# text messaging and email



## FIREMAN Q (Jan 19, 2005)

With blackberry and Iphones more popular I was just wondering how many of you use text messaging and emails during your day to day communications with clients and employees. I have found that some of my bigger clients like to use text messaging and emailing for the majority of the communications. Also with the employees it tends to work great to pass quick info.

Just curious on everyones thoughts


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Still old fashion ,I like to use the phone.


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

I text every day. I've had Palm's for years. Just got the new Pro. I get emails from customers & vendors daily.

Makes it simple to give/get all the information that is needed for a job/bid. And there is a record of it if anything comes up.

Snap a picture of something that looks good or bad and email it to the person that needs to see it.

Text employees while they are on noisey equipment and when they get a chance to look at it, my message is there. They can text back without shutting down equipment to be quiet. (yes they do stop the equipment prior to texting)

Grandview, it even has a phone on it that I can call people on.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

a lot of my customers like email and i often text my guys for lot updates and conditions and what not


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## snow tender (Nov 30, 2008)

Txt most of my guys, but still have to call one.i find it is just faster. I can send the same question to all at one time. Customer I still call on the phone.


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## M&M (Sep 8, 2008)

Whoever wants to get a hold of me by whatever means, I will respond. Phone, text, email, BBM, but not facebook because I don't want the crazy ex-girlfriends finding me.


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## Farmall Teen (Aug 28, 2005)

The crew that I am on always uses cell phones, my boss has to call me like normal, but some of the guys have the 2-way radio phones, so we use that a lot. When I started, we were using CB radios and we may start using them again.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

QuadPlower;868223 said:


> I text every day. I've had Palm's for years. Just got the new Pro. I get emails from customers & vendors daily.
> 
> Makes it simple to give/get all the information that is needed for a job/bid. And there is a record of it if anything comes up.
> 
> ...


X2, except a BB not a Palm. I can't imagine life without these days.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

i was thinking about putting CB radios in the cabs of our loaders/tractor/skids...but then i thought about theft and what not...but that would definately be the easiest way to communicate


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## cmo18 (Mar 10, 2008)

CB's are definitely most efficient but you cant pass secrets...I text everyday and email constant with customers, phone calls are becoming something of the past.


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## Burkartsplow (Nov 1, 2007)

i have had three palm phones and I couldnot live without them upgraded to the pro 4 months ago. I lke having the ability to keep in contact with all my clients no matter how they rprefer, phone, text, email. It also helped me land bis due to the fact I can give answers to potential clients within a few minutes. plus i run the weather the whole time I am in the truck.


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## creativedesigns (Sep 24, 2007)

My new phone is the Telus i580 contractor grade. We use the mikes everyday to communicate to the foremans on job sites. But all client talk is done thru phone, e-mail & occasional FAX.

It would be kinda awkward to send text messages to clients tho? lol

This is my first camera phone too....


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## jayman3 (Jan 18, 2006)

Cre get with the times I had that phone two winters ago LOL
I either use my Mike,also do lots of texting with contractors and foremen everything else is phone.


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## ultimateinc (Dec 3, 2008)

one of my great customers who is in his 60's sent me a text one day asking for more work. i thought it wouldn't be to professional to send him a text to confirm work, but then i thought maybe he didn't want to talk so i replied back. i found that i will not text my employees anymore cause i did one time to send them to another job and they never made it there i was pissed so when i met up with them i took there phones before i told them about the text due to the fact they could have deleted it. i seen they never got it so couldn't be mad at them. alot of messages don't always go through. so now to make sure i just call or print out a work order and time schedule they are required to meet for each job and location.


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## JeffNY (Dec 19, 2005)

I just picked up the Moto Droid, Its pretty nice having email up in less than 2 seconds. I have a few customers that text me as well, sometimes you just don't want to talk to people, it happens.

Those stupid 2-way things would be nice for plowing with other employees, but im not buying another phone.


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## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

I use primarily email and phone contact with customers, email is becoming more commonplace, especially with property managers who would rather email now than talk on the phone. Most small customers are still phone though. I do have a manager of a large property we do that text's me quite often. But running Blackberry, Text and emails are handled the same way regardless...


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## asps4u (Sep 16, 2009)

I have a Blackberry and a Bluetooth, so however anyone wants to communicate with me is just fine. As long as they are communicating with me, that means I have work. Customers tend to prefer e-mail and phone, haven't had any text me yet.


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## BSDeality (Dec 5, 2005)

all of the above. been using a smart phone for a while now and I would be absolutely lost without out. We have some very demanding clients and text/email is much easier to screen the requests and faster to send a reply without talking to them on the phone for a few minutes about how bad the roads are ("can I make it to the grocery store?) 

I will also be carrying a netbook with hi spd internet this winter for radar that I can actually see enough of the area to know whats going on. I may put my wifi printer back in the truck for route changes, haven't decided.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

I prefer the text/email to phone. As some of you can testify I won't even come to the phone during the day. I have people to handle that and I can answer 6 qustions email in the time of one phone call.


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## snowman4 (Nov 25, 2007)

jayman3;869465 said:


> Cre get with the times I had that phone two winters ago LOL
> I either use my Mike,also do lots of texting with contractors and foremen everything else is phone.


I second that. Except, I have the grey instead of yellow.


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## KL&M Snow Div. (Jan 2, 2009)

I email, text, and call customers. Each person prefers a different way.


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## KrisR (Sep 12, 2009)

i cant live with out my iphone, i use it for everything... even this site...., what i have noticed w/ giving out quotes though email and texting is they never get back to you.... and emails are so easy to ignore. i like the phone for talking to clients, much easier to follow up on quotes that way.


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## SuperdutyShane (Mar 6, 2009)

I like to text a lot... Although, I am 15, so its practically a past time.

I have a phone that was discontinued because they caught on fire... Ironically, the phones name is "QuickFire"


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## BMWSTUD25 (Aug 21, 2008)

I text with my guys and e-mail most of my clients. Also it gets billing done quicker and gives them an easy way to stay in contact with my via calls and concerns. Even had a lady email me some pictures of her house after the guys mowed this summer. As far as texting goes I only can text about 3 of my clients and as weird as it sounds I picked up a new customer about 30-34 years old this summer via text. My phone beeped and when I looked at it all it said was "Im looking for someone to mow my yard. My Mom gave me your number as a possibility. THX Tina" I couldnt believe it at first then it just kind of hit me.....this is the direction we are moving in.


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## 04chevy2500 (Oct 7, 2009)

we all text to communicate because it is easier when in the equipment or if talking to a customer etc...


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## SPSkyo8530 (Dec 7, 2009)

I use my Blackberry for everything and not sure what I'd do if I had to go back to the days before. It access all my emails and facebook as well as live radar and plowsite!

It can also track where my other guys are, plot maps, navigate to addresses enter job and fuel logs.


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## big acres (Nov 8, 2007)

KL&M Snow Div.;876627 said:


> I email, text, and call customers. Each person prefers a different way.


Ditto.... 95% of my managers prefer email for small day to day stuff, but I will call them for any substantial issues... usually emailing them a request to call me when convenient. they are busy and can get to the small stuff on their own schedule.

KL&M hit it though... I have one guy whose emails always sound like he's po'd. Then I get worked up about some big issue only to talk to him and found out no big deal.


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