Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
Is it me or are people getting worse and worse about following up and returning phone calls? Contractors, suppliers, job applicants etc. It's busy but not that busy.
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Is it just me?
- Thread starter Notarealsignguy
- Start date
balstestrat
Problem Solver
It's pretty damn busy and I sure ain't calling anyone back. Email is the way.
signage
New Member
Welcome to the new normal... Just like not wanting to work because get more on unemployment!
Gino
Premium Subscriber
It's truly just you.
In my opinion, ALL people are now being taught to not work... and suck on the government's teat and do nothing. Integrity, responsibility and family do not mean a thing if you are taken care of by the government. Toss out God, toss out school, as we knew it and toss away your fears. You are the single, most important being on the earth and the rest can stick it up their a$$.
In my opinion, ALL people are now being taught to not work... and suck on the government's teat and do nothing. Integrity, responsibility and family do not mean a thing if you are taken care of by the government. Toss out God, toss out school, as we knew it and toss away your fears. You are the single, most important being on the earth and the rest can stick it up their a$$.
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
They don't return emails either.
Solventinkjet
DIY Printer Fixing Guide
While I love talking with all of you wonderful people, email is superior when it comes to tech support at least. I can handle multiple customers at a time and it keeps track of everything we've talked about. A picture can do more to help than 10 phone conversations. It also gives me a chance to think about a response rather than be put on the spot to have an answer right away. I'd rather take a few minutes and think something through rather than get the rapid question and answer I often get on the phone.
rjssigns
Active Member
Businesses are getting much worse at follow through. One of my clients uses this to his advantage. Sits back and waits as others overpromise and never deliver. Then he swoops in and completes the jobs others left hanging. I've been doing the same thing. When whatever is going on is all over, people will have a solid memory of who got it done and those that ran their mouth.
WildWestDesigns
Active Member
You have a two fold problem here.
One one hand, you have people that make more, as much or maybe just a little under by doing nothing and suckling versus actually working.
On the other hand, you have people that realize loyalty to a business (as employees) is not all that it's cracked up to be. Hopefully, some are actually doing their own thing since they realized that the risk that they thought they were avoiding by working for someone else is an illusion more often then not. I would imagine that loyalty from an employer towards their employees (especially the bigger the company is) is not what it used to be.
I don't know which side has the majority of people, but at best those are your two scenarios. Last I saw, there actually is a surplus of job openings, but few takers (relatively speaking).
I would imagine that this is why communication has gone down the toilet (if nothing else at least a factor contributing to it) and while people say that it's busy, but not that busy. Well, not that busy does get to that busy when they have a smaller workforce then they used to.
I laugh as I remember people on here complaining how new hire prospects don't know how to read a tape measure. That's going to be even more the thing going forward for those that actually do want to work given what's going on in the education sector nowadays.
One one hand, you have people that make more, as much or maybe just a little under by doing nothing and suckling versus actually working.
On the other hand, you have people that realize loyalty to a business (as employees) is not all that it's cracked up to be. Hopefully, some are actually doing their own thing since they realized that the risk that they thought they were avoiding by working for someone else is an illusion more often then not. I would imagine that loyalty from an employer towards their employees (especially the bigger the company is) is not what it used to be.
I don't know which side has the majority of people, but at best those are your two scenarios. Last I saw, there actually is a surplus of job openings, but few takers (relatively speaking).
I would imagine that this is why communication has gone down the toilet (if nothing else at least a factor contributing to it) and while people say that it's busy, but not that busy. Well, not that busy does get to that busy when they have a smaller workforce then they used to.
I laugh as I remember people on here complaining how new hire prospects don't know how to read a tape measure. That's going to be even more the thing going forward for those that actually do want to work given what's going on in the education sector nowadays.
Zendavor Signs
Mmmmm....signs
I agree with you on the tech support side perhaps, but definitely not in the sign world. Numerous times I have picked up the phone to clarify a request. It is almost never a yes/no answer, but a long-winded answer that has many nuances that would have never been communicated well through email. Email is great for sending quotes and proofs though, just not for working through problems.
Johnny Best
Active Member
It’s you.
CanuckSigns
Active Member
I'll add to this, sometimes a phone call will speed things up and answer any questions you might have, however it's always best to follow up with an email, such as "as per our phone conversation earlier, we will be proceeding with xyz" that way there is a paper trail and they can't go back on you after.
GAC05
Quit buggin' me
We put out a help wanted ad in the paper and online last week. Got one guy, older than me, and a second who has not worked since 2019. Looked to see where they put our notice and there was only 1 other help wanted listing.
I have desided to give up sleeping so I can catch up on the overdue projects.
I have desided to give up sleeping so I can catch up on the overdue projects.
kcollinsdesign
Old member
Emails are great for formal communication (replacing mail and faxing). Phone calls are better for communications requiring more complex interactions. I often prefer to call vendors and customers in order to tease out details that I am not aware of. For example, if I know I want part number xyz in red, an email will suffice. But if I am not sure, then a phone call is in order to learn about alternative offerings. Same with clients - I usually need to find out more to make sure I am providing them with the best solution.
