A pest-control company that answered questions and quoted a price immediately won the business over one that took the caller's number and promised a callback. Customers expect instant answers now, and companies that can't deliver them lose to competitors who can.
So I had an interesting experience this morning and thought about this and thought maybe you guys could give me some advice or tell me if I handled it wrong or right or whatever. But we decided this morning we needed to call a pest control company. We hadn't— and I don't remember the last time I called a pest control company or really anybody like that. We've just been really, really fortunate, I guess, not to have pests, but we started to see a couple of little critters in our house and just decided that we wanted to head it off. So the first place I called, you know, they answered real quickly and the lady on the phone was nice, but she promptly said, "If you give me your name and number and information, I'll be happy to have a technician call you back." And I did, and I kind of felt like, you know, I really don't want to give you my address because I don't want you to stop them by. But anyway, so I did that and I hung up. And I'll admit it, I mean, it became a race at that point. I wanted to find somebody that I could go ahead and hire before they called me back. I don't know why it upset me, and I don't know, maybe I was wrong, but it just, it just irritated me that they couldn't answer my questions right when they answered the phone.
Why, why have somebody answer the phone that can't, you know, answer my questions?
People don't call pest control places just to say hi and, you to maybe get in the loop.
I mean, they got a problem, right?
So the next place I called, um, they, uh, answered the phone, they asked me a few questions, and they promptly gave me a price. And I promptly said, when can you be here? And hired them right away.
I didn't complain, I didn't compare. I just— it sounded reasonable to me. I don't know if it was or not, um, but, uh, I really wanted to beat the phone call back. Well, that was about 4 hours ago I still haven't got a phone call back from the first people. So I guess I did the right thing, but I mean, is it just— have we just gotten to the point where we're just too, too I want it now? I mean, microwave now. I mean, am I overreacting or is this just the new normal? Are we just now to the point where if you can't answer my problem right now, I don't need you? And, and I think that's kind of where we are. I think that's where we are with our business, and I think that's probably where you are with your business. Um, I'd like to know your comments. I'd like to know if you think I overreacted, especially on the part of where it became a game. I just wanted to beat them calling me back. But have you experienced something like this? Is this something that you would do? Um, have you done it recently? I don't, I don't see any reason to call out any particular companies. That's why I haven't mentioned them here. I'm just curious about the overall process of how we're buying these days, and if in We've really gotten to the point where we, you know, it's got to be now. I mean, think about it, we even click through on our phones to call somebody when we have an immediate problem. So I think that's really where we are. I'd like to know your thoughts. Give me some suggestions in the comment box and let me know what you think.
