How can I help you?

I wanted to speak about how businesses services you. Whilst I provide a service to you as a horse and dog body worker, I also become a customer when seeking new products or information of courses.

Just recently I contacted a well know horse business who also offer courses on how to fit what they are selling. I will not name them as I feel that I do not support poor behavior. So, like many of us I send in a query right from their website fill in page which is linked specifically to the course.

Now this business advertises in lots of horse places is nation wide and I would of expected a better reply back than the one I got. Now I guess in all fairness I did not explain my background, there was no real reason to but did say I was interested in the course and when will this take place and details.

This is what I received back:

“Hello Linda,

We already have someone in the Gippsland area so we arent looking to add any more at this time :) “

I have a long-standing background in customer service in many sectors from financial, manufacturing (some of the top blue chip organizations in the world) and education as well as being a long standing consumer and I was a little taken back by what I got.

Let me break this down in the issues I have regarding this response.

We already have someone in the Gippsland area - Fair enough great, I did already know that as unlike this business I did some research, and the person is based in East Gippsland. Gippsland is 41,556km2 so having one person to cover all that area seems crazy. So where I am located in the Latrobe valley bordering on the South Gippsland region, this qualified business is 129km from where I am based. Seem good business practice to have at least two or three to cover the vast areas but no they would rather people wait for services.

So we arent looking to add any more at this time😊 – first thing that stood out was spelling of arent but I am no expert so let that kind of slide. Looking? No, I was inquiring about the course I was not asking to join your team and nor did it say on the website that by taking this course you were automatically linked with this business.

Last thing was no sign off- no regards, no thank you, no sincerely yours or a name at the bottom. Very impersonal and not welcoming.

If in the same situation I would have responded like this:

Hello Linda,

Thank you for your inquiry on our course.

This course is currently not available as we have plenty of representatives in the area you are located. I would like to add you to a list should a position come available and be in contact with you.

Continue to keep caring for horses and we look forward in the future to being in touch.

Many thanks

Linda - Director

I am sure this business will continue to thrive, but I don’t think we need to be settling for poor service.