Agency Response to E-mail - How Long Should it Take?

[joebob]

I just had a very cordial e-mail interchange with an agency that left me with an interesting question. When e-mailing an agency, or using an on-line contact form, how long should it take for a response?

I have to admit that in my opinion the response should be reasonably quick.

After all, if you called an agency you wouldn't expect hours and hours to go by before them picking up the phone. Likewise if the lines were busy during business hours and you had to leave a phone message or a voice-mail you would expect to be called back within the hour, or at least I would.

Some agencies I've dealt with seem to have a standard of responses within 24 hours. In a back and forth correspondence to set up an advance booking that means days of lag time. No thanks, time to look elsewhere.

I admit that I am very sensitive to this. I have a complex situation at work where a phone call to an agency is simply not an option.

If I send an e-mail to an agency during their business hours I expect a return contact in 1-2 hours. Is that unreasonable? If so, why?

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Joebob

 

[outsidethebox]

Interesting Topic.

From my point of view, the speed of the response has to be considered in light of the three variables

-the time when you sent your e-mail
-the nature of the information requested
-the manner in which you present your request


The nature of the information requested is probably the most significant variable. If you simply wish to know, the rate for escortX for 2hrs downtown a few hours at most should be required. Of course, if you’re in a rush consulting the rates section would be even faster.
If you want specifics on ladies availability for a few weeks in advance then I would suspect the return time would depend on how quickly the lady can be contacted.


The second variable is pretty self-explanatory. Any hobbyist knows that most agencies are closed in the morning (say after 5am) If you send a e-mail just when they are closing you can’t reasonably expect that it will be returned in anything under eight hours. Assuming the agency is open in the afternoon, and the nature of the information requested is readily available then a few hours at most. I would peg it at 3 hours.

Finally if make a request concerning appointments in the future, the agency may not assume you need some response right away. They may simply put off responding until they can give a complete answer. In other words if you want a fast response, ask.

Personally, a same day response is adequate; if I need anything faster, I just pick up the phone.

 

[SamanthaJones]

I would think 2hrs- during their business hours- would be reasonable. Out of their regular hours 24hrs. Providing, of course there arew no problems with their connection that day.

I do all my appts by email-for various reasons- I almost always return an e-mail within 24hrs.(never at all if it is rude!) Often within 2hrs if I am in my office/gym at the time.

 

[joebob]

I do all my appts by email-for various reasons- I almost always return an e-mail within 24hrs.(never at all if it is rude!) Often within 2hrs if I am in my office/gym at the time.

Well, I don't think I would hold independents to nearly as high a standard as agencies. One of the reasons to pay agency prices is that there is supposed to be someone whose full-time job it is to communicate with you.

Joebob

 

[outsidethebox]

Excellent Point

 

[E_B_Samaritano]

Proper use of email...

Agencies still book the lion's share of their business over the phone. This is where the attention for the "urgency" that you seek is focused and I believe rightfully so. Email is not a substitute for a live phonecall. Your phonecall demonstrates urgency and sincerity. What you pay for is live contact, not an email chat communication. Simply put..if you expect a fast response, pick up the phone. If you can wait..send an email. I believe a 24-48 hour turnaround is reasonable.

EBS

 

[batman3]

Re: Proper use of email...

Agencies still book the lion's share of their business over the phone. This is where the attention for the "urgency" that you seek is focused and I believe rightfully so. Email is not a substitute for a live phonecall. Your phonecall demonstrates urgency and sincerity.

EBS

urgency- yes
sincerity?- I see absolutely no correlation here. From what I have heard and read it is usually the guys that phone that are the jerks, no shows, etc.

 

[joebob]

Re: Proper use of email...

[BEmail is not a substitute for a live phonecall. Your phonecall demonstrates urgency and sincerity. What you pay for is live contact, not an email chat communication. Simply put..if you expect a fast response, pick up the phone. If you can wait..send an email. I believe a 24-48 hour turnaround is reasonable.

