Just got trolled by a potential customer!

At the start of the week I got a voicemail from a lady asking for help with her garden. She left her number and email address and I was planning on emailing back to say sorry we're fully booked. (since one employee is leaving in August I'm going to be fully booked for the rest of year)Before I got round to it I got another indignant voicemail saying 'I've rung 3 or 4 times now and I'm going to leave a second message but I can't keep ringing you back in the daytime because you never answer. Can you ring me back by 7 or email me' Her tone did set alarm bells ringing that she might not have been the easiest customer to work for had I had any time but I do try to return all enquiries but at busy times it's not immediately.I'm not actively advertising at the moment but my van is sign written and Google search will bring up my website which doesn't have my phone number on.So I emailed back: Hi X, Thanks for your enquiry but I'm afraid I don't have any availability at the moment. Thanks, Helen.Then was gobsmacked to receive this reply today:How sad you turned me down so quickly as I only needed work done a couple of times a year meaning you've lost around £1,000.Never mind I've found some other professional company delighted to take me on.Thank you for your e mail though had to work out who Helen was!!!Thank youI replied on my phone so my usual company sign off didn't come up but my name is clearly stated on my voicemail. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to have lost £1000 if I'm fully booked but I recon I've dodged a bullet there anyway!I feel quite stressed out by having to get back to people to turn them down all the time and particularly when it's phone messages rather than email as at least with email I can send back replies in the evening in front of the TV. I recon I reply to 90% or more but occasionally something will slip through the net.Oh well it's Friday and i'm not going to think about customers for 2 whole days now!

Replies

GORDON July 21, 2017 at 5:36pm

No customers for a whole week, because I'm off to Croatia in the morning. The grass doesn't grow much this time of year as debated so it's a good time to go for us grass cutters.
Yeah I'm with you. After several years of doing this job your gut feeling just tells you if it's right or not. And your event had no all over it.
Craig Flatters July 21, 2017 at 5:57pm

I personally don't return calls who don't leave a message and only return calls who do leave one, if it sounds like a job I'm interested in.

I'd spend all evening doing it if I did.
bernie reddington July 21, 2017 at 6:04pm

Dodged a bullet is right.
Graham Wright July 21, 2017 at 7:19pm

My voicemail basically states i'm too busy, and will only get back to you if i'm interested in the job. I've had enough now this year.
Jack Chapman July 21, 2017 at 8:23pm

Sounds like some mid-year blues coming through on this thread. I wouldn't mind a holiday either but just too busy for that! The grass only slows if we have a prolonged dry spell and that's soon flipped on its head in the Midlands in the last 48 hours! :)
David Benson July 22, 2017 at 12:10am

more like a £100 job but if you are fully booked nothing lost