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I post this for other potential clients who are looking for a Balinese or Siamese kitten. It's not written for MyBaliSi or other already clients, or even other breeders who, undoubtedly, will flock to the post, lambast my character or myself, and defend fellow breeder (mark my words, see it happen within a month). This is the typical pattern that happens when someone posts against a cattery.
This is what we deal with in the cat world. There are few breeders who have shown the capability to practice unbiased professionalism, and among them I can say are Louis (WA), Marie (WA), and now Laurabell (MI). Laurabell demonstrated her professionalism and social finesse in her response to my original post (linked below).
TiaMaria Siamese and Balinese — treatment of a potential customer
As a potential future client looking for a Siamese or Balinese, you can read and make your own judgments on each of these catteries and their professionalism. Personally, I pay attention to how a breeder cavorts online and offline. I prefer less acerbic and in-your-face-ness whether directed at me or others. So, it's actually useful when breeders do respond to posts and do post their cattery name, as any client who types in that cattery name can see the breeder's online interactions with others--whether that be their client, a potential client, or even just a random person.
Again, this is for other potential clients; you can form your own judgments whether the response was appropriate or not. It doesn't matter to me if I'm attacked by a community of Siamese breeders. I care for helping other clients see a 360 degree view of their potential breeder far more than avoiding breeders' online attacks.
My post was on another breeder's professionalism and explicitly stated that it is not an attack or judgment on the quality or health of her cats, as I said, "they could be fantastic." Yet, MyBaliSi glazed over the main point and instead chose to attest to the quality and health of TiaMaria's cats as well as attack my character and expertise of the law.
MyBaliSi's comment below:
"Wow! I was stunned at the over reaction of this person who went to Maria for advice. I have been to Maria’s house and find her cats very affectionate to strangers and very clean. Maria, herself was also very accommodating.
I question the fact that this person decided to get advice from a breeder she did not get the kitten from. It makes me wonder if there was a problem between her and the original breeder she purchased the kitten from. Maybe that’s why she sought advice elsewhere.
I have read and re-read this post and wondered why she was offended. The only thing I can come up with is that she did not like to be called out over her ignorance at showering the kitten before it had time to adjust! Stress on stress! The other cats sensed it and reacted.
At the very least her lawyer friends could have advised her to search out her concern on the internet without bothering someone, only to trash them later.
Of course she is no authority on who to recommend unless she has talked to all the Balinese breeders in the US. I know 5 breeders that she has never been acquainted with…and that’s just my little world. Louis and Marie are long time breeders and very well known…so…why didn’t she go to them for advice? Hmmmm
By the way…did her lawyer friends warn you against posting a private e-mail without permission?
Too many questions, not enough answers."
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First, legalities should be dealt with first. My "lawyer friends" as well as my own legal expertise see no conflict with my post. Emails are not private, as subpoenas will demonstrate. Emails are wonderful, as they are everything an individual writes on their own accord in a perfect recorded medium that can easily be subpoena-ed. In this case, there is no penalty for re-posting something an individual actually stated, particularly in written form. It only gets a little tricky when it's a verbal statement converted into written form, but that isn't the case for this interaction. Now, if that was a bank statement I had stolen and posted online, that is a different story. Any hope of a "perjury" case would be thrown out.
Now, asides from legalities, as this post was written FOR potential clients, and not breeders or other already-clients themselves, I ask other potential clients seeing this post to consider 4 main bullet points:
1) Would you like a breeder who makes pointed assumptions, instead of asking them as questions?
MyBaliSi Cattery assumed that I only asked TiaMaria's advice on the situation and only posted a complaint about her response. That is not the factual case. I sought out help from a number of different breeders, as one who seeks advice should. One should always consult various attorneys, doctors, psychiatrists, etc for a professional opinion, and pool those opinions to form their own.
2) Would you like a breeder to ever point to someone as "ignorant, " particularly when they do admit they are seeking help to better a situation and do not know what to do?
In MyBaliSi's verbal treatment of another who is seeking behavioral help for their kitten, she referred to my "lack of knowledge" as "ignorance." I ask you as other potential clients--would you like a breeder to ever point this word at you? What if you did this to a cat you bought from MyBaliSi, and she responded in such a way? You can ask yourselves and form your own judgments. If she can say this to someone else's client and/or potential client, then she could have the capacity to say it to you. And if MyBaliSi says, "I would say it to TwitterCat, but not my own clients"--what does that say? Is there something to be read about personal character or professionalism there? Only the potential clients reading this post can form that answer.
3) As clients, do you believe we must have "an authority to complain"? There is no right to complain UNLESS one knows "EVERY" other breeder in the Balinese community?
I can tell you there is no law or general rule that one must know ALL to be able to comment. In that case, are clients or potential clients not allowed to show dissatisfaction? I ask you as potential customers, do you want to deal with a breeder like this?
Further, one does not need to know only Balinese breeders to be able to comment on the treatment from a breeder. It could be any breed. Balinese and Siamese breeders are registered to the same various registries as other breeds, and there is no exclusive Balinese/Siamese breeder traits rendering those breeders significantly different in nature than others.
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Again, this was posted in response to MyBaliSi's attacking of my character, my "ignorance, " and of whether someone has "the authority to complain."