EBS [/B]

I understand your point. However, I disagree.

If an agency has the policy or habit of answering their e-mail in a less than prompt manner for whatever reason I think they should make that clear on their site. I, for one, would find it perfectly acceptable for an agency site to say "for a response within 24 hours e-mail us at XXX@XXXX.COM or for immediate booking call 555-5555".

As for live contact with the agency, that is not what I pay for. I pay for them to coordinate all the elements necessary for a successful session quickly and effectively. I wouldn't really care if a computer did it all through a web interface (the ultimate in CRM!).

Again, for those of us for whom phone calls are impractical this is an important issue.


Respectfully,
Joebob

 

[Jenn_angel]

Just one question...

Why would you not expect as much from an independant?

Just have to ask this one.

 

[joebob]

Re: Just one question...

Why would you not expect as much from an independant?

When I think of an independant I think of someone who is the service provider + the booking agent + the marketer + the business administrator. All rolled into one person. That's quite a bit to do.

An agency has different individuals dedicated to each of these functions - maybe combining one or two. I have a higher expectation of service from someone whose sole job is to book my appointment than someone who has three other roles besides.

That having been said, I almost never see independants so maybe I overestimate the workload.

Joebob

 

[Jenn_angel]

No...

You are one of the few people who dosen't... Yet I think in some ways independants should try to set aside certain times to do administrative duties... If they can not check repeatedly through out the day.

That is just something that carried over from other businesses I have worked in.

 

[E_B_Samaritano]

Batman,

That indeed is what you've read and heard. Doesn't apply to outcall agencies. My personal experience is that a phone call on a first contact goes a lot towards establishing your commitment to an appointment, particularly with an outcall agency which is what Joebob is discussing. Their job is to qualify your sincerity. Even when I've called independents in Toronto and Vancouver, a surprising number have returned my call LONG DISTANCE when I've had to leave a message. That's probably because I give them a date, place, time and a REAL name and telephone number. A local resident emailing an agency asking for an appointment...I interpret that as lazy and insincere. A visitor who calls long distance...i attribute a lot more sincerity to that phone call. Human nature is to read a lot more into a live voice than an email. That email is no substitute for phone or face to face contact.

Joebob,

I don't believe we disagree about with regards to the benefits of using an agency. I concur with your observation about paying for the efficient coordination of an appointment. Despite the fact that you've said phone is not an option, I believe you're a little misguided in believing that email should contain urgency going into an agency with a main telephone number. Where do you work, a highly secure top secret government area? If you can't use work phones, why not use your cellphone? Whatever it is, particularly if its an ADVANCE appointment, can't demand this kind of urgency. And clearly it should be given a nonurgent status if sent via email. If I want something and I want it now, I pick up the phone and ask for it, and that's only if I can't do it live and in person. A live answer at an agency permits realtime resolution to inquiries ---that "efficient coordination" you reference...this is what I pay for..assuming that I'm paying extra anyway. If I'm the owner, I'm paying a booker/phone receptionist to place urgency on confirming appointments that bring revenue today. Furthermore, I believe the record demonstates that you are not paying extra for an agency. There are many former agency escorts who are now independents who are actually charging the same or more than their agency rates. In Toronto, I see little difference between independent and agency rates. Escorts who may see clients outside the agency at reduced rates, do so only because the agency has already born the initial expense of putting the two parties together. Once that girl goes independent, she realizes that her time and expense to generate and book new business needs to be compensated as well. And some clients quite frankly, need a lot of babysitting.

Quite frankly, I believe people just need to use plain business common sense. Email is not a terribly efficient way to communicate urgent thoughts. Imagine the number of frivilous inquiries that have to be processed just to get to your urgent request. If that same lady is answering phones, where does she get the time to answer your email in a timely fashion? It takes far less time for me to confirm an appointment via phone than it does for me to compose an email. Likewise, it takes the recipient far less time to process your phone call, than it does for her to process your email.

EBS