# Returning calls/emails/texts?



## photoatdv (Apr 1, 2010)

So, how easy are you to get ahold of for clients/production crew/ect (people that have a reason to need to get ahold of you ASAP)?

Personally during shows (towards the end of pre-production or during the run), I can always be gotten ahold of within 3 hours, usually within 30 min-hour max. If for some crazy reason I will be unavailable for more than 2-3 (longer than a show or test) hours I have someone available for emergency tech support. And that includes during the night. On average I'd say I'm available (to clients or other important people) 23/7 during productions. 

How long is it acceptable to be unavailable for?


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## bishopthomas (Apr 1, 2010)

I think this is going to be such a situation dependent thing that it's hard to answer. (Although, I voted choice B.) When I call a company looking for price quotes or availability I expect an answer right away. Else I'll call the next place on the list. Having to wait hours (when I'm told they're at lunch) or days for a response is unacceptable.

However, having said that... There are sometimes days where I cannot be reached. I am a one man operation and sometimes when I get calls for sales I cannot return them immediately due to being on a gig. Most of the time my "office hours" are from 1-3am, not exactly the appropriate time to be making call backs. I am actually considering discontinuing that aspect of my business because I just don't have the time (consistently) to devote to it.

But, I try to be clear up front if I am going to be unavailable for a while. For touring work and other situations where I have down time I always return calls immediately. I expect the same from others so I keep the same policy.


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## Footer (Apr 1, 2010)

Depends if that person is paying me enough to care beyond my usually 10-6 timeslot. At my current job, I don't answer my phone or any work email after I leave the office. Yes, I have a blackberry that those emails are delivered to, but unless one of the emails says someone died or the theatre burned down, I don't really care... it can wait. Same thing goes for weekends. If I have a day off, its my day off. Period.


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## MNicolai (Apr 1, 2010)

People who report to me have <1 hour access 8a-5p every day. If I'm anticipating a problem or there's an important event going on, they have <1 hour access at night time as well. Otherwise, my phone is on, but set to vibrate when I'm asleep. Other than that, it's a free for all. If someone calls and it goes to voice-mail, I listen to it and find out it's something I can worry about later. If it is, I'll worry about it later.

What I don't enjoy is when there's an emergency, one person leaves a voice-mail message to tell me it's urgent, and within two minutes I've got three voice-mails telling me it's urgent and five missed calls. I had that happen three weeks ago when a sound system crashed on a production's opening night. I gave them 24hrs notice that the sound system had been changed around because when I used it the night prior it was inoperable upon arrival, they chose to wait until 50min prior to curtain to call me and didn't even give me enough time to pull to the at the next interstate exit before bombarding me with calls.

As for what I expect from others:

-Dealers that I know and have a good relationship with, I'll understand if they don't get back to me immediately. I know they're working very hard on a lot of different things and most of my purchasing isn't as a rush job. I try to do almost all of my purchasing 2mos in advance of opening night.
-Dealers that I don't know, I expect with one business day to at least get a "Hi, I'm _______, and I don't have _______ yet, but expect something before ________." They don't need to have all of my questions answered immediately, but I'd like to know someone has actually listened to my phone call or read my email and is working on it.

I've had a few companies before simply not call or email me back at all, and though I doubt any of them will regret it anytime soon (ever?), I will remember it for years to come.

My theatrical dealer is spectacular. I'm fairly certain the number I have for his office is actually his mobile. Even though he knows many of my shopping lists and projects are not rush-jobs, he will always try to get quotes and invoices back to me within a business day. If he knows I've got a project or a shopping list I'm working on, he'll sometimes give me a call when he knows he's going to be in the area and ask if I want to have a short meeting at the theatre. I try to give him a heads-up when I know I'm about to finish a shopping list or project outline, and in exchange, he lets me know in advance if there are any days he knows he'll be out of the office, in which case he'll either have me send my stuff over to their other office or I'll at least know ahead of time what to expect if he's going to be unavailable for a few days. His tape prices are a little high, but except for that and when I'm required to solicit additional competitive bids for projects (because most of my purchasing is on behalf of a school district), I now deal with him exclusively.

[slightly off-topic]

It took me three years in the area to finally get a hold of a dealer that I liked. I was so dissatisfied elsewhere I actually ended up calling someone at ETC and begging them -- pleading them -- to let me know who else locally was a dealer for them and had ETC certified technicians on staff. Dissatisfied with the other companies to the point that I will happily ship rental gear up from this company's Chicago office +120mi away and pay for return shipping as well.


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## bishopthomas (Apr 2, 2010)

MNicolai said:


> What I don't enjoy is when there's an emergency, one person leaves a voice-mail message to tell me it's urgent, and within two minutes I've got three voice-mails telling me it's urgent and five missed calls. I had that happen three weeks ago when a sound system crashed on a production's opening night. I gave them 24hrs notice that the sound system had been changed around because when I used it the night prior it was inoperable upon arrival, they chose to wait until 50min prior to curtain to call me and didn't even give me enough time to pull to the at the next interstate exit before bombarding me with calls.



I know how that is. I had a church call me several months ago looking to buy a replacement dimmer for one that had gone down. At the time I quoted them a price (both new and used units) and they said they'd "let me know." So the other day they started calling saying that they are ready to buy it and need it installed and functioning by Easter. So, a week's notice to find the used dimmer that may or may not exist at this point, get paid by them first (because I don't place orders until I am paid 100%), have it shipped, and install it. Why they couldn't have made this decision 4 months ago when we first talk about it I'll never know. But I'm on vacation this week and not going to take the aggravation that comes along with trying to explain to someone that they missed the boat and it's all their fault.


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