A suggestion to everyone...

he he he too funny
Hey Rich...I get 4-5 of those....and I refer them to the forums or answer them.
But dozens a day....I can see the frustration.  Specially around breeding season.  And specially the "tell me everything you know" e-mails.  But I am only a hobby.  So I still have time to respond.

I can't say that I know what to say to you.....
wait!  I do know what to say.
Good luck

I am new to the herp world as a business but not new to business. Here are my thoughts:

1. The scammers and those out for a quick buck will shoot themselves in the foot 9 times out of 10. Yes they may take a sale or two but will eliminate themselves as a long term problem by the sheer fact that they screw people over and that spreads by word of mouth very fast. There costing you more money by wasting time dealing with them.

2.  The next generation of herpers that are 10 - 13 years old now will communicate via the internet almost exclusively. Being clear and concise in your communications will make you or break you. Also if you have to go back and forth 3 or 4 times to get your information in an understandable format you'll never get to those other 498 unopened emails (just an example not an attack).

3. Prioritize your sales leads. It sounds cold and uncaring but you have limited time in the day especially if your a solo operation. Teach yourself which types of emails turn into sales and which ones are just people wanting to pick your brain. Ask people to join your newsletter and take the most original questions and answer them there. If one person has the question I will guarantee you that there are 10 other people out there that have it to but just don't ask.

4. Utilize your website to it's fullest capabilities. Keep your availability list up to date (and mark the updated date so there is no question). Build a Frequently Asked Questions page with the common questions. Both of these will allow you to build form letters for availability and common questions (for example:  "We keep our current availability list online at www.yourbusiness.com/available.html. We have pricing, detailed descriptions and pictures for you to view. We update this on a daily/weekly basis so you'll always know what we have. If you see something on there you like, give us a call (800-555-5555) or email us and we'll arrange shipping for you"). This lets them know you are busy but that the information is there and your ready for them.

6. Take a break. One of the first posts I saw on this board was about a guy that everyone complained about because he was short on the phone. No customer likes to talk to a grumpy breeder on the phone or via email. Set aside a set period of time to answer emails/calls instead of trying to do them as your doing other things.

7. As the industry grows I think that brokers will find their place. Becoming that customer service layer between the customer and the breeder will. This will allow the breeder to concentrate on what he does best and the customer will get better service.

Ok, enough BS from me <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

Rich, I would suggest copying what you just wrote, including the part about receiving so many emails that are asking just general advice, breeding result questions, etc; referring these people to specific books or caresheets on the web; adding in that people can see what snakes you have available at _; and putting something to the order of "if you have a specific question &nbsp;about a snake that you have purchased from me, then email me back and use "question about snake I purchased from you on (date); and keeping the whole response on your computer. Then just email the whole thing back to anyone who emails you.

Either that or hire a full time secretary just to respond to those people.
sue frederick

Rich...You have a point! I'm not really sure what it is?, but, I know you have one?? <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> See, the way you write DOES give you the PERCEPTION of intelligence!! hahaha
OK...Your problem...I have NO CLUE!! I don't know WHAT I'd do if I got THAT MANY emails a day? I'd try my best to answer them, at first, but I can see myself getting very frustrated in the long run! Is there any way to hire on a part-time employee (like Connie, maybe??) strictly for answering emails?? Just a thought....

Fred....Ya talk a good game, man! I agree 100%!! Yeah...what HE said! ....

Hukt awn fonix werkd fer mee
lett et werk fur ewe, tuu!

<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> &nbsp;....Neil

Hey Rich!!!! since this is up I wont e-mail you my question, but whats the predicted offspring fom the geneticly mutated, gene spliced corns this year, that you are producing in you under ground lab?<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'> &nbsp;
&nbsp; &nbsp;Communictaion is the key in any business, personal or otherwise! &nbsp;I also find that the more I ramble back to e-mailed questions the more repeat business I get from them. &nbsp;Im not anywhere near the capacity of a lot of the big breeders out there what so ever, so I have more time to ramble and talk shop so to speak. &nbsp;I do tend to get a ton of e-mails from kids under 12 even that are kind of silly but no question is a stupid question I like to think, and I'd hate to deter a future herper by not giving them the same respect. &nbsp;I just wanted to put in my two cents as I notice a large majority of these negative posts on the BOI could be avoided through proper communication. &nbsp;Well good nite to all, and to all a good nite! &nbsp; &nbsp; Mike

I agree with a previous post which talked about a FAQ page. spam_I recently got into herps with Leopard Geckos (OK, don't rip me) and found a FAQ page on Tremper's site very valuable. spam_It answered many of my questions about albinos - and had an offer at the end to answer via email, if it wasn't in the FAQ. spam_

You're a popular guy with a great product. spam_That might help you out quite a bit and keep people from getting impatient. spam_(which people are getting increasingly good at)

That might help. spam_

Oh, and by the way Rich - ignore the question I sent to you. <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> spam_

Go play with your snakes!!!! spam_
<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

i think some sort of disclaimer on your website about email correspondence would work best. &nbsp; unless you have enough time to make a disclaimer that you can quickly email to 400 people??? &nbsp;boy, that's a lot of emails. &nbsp;did you know that Loren from LLL Reptile has a full time employee that just answers email questions (not including orders done via internet)!!! &nbsp;i thought that was pretty funny. &nbsp;
Better communication, education, and better ethics are things that certainly need to be worked on in this biz--the pet stores, the brokers, and the breeders. &nbsp;I'm not sure why we seem to think breeders are so much better than the other categories. &nbsp;
Dana

Just to prove a point, I just got the following email, along with my reply back to this person:

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">
I am extremely sorry that I could not bend over backwards to help you. &nbsp;Did you buy those snakes from me? &nbsp;If not, why to you believe I owed you any answer, even if I had the time? &nbsp;The answers to your questions would have taken a LOT more time than my reply, or were you expecting a reply so simple that it WOULD have been shorter?

