You Can Fire People!

I did a promotion in March with HalfPriceOzarks.com - it is an affiliate of KY3.  I had an amazing response and as such have 17 really good new clients come from the promotion!!  One of the clients that I received, however; has been a pain since day one.  I spent countless time on the phone with her answering questions and talking to her about service.  She had a million questions and seemed to be quite high maintenance.  I explained that I had a sitter who lived less than a mile from her residence, was delightful as well as licensed, bonded and insured.  After a few conversations and answering all of her questions she asked me to have the sitter set up a consultation for her and her pets.

He did so.  The consultation went well and service was provided as requested.  Upon her arrival home she said he was delightful, the pets were well cared for and even sent him a tip to show her appreciation for services rendered.

She called again for service, when I called her sitter he declined the job.  I thought it was odd since he was so close to her home.  He said simply I he wasn't available for her service.  I assigned a new sitter.  This time after the consultation I got a phone call voicing some concern that she is somewhat overbearing, course and very very meticulous about her 5 birds.  I took it with a grain of salt and moved on - I mean, after all - if someone is hiring an in home pet sitter they care quite a bit about their pets.

After this service I received a long detailed email explaining that she didn't feel her sitter fed the proper amount of fruits and vegetables to her birds.  Upon speaking with the sitter, I learned that since the birds weren't eating all that was put out the sitter put out less food so that it wouldn't spoil since the client had expressed multiple times that birds are quite susceptible to botulism.  Makes perfect sense to me.  Way to look out for the well being of the birds and go above and beyond.  EXCELLENT!  Uhm the client did not see it as such - but rather than my sitter was neglecting her birds and not following her instructions.  She paid her invoice in full, without a tip this time and requested this sitter not provide service for her again.  Okay Dokay.

She called AGAIN to request service and requesting her original sitter whom she spoke so highly about.  He again declined the job.  (I might point out again that he lives less than a mile from her home)  I had another sitter call her.  She told the sitter she had canceled her trip and hung up on the sitter.  RUDE!

I having just had my wisdom teeth out and not feeling overly inclined to have to bite my tongue emailed the client and said quite simply:

xxxx,
At this point I do not have any sitters available for you. xxxx said she called this morning and you were rude to her and also hung up on her.  You might try xxxx with "xxxx" at xxx-xxxx.  He has been in business for a while and is licensed, bonded and insured. 


Her reply:

My husband and I had already decided your services were less than acceptable and did not meet even our most minimal standards. 

As far as rudeness., I was not rude. I stated that we did not need services., Someone was to have phoned us last week and due to the fact no one phoned to make arrangements, our trip had to be cancelled. Rude is the fact you pretend to provide services that you do not have. 

I had many friends that were interested in how well your company did/or didn't do. Needless to say, your performance speaks for itself and will be shared. You may consider yourselves dismissed from our employment. I am sure my husband & I will have more to say, should you wish to phone to discuss this.

My reply:

We seem to be on the same page as far as your service is concerned - I wish you luck in finding someone who can suit your needs. xxxx who provided your original service lives less than a mile from you and did not wish to continue service for you.  You RAVED about how wonderful he was and even sent him a tip after service was completed.  If you wish to tell your friends how awful we are, that is fine.  We have a shining reputation and in 11 years of pet sitting you are the first client who has ever been less than pleased.


What I wanted to say was:

You have been a pain in my ass since day one; you want top notch service and yet want to negotiate the price, your original sitter that you spoke so highly about has declined to work for you for reasons unknown to me - even though he lives less than a mile from your home, you call constantly with questions that are clearly answered in writing on the website, in our conversations and in your pet sitting agreement.  If you feel the need to trash my company to your friends, please feel free to do so. If they are anything like you - I don't want to subject myself or my sitters to their ridiculousness.  Furthermore upon calling the sitter I recommended to you I found out he had already dismissed you and also doesn't want to deal with you.  Oh and if SO MANY of your friends had inquired about us, then why didn't any of them call?? After all you just LOVED your original sitter.

Enter and Win!

A friend of mine works for a local TV station in town, and while he knows my FIRM beliefs on advertising and following a structured plan for business, he thought a cutest pet contest would be a great way to get my name out and create brand awareness.  I was scared to death that my phones would blow up like the welfare hotline, much like they did after my half-price deal of the day.  Thankfully, they have not.  Since the contest runs for a month it has created a steady stream of calls and emails, not to mention amazing web traffic to my site.  

I have been focusing my marketing on "brand awareness" and "consumer education" as opposed to just offering a deal and trying to get new clients.  I would rather have a stead stream of people with peaked interest than those who are just looking for the best deal in town.  You see...we offer THE BEST service a cost effective rate.  Not to mention we keep your pets safe and happy at home instead of locked up in a kennel for a week while you're out of town.  

All in all, I'm blessed beyond words with how the business is going!  Thank you to my sitters, clients and most of all the advertisers that are helping make this business a household name!!

Get a cape and tights!

I reluctantly met with a sales person today (read I had to drag myself kicking and screaming because I had exhausted all possible excuses known to mankind, and this guy is the only sales person I know who can out rebuttal me).

I have been called by him once, and blew him off completely because I had been contacted by not one, not two, but three other people from his company.

His initial phone call being an EPIC FAIL, he took the liberty of emailing me - detailing some of the benefits of his company for mine and so forth.  I replied, thanks but no thanks.

He visited my BNI group and shook my hand.  I kindly smiled and introduced him to the gentleman standing next to me and excused myself to "prepare for the meeting" (read to give me a swift exit to get the hell away from this guy).  He visited again...twice! NO WAY...he did not turn in an application!!

OH SHIT...he joined my BNI group.  Damn it....now by default as the Secretary/Treasurer of the group I am obligated to meet with him as part of the mentoring process.  Not to mention that whole 1-2-1 thing which I sort of have to hold up my 1 part of the 1-2-1.  **sigh**

The meeting was actually pleasant.  He didn't try and sell me anything!!  He actually just wanted to get to know me and about my business because its a neat concept.  I found out he was one of the founders of one of my favorite college haunts (read the cute little Italian place across the street from my college house that I ate at DAILY).  He is actually pretty smart, lost his wife to breast cancer and is kind of super dad to two great kids.  Ok so he isn't a total douche once you get to know him....he is just eager to please and be part of the group.  He also doesn't have a sales background, so he is a bit heavy handed when it comes to cold calling.  All in all, he seems nice and is not only eager to please - but eager to learn and be a better sales person.  Excellent!

It made me laugh though because in his follow up email he said "you know, you're super powerful - like you need a cape and tights!".  He was very kind and it is most flattering to know that someone out there in the business community has heard great things and thinks highly of me and my business.