be frustrating at times, but you live and learn. Just move on to the next lady.

But someone really needs to explain to me how setting up a "Plan B" actually works. In my well over a decade of hobbying, I have NEVER booked more than one appointment at a time. If the provider cancelled on me last minute, oh well, my loss. I simply re-scheduled for a different day. Double booking (if that's what occurs) would seem completely unfair to the "plan B" lady. So for example,  I am suppose to book two 10:00AM appointments and while I am walking to the first ladies hotel room (after all I would want to make sure that session is actually going to happen) I am then suppose to call the second lady and cancel last minute? That's fair??? Of course its not. The "Plan B" lady will have invested just as much time and effort in getting ready for the appointment as the first lady. Unless hobbyists just have a list of ladies they call who can be ready in 10 minutes (if you do, let me know, because most of the respected TER ladies would require many many hours, if not at least a day, of advance notice) there is no way to have a back-up lady ready to go unless you double scheduled an appointment. And if you do schedule two ladies for the same time and simply just cancel on one last minute, in my mind that's classless and unfair. But if I am miss-understanding the concept of a "Plan B" let me know...I am always willing to listen and learn.


-- Modified on 12/9/2010 4:39:09 AM

There is no plan B. That is unless you have an ATF that can see you on a moments notice. But thats not easy either. I have never had a plan B, I am lucky enough though to have had only one cancellation happen to me. When that did happen I went home, that was my plan B.

Thanks for the input. As to the point put about this happens in the hobby all the time. Yes, that’s true and it has unfortunately many times to me and I chose to not post anything about it many of those times. This situation was such a blatant disregard of someone’s (mine) time though I thought this might be worth noting to others so that they might be wary of this provider's behavior. and yes it angered me as well. I wrote i'm tiring of the practices listed in the first sentence in the original post.

And I agree with Mr. Roberts that yes I am the cash richer and as I wrote I’ll move on by searching up another past time for a while.
Thanks TBM about the plan b idea. To answer Hardy’s question I think about a plan b as not making a second appointment but perhaps scheduling the first appointment at a time when if something happens there is time to call up someone else to see if there is an appointment time available with them. making a second appointment prior to only to cancel because the first appointment worked well is something i wouldn't think of doing.

And again I agree circumstances do arise which cause appointments to be “adjusted” but this situation was none of those, instead a disregard for another's time and energy.

and again as i have noted in the past, i could have scheduled something with another provider and so this provider ended up taking cash out of another provider's pocketbook as it were.
thanks to all who replied


-- Modified on 12/9/2010 12:55:17 PM

If they did not double book, perhaps hobbyists carry a list with them at all times. The dialogue goes something like this for a Plan B:

Hardy: Hi Joan. Listen, my 10:00AM just cancelled on me,  so I was hoping to see you now. I can be at your place in 5 minutes.

Joan: Absolutely, Hardy. I am fully dressed, showered, make-up on, just sitting by the phone/computer on pins and needles just hoping to get the call from a professional hobbyist. You have made my morning; just come on by.

Hardy: You're the best. And since you are only a substitute, "Plan B" provider, I presume I can pay you 1/3 of your normal rate.

Joan: Of course, Hardy, that goes without saying. I am just happy to pinch hit when called upon. It would be my honor to have a session with you. In fact, you can stay all morning. I have absolutely nothing to do with my day until another hobbyist calls requiring a pinch hitter. I am one lucky lady to be on call 24/7.

Who knew this was a possibility... those few times over the years when a provider cancelled on me last second or I showed up and no one answered the phone, I could have turned to a plan B provder instead of just heading home!

We don't need candles baby, I will light u up .. that's for sure

-- Modified on 12/9/2010 10:59:15 PM

... who are the K-girls?  What are AMPS?
After 5 years in the hobby I still feel like a novice.

You made your point and tossed your two pennies into the arena.  Shit happens, and not always good.  You have 52 reviews?  You know what to do...

Thats a little wierd to say the least