So please explain to me exactly why it is that I owed you any information at all. &nbsp;I'm really curious.

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement.

Rich Zuchowski


LISA WOODWARD wrote:

&nbsp;OBVIOUSLY YOU HAD TIME TO TYPE THIS MESSAGE BUT NOT ENOUGH TIME TO ANSWER &nbsp;THE MAIN QUESTION THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP I FOUND SOMEONE ELSE WHO CAN TAKE &nbsp;THE TIME TO ANSWER ME!!!!

&nbsp;>From: Rich Zuchowski <rich@serpenco.com>
&nbsp;>To: WOODWARDLISA <EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED>
&nbsp;>Subject: Re: first year breeding
&nbsp;>Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2002 22<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>2:33 -0500
&nbsp;>
&nbsp;>
&nbsp;>
&nbsp;>WOODWARDLISA wrote:
&nbsp;>
&nbsp;> > I have some corn snakes that I put together and they had eggs. This is
&nbsp;> > my first time breeding them and I do not really know what to do with
&nbsp;> > the eggs. I have some friends that told me to put them in some
&nbsp;> > fermiculite and put them in a warm place with lots of moisture. Is
&nbsp;> > there anything else that I should know about taking care of the eggs?
&nbsp;> > I don't know if they will turn out this is my first time doing this.
&nbsp;> > Please let me know if there are any other things I should
&nbsp;> > know. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Thank
&nbsp;> > You &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Lisa
&nbsp;>
&nbsp;>Lisa,
&nbsp;>
&nbsp;>Unfortunately this is just a very busy time of year for me. &nbsp;I have set
&nbsp;>up a message board system at http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums where you
&nbsp;>would likely get some answers to your questions.
&nbsp;>
&nbsp;>Sorry I can't be of more help, but right now I am swamped.....
&nbsp;>
&nbsp;>--
&nbsp;>Rich Zuchowski
</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>

So here she asks me a multi-level question, with a followup to chime in with any other tips I could provide, that would have taken a good bit of time to explain fully. &nbsp;I tried to direct her to the cornsnake forum I set up where just this very topic had been addressed recently. &nbsp;But did she take my advice? &nbsp;Of course not! &nbsp;She would rather blast me because I didn't take the time to give her a personal answer and cater to her. &nbsp;She needed the information spoon fed to her and since I wasn't willing to wield the spoon, she gets peeved at me.

So let me ask something that has been bugging me lately. &nbsp;Why is it that people whom have bought their snakes from any number of other sources believe that everyone else is REQUIRED to help them when they need it? &nbsp; Go buy a Chevrolet and then call the Ford factory for help with a problem you are having with your new car. &nbsp;Or buy a Dell computer and call Gateway for help. &nbsp;What kind of responses do you think you will get?

Granted, when we have time, most of us will be our best to help, but I'm seeing more and more instances where people not only EXPECT your help, but will slam you if you do not. They act like everyone OWES them their time and efforts just because of a similar interest.


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

Rich,

A this is only my opinion and not a personal dig on you. In the factual matter that you do not owe this person anything and under any obligation to answer her you are 100% correct. A simple switch in the intent of your reply removes her reason for a nasty email back. Try this for example.

"Lisa,

I've set up a message board at http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/ so everyone can share their knowledge and experiences. I encourage you to ask your question there as this is a frequent question and I am sure their are plenty of people that want to know as well. "

Now you've taken away her "OOOH your too busy for the little guy" complaint. It's not all about you and your too busy for her, it's now about how your helping the community. Two things will happen.

a) You will get that same nasty email back (which I would have just ignored) just proving that she hasn't had proper sex this decade and blames everyone for that.

b) She will post this question on the board and get an answer (even if you have to go back when you have time and answer it yourself). This will teach her that the board is a source for information and her next two questions will go to the board instead of to you.

If she chooses option B she will also more than likely tell someone about the board which is yours so you get the atta boy. Also if she chooses option B you don't get the second email which only leaves you 497 to answer <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

It takes the same amount of time to type both replies.

In reality I don't think that hobbyists that are raising one or two animals realize the HUGE amount of time that it takes to raise the number/quality that you are raising.

Rich...I can't TELL YOU how many times someone has come into my store with a sick animal they bought from another pet shop (because it was A LITTLE less expensive), and then basically DEMAND that I help them?? I would help them ANYWAY! But, it's the WAY they ask?? I actually ask them (VERY politely), "I'll be HAPPY to help you, but...Why are you bringing the animal HERE?? Why don't you go to the place you bought it?"....The answer (99% of the time) is..."Nobody knew what to do?, they sent me TO YOU!" It REALLY boggles my mind! Of course....EVERY PERSON I've helped, is now MY customer!! It really DOES pay to be helpful to ANY animal.... your sale, or not!
Rich...In the scenario you mentioned...you could have easily gotten out of it (and saved face) by telling her that the info she got from the other people was correct! End of email! I don't THINK it was THAT far off, was it?? You could have been helpful in less time than it took you to say you didn't have the time??? Even though I KNOW you DIDN'T!! (have the time)!
In YOUR case, because of the ENORMITY of the emais...it might BE a good idea to put a blurb or two on your site AND in your ads addressing this problem....Neil