There's an old adage: "praise in public, criticize in private".  Even though TER entry is by membership, boards like this one are "public".  Hence if I follow the adage (which I will), on this board I cannot be critical in terms of any specific providers.  However, I can (and will) be critical IN GENERAL TERMS.  By necessity, that means that if you're a provider and want to stay in a successful business, then "you BETTER wear the shoe, if it FITS"!
   What I'm talking about isn't even superior customer service, but simply SATISFACTORY customer service.  NO business can SURVIVE without it.  All too many providers seem to think that customer service applies solely to the sessions (which seem to be what primarily drives the all important reviews).  That is just NOT THE CASE.  Worse yet, some providers think that we guys want good pussy so bad that we'll put up with ANYTHING to get it!  That is NOT the case, either!  There's just too much of it out there for the money that we are spending.
   What I'm saying here is that the best session (GFE, PSE, whatever) in the world isn't worth a damn, if the customer cannot get scheduled to get in to EXPERIENCE it!  My remarks are directly primarily (but not exclusively) to Independents.  Gals, I know that agency fee can be a BITCH.  I even know that there is unfortunately a bit of a MYTH that, BAL, Independents are better and agency gals aren't as good.  My point is, NO one can do EVERYTHING.  If you try to provide great sessions, as well as prospecting, screening, scheduling, phones, text messages, Emails, ad nauseum, SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE!  If you want another career, school, or in general, a "vanilla world" life as well, then even MORE is going to have to give!  I've talked with provider after provider as well as agency owners, and it only stands to reason, you just can't be providing sessions and adequate customer support at the SAME TIME.  One or BOTH are going to have to suffer for it.  If you can't stand agencies, then hire someone to provide that customer support and handle the phones and Emails.  You are, after all, only one person.
   Agency gals, you are NOT "off the hook", either.  Customers need to know what your schedule is, and you need to STICK TO IT, just like any other job.  If you are often MIA, that's not providing satisfactory customer service, either to the paying customer, OR the agency owner.  Yea, I know that "the red plague" poses unique challenges for you gals, particularly if it isn't regular.  But you HAVE to find some satisfactory way to deal with it that still serves the customer.  This doesn't mean you can't be part time.  It DOES mean that the customers need to know which PART of the time you ARE, and you need to be reliable.
   I will part by saying that there are a couple of Independents who regularly read and post on THIS board who are PRIME OFFENDERS with regard to what I am saying here.  They have great reviews and are reasonably priced, but their overall customer service STINKS.  In fact, you can actually see it in their reviews reading things like: "Boy, I finally got to see her.  The experience was like a marathon.", or "Yes teammates, she really DOES exist.", or "I can't believe it, she actually answered my call on the first try, and I managed to get right in".  Recently, in my own personal experience, I have been trying to get an appointment for WEEKS with a gal who is ostensibly one of the best in this area.  She doesn't reliably answer Emails, or voice mails.  In fact, her voice mailbox is almost always full.  If she doesn't contact me soon, then she's just going to have to "pound sand" as far as I'm concerned.  Ladies, this kinda stuff just DOESN'T CUT IT; I don't care HOW good you are!  Get whatever help you need to provide that customer support and handle the phones and Emails.  If you can only be part time, or can only reliably handle "regulars", please have the DECENCY to just SAY SO, on your website and advertisements.  Your ultimate success DEPENDS on it...