A suggestion to everyone...

COMMUNICATION!

As was pointed out in an earlier post we need to answer our e-mails and return our calls, even if it is just to explain that there is a problem or a delay. It is not only good business but simple courtesy too...

It seems as if very many of the problems which end up here in the BOI start off as a missed or 'mis' communication and then escalate to an impasse.

Of course there are bad guys (and gals too I'm sure) out there who will make all the right moves and still rip you off, but communicating will get these guys what's coming to them too.

Thanks!

Gus@riobravoreptiles.com <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>

Well said Gus, communication is a key that every good breeder and distributer should strive for.
John Bernardi AKA Herps & Burps, El Paso, TX

Thumbs up on communication
Also on reading , which if the rules were read clearly this thread would be in the discussion forum <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

Thanks John!

....for the protocol reminder. I thought my post was pertinant but I won't slip up again!

Be sure to chastise 'Web-Slave' for posting his offers here.. they belong in the products and services page!

Later!

A. Rentfro
Gus@RioBravoReptiles.com <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

In the rules page, just take it for granted that the phrase 'everyone but me', is implied......
<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>
Just don't ask the wrong questions! Right Gus?

That's too funny &nbsp;<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>
at least you don't run this place like that Joe guy runs his.

okay wait....forget that last statement....I may have opened the door for a whole new tnagent to be started.

Communication? Communication!! I don't need no stinkin' communication!! ....that means you gotta TALK to them??? YUK!! &nbsp;<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

That DOES seem to be the way a lot of people feel about that subject these days, which is a real shame! OF COURSE communication is the key! I've been saying that for years!! But, it's NOT just the ACT of "getting in touch"....you could be the MOST EXPERIENCED breeder in the world, but...if you don't know how to spell, or if you don't know how to structure a simple sentence, or you can't verbally get your point across....what good is your herp knowledge? You are PERCEIVED as "dumb as a box of rocks"! Look...please don't get me wrong...I'm NOT trying to come down on ANYBODY in particular, I'm coming down on you AS A WHOLE! Herps are getting to be very popular these days, and the prices for new and exciting morphs are getting more expensive by the day! With THAT IN MIND...would you (as a CONSUMER) rather buy your animals from someone who AT LEAST SEEMS LIKE they have half a brain in their head?, or the "other guy"?? If 90% of you would just take 2 MINUTES to RE-READ what you just typed (instead of sending it directly to the post), you would be able to see for yourself what you just wrote...then, you can FIX the misspellings, you can add the word that was left out, etc....Folks...I'm telling you...people would rather spend their hard-earned money with DEALERS that are well-spoken and can type a simple sentence that makes sense! ESPECIALLY these days when e-mails are a way of life! Your potential customers very rarely get to meet you! They ONLY know you by what they READ in YOUR emails to them! I realize I'm going off on a "rant" here, but, I REALLY care about this subject! I would LOVE to see ALL OF US be PERCEIVED as the most knowledgeable industry there is! It would benefit EVERYONE!! So....If I've made ANY SENSE AT ALL...just take some time and re-read your posts??? Just a tip from your "Uncle Goobs"! ...Neil

"Smoke & Mirrors"

Neil,

I agree with you, that the way we come across definetly affects peoples perception of us and our business as well as the hobby as whole. I understand your post about &nbsp;the intelligence of the breeder and his/her ability to share said intelligence. I TOTALLY agree, i have seen some brilliant people that NEVER got recognized in their chosen field and in fact had others who were DUMB but cunning steal their very own ideas. Go figure. All for lack of communication.

&nbsp;I have also seen something else in this hobby:
People that pretend to be "Authorities" on a certain species of reptile, only to have never even bred or concentrated on that reptile themselves. I call this"Smoke&Mirrors" and I see it all the time, people bragging about their vast expereince with a snake they have no real knowledge of aside from reading articles that somebody else wrote.

But...what actually matters the MOST to me ISNT the breeders CONSUMATE PROFFESIONALISM(Whatever that really is)....but &nbsp;instead the BREEDERS HEART.
I personally would take a person who was honest, forthright, opionated, but not the most vocal person over others when it came to purchaseing snakes from them. CHARACTER is in short supply in this business, as we have seen by the MANy posts concerning Boas &IBD recently. Sow me your flashy classified ads, nice pics, smartly worded text, and I will show you some HONEST guy that lives in the middle of Minnesota that cant afford any of that, has no idea how to post a classified ad, but REALLY is into keeping and breeding the particular type of snake that he likes. that guy gets my ticket almost every time. I am not talking about someone that lives in backwater egypt that sells boas by the tom regardless of the health but cant communicate well. Nor anyone that lives in Fla, Calif, Oregon etc that is in this just to make a buck.

Neil..I agree with you, we all seek knowledgeable people to buy goods from. But, knowledge can also be a very vague thing, with people pretending to have levels of it they dont have. The PERSONS Character is everything, good character doesnt always go along with bad communication skills, as we have seen on this BOI in the past several weeks.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Fred
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (AZTEC &nbsp; REPTILES)

I guess the biggest question I have about this communication issue is: &nbsp;How do you keep up with it all?

Somehow people got it into their heads that I know a little bit about corn snakes, and I am getting inundated with questions. &nbsp;These cover the entire spectrum from "I am just getting into snakes and would like you to tell me everything you know" to "Please send me a price list of what you have available", thru "Is there any genetic relationship between the Lavender corns and the Caramel corns?", and everything in between. &nbsp;Being in the business, I have to set priorities, without sounding mercenary about it, but when you get dozens of emails like this PER DAY, the ones you put off till later just never get answered. &nbsp;Not without dropping everything else you need to do just to answer the emails.

So, again, how do you keep up with it all? &nbsp;Right now, I have 498 emails that I have not responded to (and that doesn't count the ones I prunned off because my email file was getting too big. &nbsp;Oops! &nbsp;Just got the flag go up that MORE emails have just come in............

Is a short note explaining you are busy, sufficient? &nbsp;Many of the emails to me will start off with "I know you are busy..." &nbsp;but they still expect an answer. &nbsp;Last year (or was it the year before?) &nbsp;I used an auto-responder to try to fend off the bulk of the emails. &nbsp;I think it caused me more trouble than it saved me.

So, I'm groping here. &nbsp;What can I do to keep up with the volume of email without losing my business because I can't do what needs to be done to keep it running because I am answering emails (and maintaining these boards&#33<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>, or suffer from lost customers from the fact that I choose to spend my time taking care of my animals and ignore the bulk of the emails? &nbsp;This is one hell of a catch-22, and I can't figure out an answer.

Before you say it, yes, I have set up message boards (one in particular about Corn Snakes specifically) to help draw off some of the questions for other people to help out with, but it seems to only draw more people to personally ask me questions. &nbsp;I really wish I could respond to them all personally, but quite frankly it's just not possible to do any longer.

<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>