Every generation has to deal with specific challenges. I have noticed young people struggle with phone calls; often feeling put on the spot and inconvenienced. On the other hand, I struggle with texting (difficult to get the full range of expression and feels incomplete - emojis are not the same as hearing the expressiveness of a human voice). At this stage, I have decided this is my world, and I will email when appropriate, and use the phone when I need to. I do not text.
Every generation has to deal with specific challenges. I have noticed young people struggle with phone calls; often feeling put on the spot and inconvenienced. On the other hand, I struggle with texting (difficult to get the full range of expression and feels incomplete - emojis are not the same as hearing the expressiveness of a human voice). At this stage, I have decided this is my world, and I will email when appropriate, and use the phone when I need to. I do not text.
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
Email, phone, carrier pigeon, Morse code. Seems like a good 50% or more of inquiries for products, contractors, supplies etc just plain ole don't get a response at all. It's not a generational communication gap. People just seem to be getting sorrier. Quality also seems to be becoming a big problem.
Texas_Signmaker
Very Active Signmaker
It's what happens when the economy is over heated and people are swamped with work... I know a few that I've blown off because I just don't have the time to respond to everything and things are prioritized. This roaring business environment has a lot of downfalls... I can't wait till people get hungry again.
I hate leaving things hanging but I can only get to so much. So I'll reply to all your phone calls and messages soon enough Notareal....
I hate leaving things hanging but I can only get to so much. So I'll reply to all your phone calls and messages soon enough Notareal....
jochwat
Graphics Department
Texas Signmaker said the key word: prioritized. Some of the people you need to work with have set you low on their lists. Make a mental note of those who respond in a timely manner vs. those who leave you hanging indefinitely. Later, "when this is all over", you'll know who to pay the most attention.
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
No rush, the bathroom wall said for a good time call tex so I gave it a whirl
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
I get being low on the totem pole or people not responding to initial inquiries. No big deal, you just move on. I am having problems getting people to show up and finish jobs that they have already agreed to do and some of them already took payment. I have supplies on order that are a month behind on being delivered and the vendor wont even return a call to give some sort of indication on where it stands. I ordered a shop door from another place over a month ago, about $600 and they wont return emails and cant get through on the phone so I had to dispute the charge. Its really aggravating. We hired a roofing company to replace all of our screws in our shop roof, they said they were done and got paid. Well, its leaking all over so I called and emailed with no response and finally went on the roof yesterday to see. They didn't even replace half of the screws. Theres no way that I am the only one seeing this crap.
Stacey K
I like making signs
I was waiting for a piece of window glass for 2 months. I stopped in a few times and he was almost in tears the second time, I felt really bad for him. His receptionist never came back after the corona shut down and he cannot find anyone to even apply as a helper. He said the phone just keeps ringing and ringing and ringing and his life was turning into a nightmare. His wife was pissed, he never got to see his kids.
I finally got my glass after he was able to hire a new receptionist. I just applied a bunch of vinyl on his windows this morning and he had a helper...AND A SMILE ON HIS FACE!
My furnace guy who is a good customer never responded to my calls or texts when I needed a new furnace. I called someone else who THANK GOD I had used one other time, and they got it changed. The receptionist was such a b*tch, she said the phone just rings and rings and rings all day, she doesn't know which direction to go.
My friend in construction is down to 1 crew from 6 and he has enough work for 6 crews. He looks like he aged 10 years in the last one.
Same with the roofer down the road. They tell new people they have to take a drug test but it's ok if they don't pass, they are still hired. It's known they have quite a few meth heads and rumor has it they do it on the job but they look the other way.
This is a VERY common problem in my area. If you get a call back it's your lucky day and you should buy a lottery ticket. I've experienced this as well some weeks in my own business. I just want to throw my phone in the river and run away. Not all weeks but one per month at least. I'm not shy about locking my door and keeping the lights off so I can keep production moving. Most of my walk ins are just people not businesses and I often stop taking those orders and focus only on commercial orders.
Won't get any better until people have to get back to work.
I finally got my glass after he was able to hire a new receptionist. I just applied a bunch of vinyl on his windows this morning and he had a helper...AND A SMILE ON HIS FACE!
My furnace guy who is a good customer never responded to my calls or texts when I needed a new furnace. I called someone else who THANK GOD I had used one other time, and they got it changed. The receptionist was such a b*tch, she said the phone just rings and rings and rings all day, she doesn't know which direction to go.
My friend in construction is down to 1 crew from 6 and he has enough work for 6 crews. He looks like he aged 10 years in the last one.
Same with the roofer down the road. They tell new people they have to take a drug test but it's ok if they don't pass, they are still hired. It's known they have quite a few meth heads and rumor has it they do it on the job but they look the other way.
This is a VERY common problem in my area. If you get a call back it's your lucky day and you should buy a lottery ticket. I've experienced this as well some weeks in my own business. I just want to throw my phone in the river and run away. Not all weeks but one per month at least. I'm not shy about locking my door and keeping the lights off so I can keep production moving. Most of my walk ins are just people not businesses and I often stop taking those orders and focus only on commercial orders.
Won't get any better until people have to get back to work.