Request for input

[LL]

...personally I feel your better off communicating on the phone, nothing lost or deleted, you can cover all aspects of a project in detail with one concise discussion rather than 20 e-mails back and forth.

You are right there, certainly with some guys, anyway. The record so far is 29 emails for one project (box of pipes). :roll:

Everything could have been easily covered with one call and one follow-up, I think. Say 30 minutes for the first, and 15 for the second. The 29 emails probably took 6-8 hrs.

I've also discovered that the human connection in and of itself makes things easier for many customers. Many feel an appreciable level of anxiety when their "children" leave their sight, and relax when they've met the guy who is going to be caring for them.

 

[LL]

One possible compromise: do not use the computer for any unsolicited business-related communication. Keep the Web site--that's just an advertisment--but otherwise, all business can begin on the phone, and end with a delivered parcel.

For better or for worse, email is the best medium for a few scenarios: very specific instructions, attached digital photographs, etc. But most of what you do should be fine over the phone lines, and if an email is still called for, you can say in a phone conversation, "Okay, so expect an email from me/I'll expect an email from you in the next __ days." Then you'll know to keep an eye on overzealous spam filters.

This comes closest to my current thinking. The best of both worlds.

Two small additions might be a new phone that has an additional outboard handset, kept right on my bench, and rigging the lights to flash (or maybe a loud buzzer) for when the vacuum system is running.

 

[LL]

Oh yeah --- P.S. to Beebiz/Robert: Shoot me your # via PM and I'll ring you tomorrow if you still want to talk. Or alternatively, if you try me again and get my machine, just say "This is Robert -- 867-5309" no need for a message---and I'll call back asap.

 

[beebiz]

Oh yeah --- P.S. to Beebiz/Robert: Shoot me your # via PM and I'll ring you tomorrow if you still want to talk. Or alternatively, if you try me again and get my machine, just say "This is Robert -- 867-5309" no need for a message---and I'll call back asap.

That's a very kind offer! With my sleep schedule continually so screwed up, it's hard to tell if I am going to be up around 8:00 AM or just going to bed! :roll: So, it would probably be more productive for me to call you. And, I will do that some time tomorrow (which is actually now today, Friday).

What time do you normally try to "close up shop" for the day? That's another of my pet peeves. I try my best to respect a person's time away from their work. Ergo, unless it is some kind of a life or death emergency, I don't like to bother someone with business questions during their "down time."

Robert

 

[LL]

What time do you normally try to "close up shop" for the day? That's another of my pet peeves. I try my best to respect a person's time away from their work. Ergo, unless it is some kind of a life or death emergency, I don't like to bother someone with business questions during their "down time."

Lately I've been staying up late and getting up late. 3-4 am to 11:00 am or so. Work time never ends, I do an on/off thing the entire time I'm awake that adds up to 8-10 hrs/day in the shop. So, any time after noon MST and before midnight or so is fine. (actually, a couple hours later than that, but I doubt that's an option on your EST end.

 

[Joseph76]

phone contact, i believe, would negatively affect your business. Nowadays, many people like to communicate via email. I email 30-40 people a day; if I had to call them, I'd probably cut half of them out, or more.

that said, it's nice to talk over the phone sometimes. Another problem I see... you are going to be spending a lot of time on the phone. Phone conversations generally last longer than emails. But! when I talk to someone on the phone, I usually feel I know them better and the relationship feels stronger.

 

[Joseph76]

Since probably 90% of the pipe world logs in to either BoB or Smokers Forums (or both), why not have them PM you ? Messages get through, are archived (presumably) until the job's finished (message deletable), & no spam to filter at all.

:face:

PS : I'm among the relieved here.

I would say the number is reversed, at best!

The majority of pipe smokers and collectors don't even know the forums exist.

 

[puros_bran]

I'd say the majority of pipe smokers don't know the diff between PA and GH&co blends...

Contrary to what we falsely fall into believing WE, the forum hounds, are a small minute minority...
Kinda like phone modding, I see a guy with a Android OS'ed device I wrongly assume he is a hacker/cracker/modder.. 99 times out of 100 they can't even tell you what version they are on.. Or PC's.. Anyone know what Video card they have? who made their harddrive? what motherboard they have?? Few..

Piping is no different..

 

[Hermit]

I'd say the majority of pipe smokers don't know the diff between PA and GH&co blends...

Contrary to what we falsely fall into believing WE, the forum hounds, are a small minute minority...
Kinda like phone modding, I see a guy with a Android OS'ed device I wrongly assume he is a hacker/cracker/modder.. 99 times out of 100 they can't even tell you what version they are on.. Or PC's.. Anyone know what Video card they have? who made their harddrive? what motherboard they have?? Few..

Piping is no different..

We are the connoisseur elite. :lol!:

 

[beebiz]

Hey... I know my HD is a 60 GB Seagate!!! One outta three ain't bad, is it??? :face:

Robert