Do you ever wonder if clients play favorites to pit providers against each other????  That has been my thoughts over the years and I wonder if alot of relationships were burned due to heresy.  I notice that some people jump back and forth.  For instance one day Client A sees his "all time favorite" Provider A.  The next day he sees Provider B.  He tells Provider B how awful Provider A's service is and how she doesn't give discounts and so on and so forth.  Now Provider B is a little disheartened because Client A is now her quote end quote "Regular".  So the next day Provider B tells Client B about Provider & Client A's situation...all the while not using the term Client A or B she directly tells the names.  Before you know it Client B schedules with Provider A and you have a bunch of heresy on your hands... Any takers, any thoughts or opinions... Not trying to start a ruckus...just stating the facts..well maybe the obvious.  It took for me to step away to realize what was going on...

Imagine Who??

Unfortunately, in every walk of life you will find some people that will try to play people. In the example you gave both the client and provider are at fault.

The client should not discuss provider A with provider B, why would it even come up? I have had local providers ask me who else I am seeing. I don't really answer the question, why even go there? One exception is that I have had a lady at an agency ask me about another lady at the agency that she knows I have seen. In each of these cases I have had good prior experiences and will tell them so, without giving details. I guess some clients might bad mouth provider B to provider A about something like discount rates, in hopes of getting a discount with provider A, but it is up to provider A to take the bait. I think most of the providers I know would ignore it and think worse of the whining client.

I also don't understand why a provider would find it necessary to talk about another provider with a client. If I had a provider bad mouth another provider I would find it tacky and unprofessional. If the other provider was really that bad the information would be known from this board, and if she was good then it would make the provider doing the gossiping look bad.

People will gossip, both clients and providers. Some people will try playing people off of each other, again both clients and providers. There is nothing you can do about it (with the exception of avoiding these type of people), so why even worry about it. All anyone can do is treat people right and let the chips fall where they may.

-- Modified on 10/6/2005 5:47:17 AM

I think alot of provider's actually take the bait though.  Sometimes provider's have seen a client for so long that a "trusting relationship" (notice the quotes) is built.  The provider, hearing that another provider has mistreated a wonderful client of hers, has numerous conversations with the client.  All the while the client is actually just running back and forth giving up all the info.  To be honest I don't think half the information would ever show up on this board and if it did it would more on the backchannel.  

But as you said people will gossip no matter what walk of life they are in.  

Seperation is key to understand what really goes on in the minds of folks.... haha I noticed with my separtion what a fool I was being played for!

Imagine Who??

I had a well reviewed older gent (different board) send me an email telling me how he saw this girl who came over and got in his hot tub and she was Fat and Ugly and this and that.

If he talked about her like this (on his 1st email contact mind you) of course I am inclined to think he will do this to anyone and not care.

Funny thing is he didnt review her or anything. I dont like gossipers!

That is why I keep to myself. I can't say I have never talked about someone, but you live and learn everyday. Now, I don't even bother asking. I don't know providers,so when people start talking about others, I just block my ears. Alot of providers are very catty and competitive, and would do anything for a buck. It is really sad. I guess they feel like the only way to keep their business is to talk about others, but again, women are gossips. You just need one good lesson to teach you that gossiping and bad mouthing others is not the way to go.

Just a Thought

OK, while I admit I might overuse the word goddess, but I think calling it heresy is a bit much.

I'm a bit confused, but I know it wasn't me committing the heresy of passing on hearsay that someone heard her say that Provider A gives discounts.  In fact, I hear tell that she's a big up-seller, and you can quote me on that.  Ya hear?

It could be scary because Client A and Client B could be talking to each other also. The stuff that goes on, FOX could not come up with a better series.

-- Modified on 10/8/2005 12:58:12 PM