Posted: 07-01-2017
Happy New Year all, I hope you had a great festive season. The New Year is often the time, when clients new to me decide to take the plunge and get in touch for the first time.
This week has highlighted a few issues with this, and so in an effort to iron out a few frustrations on both sides I thought I’d clear a few things up.
Firstly my phone does reject withheld numbers, if you phone and only ever get voicemail please do check that your number is not withheld. A very frustrated message was left on my voicemail this week, by a man who had phoned at the time when I said I’d be free to speak, yet his call didn’t ring out because his number was one which is withheld. This particular person did leave me a number on which to call him back, which is absolutely fine and something I will do if and only if explicitly requested. Unfortunately the number left didn’t work, I listed to it several times, yet each time I phoned I only got the dead tone of ‘number not operational’.
Talking of numbers not operating, my phone number does work, if however you send an text message and you are someone new to me (having not got to the making a definite booking stage) or using a new number my phone will issue an auto reply advising that this number doesn’t accept text messages. The number will however accept your phone call. The information on my Contact page does explain that new clients need to phone or email, I won’t engage in text messaging. Once we’ve gotten a definite booking, deposit paid, and we’ve had at least one phone call, I am happy to use text messaging for on the day confirmation and then to arrange future bookings.
Do remember that you can phone me at any time, if I do not wish to be disturbed, or it’s not convenient then my phone will be off, and my voicemail greeting advises a good time to call me back. I will not phone you back unless you specifically ask me to. Sometimes I’m asked “Can I call you?”, “When is a good time to call?”, it’s a bit like how long is a piece of string, if I say 2.30pm tomorrow something may change, or I could get a booking for that time. Please just phone when you are able, you cannot intrude and no time is too early – if I’m sleeping the phone is off, simple. If I pick up it’s because I want to pick up.
Ok so you may decide you prefer to email in the first instance, which is absolutely fine. A few have asked me a variety of questions, with the aim of ‘making things easy’ for me. The way to make things easy is to read and understand the information on this website, once again my Contact page explains the information I need you to provide when you get in touch. If you can do this that is the one thing which will make things easy for me.
Yay, I’m so glad we’ve gotten all that cleared up. My phone number and email address are displayed because I want accept your call or email.
All the best for the start of 2017
Ruth
