Replies to emails? Am I expecting too much?

We are first time visitors to the Cayman Islands. I am looking at excursions and have emailed Pampered Ponies twice, and Nicki at Cayman Horse Riding once, and have yet to receive a reply from either. Is that level of customer service normal on Cayman? I have to admit it's making me reluctant to want to give them my money (even if I get the opportunity to do so) :(

It depends. How long ago did you email?

What I've noticed over many trips to Cayman is that people there operate on a much more relaxed schedule than in the States or Canada. Not everyone lives on their smartphone, and many companies don't even have webpages. People still talk on the phone as a first line of communication, they turn off work stuff for holidays and family functions, nothing's open on a Sunday, etc.

It's not that they're rude, in fact it's the opposite. They just haven't joined the "instant gratification rat race" to the same extent as most other places.

Personally, I like it, but it does take some getting used to "island time" as a way of doing business... :grin:

It depends. How long ago did you email?

 

What I've noticed over many trips to Cayman is that people there operate on a much more relaxed schedule than in the States or Canada. Not everyone lives on their smartphone, and many companies don't even have webpages. People still talk on the phone as a first line of communication, they turn off work stuff for holidays and family functions, nothing's open on a Sunday, etc.

 

It's not that they're rude, in fact it's the opposite. They just haven't joined the "instant gratification rat race" to the same extent as most other places.

 

Personally, I like it, but it does take some getting used to "island time" as a way of doing business... :grin:

It was 3 days ago for Pampered Ponies. They must have sensed me grumbling though as I had a reply this evening :)

It was 3 days ago for Pampered Ponies. They must have sensed me grumbling though as I had a reply this evening :)

Three days is not unusual, especially over a weekend. Glad you were able to touch base with them.

I had the same issue with Nicki the last time we were there. I get that it's a small business, Caribbean "laid-back" time, etc., but in the end she ended up losing our business because of the exact same feeling that you were experiencing. When she did finally respond, (several days later), it was so impersonal and so nonchalant, that it reinforced the idea that we had made the right decision going with someone else.

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I had the same issue with Nicki the last time we were there. I get that it's a small business, Caribbean "laid-back" time, etc., but in the end she ended up losing our business because of the exact same feeling that you were experiencing. When she did finally respond, (several days later), it was so impersonal and so nonchalant, that it reinforced the idea that we had made the right decision going with someone else.

:grin: Don't ever get a place in Cayman, then. You'll experience the same thing from the phone guy, the cable guy, the property manager, the yard company, etc. We've gotten to the point that we're amazed if someone shows up to do work at the time they say they're going to...usually if it's the same day, it's all good. Service is great once they get there, though. We're never disappointed with the actual work, it's just the timing that takes some getting used to...

:grin: Don't ever get a place in Cayman, then. You'll experience the same thing from the phone guy, the cable guy, the property manager, the yard company, etc. We've gotten to the point that we're amazed if someone shows up to do work at the time they say they're going to...usually if it's the same day, it's all good. Service is great once they get there, though. We're never disappointed with the actual work, it's just the timing that takes some getting used to...

Oh Bookbabe, you are so very right, and I couldn't agree with you more. DW and I have a place in Bali (in Tejakula, 3 hours away from the crowds), and recently acquired a place in Jamaica (close to my family's property in Green Island), so I can relate to what you've stated. The situation here, in the presented fact pattern, is quite different though, in that we're talking about a business entity which is primarily focused on tourism. It's actually a fast paced mindset wrapped within a laid-back persona. Entities like the phone or cable company cater to the local population that's not going anywhere, so it is much more likely that they will operate on "island time". But, maybe that's not even written in stone. Heck, even here in NYC, you could possibly end up waiting half the day for the cable guy to arrive. Sometimes it can be quite the crapshoot. In any event, I would have expected her to have responded in a more timely fashion, and at the end of the day, I was glad we didn't go with her.

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I agree, it would seem to make sense that a company hoping to cater to tourists would realize it's better to operate on the tourist's schedule and timing, but I guess that's not always going to happen. I suppose you get used to "island time" and forget that not everyone operates on it... :grin: