Emails / Time Spent

Just wanted to mention something really quick, since this comes up, now and then.  I get a lot, and I mean, A LOT of emails.

Yesterday, for example, I sat down in the morning, and spent three hours answering emails (just from the day before).

Here's what sometimes happens.  Let's say you emailed me at in the morning.  In the afternoon, let's say I check my email, and your email is one of the first in my inbox.  I read it, reply, and move on.  I usually go through all my emails (though sometimes I'll leave one for later if I need to snap a pic or something) and reply, before I'll look at new emails coming in.  So, if I email you back, and you see it, and immediately email me back... it may still be hours, as I get through everyone else's email, before I see your reply to my earlier email.

That doesn't mean I'm not responding to you, or ignoring you.  If you're asking about coming that same day, I may very well check to see if I've received a response.  Like the other day, I had someone wanting to drop off a guinea pig, and they knew it had to be between the time they got off work and 6:30 pm, and and so I kept watching my email and phone for confirmation that they really were coming by.  But in general... if it's your average email.... I'll go through them in order, before I get back to yours.

Even as I sit here... I replied to a few emails... now as I look.. I have new emails -- an adoption form, a question about one of our chins, a request that two be paired together and I let this person know how they do... and so on.  I actually had someone ask me, last week, was there any faster method of communication I could use other than email?  Mind you, I replied within an hour or two to his initial email and subsequent emails.  But... apparently not quick enough.

I guess the point is, I don't want anyone to think that I don't care about you all -- my customers, my adopters, chin-people, the small animal / small exotic community in general -- but sometimes I wish you could all be in my shoes for a day.  See what work really goes into all of this.  See how much time the emails really take, and how long feeding / watering takes, and making / mailing out orders, and so on.  I think some people would be surprised.  And it's not that I'm ignoring you, but there's only one me.  So, your patience is very much appreciated.  Thank you.