Just venting here...called a client this morning and left a message to update him on how we were doing with his mares. We have one that we're doing an embryo flush on and two potential recips for her. Already bred one mare for him and he took her home the day she ovulated (worried about that $5/day board charge). Called him 7 days ago to remind him that she was ready for a preg check. Today when I get back from lunch there was a message on the machine from him saying that he's bringing her in for a preg check this afternoon. Not asking if he could, but telling me that he's on his way (he lives about 130 miles away). He's now more than an hour overdue based on the time he called and said he was leaving, he doesn't have a cell phone, and I need to be somewhere else in about an hour. The vet here can do preg checks too, but he's out of town until sometime this evening. My dilemma is...do I wait for a client who might show up and miss out on a family get-together (out-of-state relatives in town yesterday and today only), or do I say screw it and leave, which will definitely tick this man off if he ever actually shows up, even though he didn't bother to actually make an appointment with us? I think he gets about another half-hour to get here, if he doesn't he can either go home mad or leave his mare with us until tomorrow. Why do clients assume that we live around their schedules??
Ok, sorry for the long rambling rant...I feel slightly better now!

 

I'd leave a note someplace he'd find it, tell him to leave her there, you'll check her when you get home. You might mention that he should have made personal contact to see if you were available and that you have unavoidable engagements planned. He made you say "dang, what do I do now?"... now make him say it. Maybe he'll think next time.

 

Just a Question... where is your operation based?

 

We're a little bit outside of Douglas, Wyoming

 

Fordlover55--I'm taking your advice and leaving a note...that sounds like the professional way to go. Thanks! It gets a little hard to think maturely when the phrase "What a freakin' jerk!" keeps running through my head!

 

I tell ya these poeple who horse around with other peoples lives.

I would have left him a phone nummber to call you at when I talked to him while he as still home.

Proper Communication between people doing commerce is so important

I feel for ya kid

 

Could be a case of miscommunication on both sides - he thinks he made an appointment since you did not say no at the time he wanted to bring in the mare. You think he does not have one because he did not actually ask - in a formal sense. He sounds like a good customer, despite the rough edges. I'd hate to trailer a horse 130miles to find no one there and would be angry to find a note tacked on the door. He may have had car/trailer/traffic problems along the way. Us old geezers are not used to the instant cell phone connectively of you younger people and don't think in the same terms. Face to face is the way we like to do business. I think you ought to make the extra effort and stick around for your customer - its the sole reason you are in business - is it not? There are always a few cantankerous customers but their money is just as green - just a little harder to earn.

 

Miscommunication? It sounds like the guy is on his way without talking to anyone, or knowing if anyone will be there. (unless I misunderstood something)
No communication at all.

I would leave a note explaining that I had an APPOINTMENT, and leave instructions on how to contact you, and how to securely and safely leave the horse, if possible.
I would also be prepared for the possibility of losing that client. Unfair, but a definite possibility. If you leave a note, you obviously got the message, and left anyway. If he's a good customer, I'd consider waiting, but it's a tough call. Is this a business that usually keeps normal business hours? If so, he may expect someone to be there.
Ask him what he would have done if you were out, and did not receive the message at all.

 

Family first is what I always say...although I dont get to see my family but 5-6 times a year.

 

wyomingaggie. . . . I know exactly what you mean!!!!
I feel this way EVERY time I have to discuss something with my 'stupervisor.'

 

I know how you feel wyomingaggie.If I was you I would leave a note and go.

Now here is my rant on horse owners.

I shoe horses for a living and have found that a lot of hose owners think that you will bend over backwards for them, like they are your only client. I get calls from people all the time that say I have to be there the next day because they have a ride planed the following day. I always ask them how long they have known about the ride, and they have usually known a few weeks in advanced. I ask them why they didn't call me sooner, they usually say they just didn't get around to it, and I always tell them that I won't be able to get around to it either.
I also hate it when someone calls me saying they need to get me out the next day or two because it has been 6 months since their feet have been trimmed and they are having trouble walking(horses need to be trimmed every 4-8 weeks). I won't waste my time with people like this because I will go out once and might hear from them again in another 6 months. I always tell them their feet didn't get into the shape they're in over night, and they should have called me a few months ago.

I will bend over backwards and take care of my regular clients, the ones that make the next appointment before I leave, and I have enough of those that I don't have to fool around with the people mentioned above. I stay booked up at least 3 weeks, and I am not going to kill myself for someone that either dosen't care, or thinks that I will drop everything and take care of them, and probably never hear from them again. But if one of my regular clients calls me with a problem I will be there that day or the next, because they are the ones paying my bills.

Sorry for the long post, but I feel better now.

Tim

 

I feel for ya. I sell bull semen (and a few embryos) and do custom artificial insemenation, and you wouldn't believe the number of people that call me after they have started synchronising their cows and expect me to have any bull they've ever seen advertised or heard tell of available to them immediately. Alot of times they want me to do their A.I. work on the same kind of notice. And yes, I get those messages - "We'll be there in a couple of hours to pick up semen". I've always done my best to oblige, juggling my schedule, having semen shipped overnight, etc... but you just can't always do it. I'm sure I've lost a client or two that I was unable to please, but my regular customers will tell everyone that I'll do anything I can to help, if you'll just give me a little notice. All you can do is all you can do...

A couple of years ago, I ran across this sign, which is now hanging in my office. It reads "Procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part"....I actually think it made a few of those procrastinators think, at least on their next order or two after they saw it anyway...lol

Anyway, like I said I can relate. Thanks for hearing my rant, too.


David

 

Well, things turned out OK. I left work a little bit after 4:00 and missed some of the local family that had to head home, but got to see the ones that I don't see very regularly. I finally got ahold of my boss before I left and he was on his way back, so I left a note saying that he'd be there by 5:30 or just to find an empty stall or pen and leave her. Come to find out that they were rodeoing about 20 miles away so they'd planned on leaving the mare until today anyway...he'd just neglected to mention that on the message. Good thing we had an empty stall! They came out this morning after they finished at the rodeo and I showed them a healthy pregnancy and they seemed quite happy. I don't think we'll lose any business over it. We're in a unique situation because we don't really have to keep clients, but we try to keep a good name in the community. This used to be a private facility, and the owner is wealthy enough to maintain it that way, but we had the time to take in some outside work this year and opened it up because we have the equipment and the skill to do things that noone else in the area can. We've saved a few people from having to drive to CSU for surgeries or repro work, and as the word is getting out we're getting more clients every day.

 

Well seems to me he left a message,right? and you were'nt there
to get the message, then it seems to me your not there to get his
mare...So if he continues to drive 130mi to see somone who's not
there he's got a problem and he'll have to wait for you to take care
of the #1 priority FAMILY.

 

Another parable for all those people out there who think the self-employed have it made.