first off I dont want to consider this so much of a rant but more of a word of advice to clients. (will admit tho, its a bit of a rant)
Clients: following up with your emails that are very specific to dates and times you have requested when you get an asap response is very important sometimes
I consider myself immaculate at answering emails...especially those those that ask for certain time frames that are of the extremely near future. If I get an email like that and I have to run out on errands I will even send another email saying I will be away from my computer and to contact me via my cell.
For example, if someone asks about my afternoon or evening with a bit of a sense of urgency in their tone and I reply within 15 minutes (as Im at my computer the most during the day) .....and I go through the efforts of giving a detailed map of my schedule (which in most cases is wide open) then receive no feedback as to yes or no (or sometimes I do!) while I'm wondering if I should make my dentist appointment for the hours they requested.......i get a lil tiffy. maybe my offered schedule doesn't mesh with theirs, perhaps they have changed their mind.....but I responded asap, and No one likes looking like a needy SP sending the 2nd email....."errr.....are you still interested in seeing me? you seemed pretty sold" lol
I've had clients tell me they'd be in town on a certain day and want to see me from x-hour to x-hour ask my donation and say 'wonderful, I will PM when I arrive and check in'...and never hear from them again despite my reminder email a couple days prior...of course to no response.
clients that text me asking if I'm available the next night at x-time, I say yes so I pencil in a babysitter, then cancel it the next night due to not hearing from them, then get texted at the last minute an hour before our scheduled date asking if I'm still available. ???
now to the no-response (after apparently avidly claiming they're looking for my services due to my recommendations etc) I usually brush it aside and move forward (as i say "first CONFIRM, first serve") but I always have to wonder....would it kill u to just follow up, state that plans changed etc? I for one write even my potentials in my daytimer, and if i can schedule around them, I will.
OBVIOUSLY we never make solid bookings till we have all the info but gentlemen, know that sometimes we are doing you a favor in giving you the benefit of the doubt that if you dont want to schedule anymore, you wont leave us hanging. And that most of us will at least keep in our heads that we "may" have a call for the time and date you requested. After all, some of us have outside-work plans to fit around these calls or family obligations etc.
I realize that many gents may send their email request-letters to multiple SPs, but I find that its never a bad thing to say (if you've already got a reply from someone else) that you already booked with someone else who replied first. trust me, it doesnt hurt our feelings! what makes me angry is clearing my schedule of plans that will make escaping impossible (loosely of course) because someone has said they want to see me...especially if I reply right away or they have agreed and expressed genuine excitement about our arrangement working out.
*deep breath*....all better :)
ok so it has turned into a rant, but bottom line is dont leave the lady-workers hanging, trust me, a proper business-woman will understand and probably thank you for it so she can adjust her daytimer. Most of us try our best to accommodate all your emails and requests. The least clients can do is say "thank you for your reply, but someone else emailed me back first" (or whatever the reason for not following up may be :)) I am happy that this is the most real and upfront business sometimes when approached from a business perspective....you know we see other people, we know timing may have been better for other people to see you...also (on both sides) intrusions get in the way of having fun sometimes. Thats just life.
Lets just all work on not keeping each other in the dark, it will IMO make everything run smoothly :)