[Savage GT]

That firms can't even be bothered to reply to enquiries ?
I messaged 3 local-ish firms on "Trust a Trader" that have top reviews about coming to visit and quote me for some fencing I would like doing.
5 days later one bothered to reply, only to ask for more details which I sent within the hour of the email and awaiting further reply.

I would expect for them all to have got back in contact within a couple of days at worst ... perhaps my expectations are to high ? 

[JasonB]

I had a similar experience. I contacted about a dozen local builders about some work I needed doing. Only one got back to me, and that was just to tell me that he couldn't help as he was totally booked up for the next year and a half.

[Bazzer]

That firms can't even be bothered to reply to enquiries ?
I messaged 3 local-ish firms on "Trust a Trader" that have top reviews about coming to visit and quote me for some fencing I would like doing.
5 days later one bothered to reply, only to ask for more details which I sent within the hour of the email and awaiting further reply.

I would expect for them all to have got back in contact within a couple of days at worst ... perhaps my expectations are to high ? 

The mistake you made was picking the companies from "Trust a Trader".

Just ask your friends for names, most companies/contractors are absolutely snowed under at the moment and that will not change anytime soon (read 5 years at least).

B.

[Savage GT]

None of my friends have had fencing done recently 

[Gordon Steadman]

Try living in France!

Fortunately, I'm doing most of the work myself but the plumbing and electrics are difficult in this place so we are having the professionals in....alegedly.

When they do turn up, they are very good, cowboy builders are a rarity here (apart from the English ones of course) as tradesmen are properly qualified. The problem is getting them to turn up, even if they have already quoted, a price agreed and a date selected. The times that date passes without sight and sound of any workers!!

We will have been here for a year in June. We have an en-suite bathroom and the kitchen done. All the rest of the plumbing and wiring is still awaiting their lordship's presence.

I'm knocking walls down so I can take it out on them with the sledge hammer.

[Top Down]

I've found phone calls get priority. People generally pick up and respond to them, even if it's only to say they're too busy. 

There's no immediacy with messages, which rarely get a response and gradually slip off the radar altogether.

[Savage GT]

See, thats the thing.

For me, I prefer if people contact me via email/text/whatsapp as I can read/respond when it is convenient, which is usually within a couple of hours at most.
The amount of times I am preparing dinner/tea, eating, in the middle of working on something or just getting into a film when the phone rings 
A chat with a friend, or urgent matters l'll pick up if I can, otherwise I call back when convenient if I recognise the number.

Perhaps that makes me sound even more of a grump and/or dinosaur 

Obviously small businesses I wouldn't expect that, but if I ran a small business I would likely check messages/emails before heading of for work and again when returned.
I find it odd that is this age of social media, email is often ignored.

Still, point taken, phone for immediate response 

[Johnno]

I hear you all on this topic, I've been chasing down a local perspex supplier for a measure, quote and supply for perspex for my bridge sides.... a couple of hundred dollars was the budget.

Finally got tired or simply being ignored by this useless business person and went ahead with my own sides which I will tweak further and then buy the perspex from out of area, probably out of the state and do the work myself. 

If businesses can not be bothered to do the job correctly or even attempt the job then they need to do the world a favour and close down and go hide for good. 

I use emails as there is an ongoing reference as to what has been said and by whom and when, a phone call has no evidence of things, plus majority of the businesses that I deal with prefer email rather than phone calls..

[Scuderia_Turini]

I think that scenario is nationwide. If I was a tradesman I would probably respond best to telephone calls, emails are too easy for people to fire off on a whim, so just time-wasters.

[Gordon Steadman]

I think that scenario is nationwide. If I was a tradesman I would probably respond best to telephone calls, emails are too easy for people to fire off on a whim, so just time-wasters.

Some of us are deaf so can't use the phone. I can hear everything said in an email