I do not know who this breeder is, nor did I incite her in any way. Yet, she responded as such on her own accord, perhaps as a favor to a friend, or perhaps because she randomly felt like it.
Regardless, you as potential clients can make your own judgments :)
I do believe she and perhaps a posse of breeders may respond to this post, at which you can also read those at your leisure. And if so, I guess it's just more fodder and evidence for you as potential clients to sift through and form judgments about. I hope they respond professionally.
Laurabell, I can tell you are a sensitive and sympathetic soul, not only to your friends, but those affected, and I appreciate that. Unlike many other breeders who flock to these posts, you have managed to voice your opinions without offending either party and remain sensitive. I am sure that not only have I appreciated it, but that your current and future/potential clients will, as well.
As for those who read these posts, let me clarify on the "time of contact" and email situation. MyBaliSi, TiaMaria Siamese, and Avante Siamese seemed to disapprove that an email was sent around 3-5 a.m. EST. Here is an explanation about modern social media and emails, explained by a Professor of Marketing Communications at Medill, the nation's #1 Journalism and Marketing School and his former student:
About emails--some breeders have commented may not understand what emails are or how they work in context with the modern world. Emails are not phone calls, nor are they texts. Emails are sent at the sender's leisure, and are responded to by the responder's leisure. Responders take no offense to the time emails are sent, and senders take no offense at the time when emails are received. Any real professional can explain the important difference.
Investment bankers, financial advisers, attorneys, businessmen, anyone in the financial sector, etc. We get emails all the time. Do we complain they are from 3-5am? No. Those in the financial sector, typically investment bankers, do not have the luxury to wait until decent hours to respond. That's the nature of their profession; they usually must respond immediately, the hours are not an excuse for lack of social skills. Fortunately, the rest of us have the luxury to respond at our ease, and do so when we can. Is TiaMaria obligated to respond to an email at the exact time an email is sent? There is no obligation.
Professionals should never underestimate another or be rude for any reason, and I was under the impression with my interactions with TiaMaria that she regarded herself as a profession and prided her professionalism very much. As I said, if an attorney or psychiatrist treated someone similarly in a session or response to their email, regardless of what time the professional chose to respond or what the matter was about, that response is unprofessional and would likely result in loss of a potential client. And that is exactly what happened.
In summary, while an argument can be made for 3-5am texts or phone calls being inappropriate, neither a professional nor most lay people can say the same for an email.
Additionally, I would like to point out one thing. JLPhillips and few other catteries pointed out, "why would a breeder want to help you with a kitten purchased not from her? You should only ask the breeder you purchased her from."
Marketing and business professionals actually teach the opposite. You WANT these questions asked and you WANT to answer them, to establish your brand name, professionalism, and expertise in the field. It establishes respect for you, your business, and the industry you represent. That is, if one seeks to become successful or prominent in their field. If they don't, I suppose they can do what they want to do.
The ideal resolution and situation for cases like this, when a past or potential client is unhappy, is actually for the said business of complaint to reach out to the unhappy individual themselves and attempt to resolve the issue. As professors of marketing will state, "You want to make nay-sayers into supporters, and this is established by direct contact and conflict resolution. This is particularly critical and important for small business."
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So yes, Laurabell, this is how past and potential clients post their experiences and problems with businesses and business representatives. Representatives choose to represent themselves and resolve (or not resolve) the issues; that is their own choice. That is why we have sites like Yelp and ComplaintsBoard. It is usually to help other clients. And if you watch Yelp and other sites, more professional and larger businesses directly reach out to the consumer and attempt to resolve the problem themselves. In an ideal scenario, the consumer retracts the claim, which only the consumer can likely do, as lawsuits against these types of sites typically fail, or will add an addendum that the business followed up with good customer service, resolved the complaints, and are now on good terms.
Business 101.
In any case, Laurabell, I wish you the best. You've demonstrated kindness and did not offend me at all in your commentary and insight on this case with TiaMaria Siamese and MyBaliSi. If only this were true for all catteries.
For those statements, you likely do not know Maria well. She would likely not be happy if she knew someone believed that about her. She prides herself as a professional and takes cat breeding very seriously. While some may not take cat breeding as a profession, that does not mean all do. That's a logical reasoning error.
Further, while you may draw lines where you may, it does not mean others do, whether that individual be Maria, myself, or whomever.
"I am sure the courtesy in which she extended to assist you with answering some questions was appreciated, and if she felt she had reached a place of over extension she would and should have every right to severe or request severance of contact, as you have not established a relationship of transaction nor mentorship. "
just lol that you believe that only those who have submitted a deposit are capable of complaining. further, maria and I had a relationship.
"Nor should posting your grievances about personality conflicts be a valid reason to post something online, with someone in which you never had an established relationship or transaction with. I think its safe to say that even while growing up we were often told, not everyone will be compatible nor can everyone be friends, so lets stop at our pride, smile and simply walk the other way. "
since you feel this way, you might like posting this to yelp complaints. good luck!
While I understand modern communication means, such as e-mail. I think you fail to realize that a lot of people link their emails, social networks and text messages to their mobile phones. You are correct corporate businesses and government who have hundreds of employees and hundreds of emails would not fret over ding, ding, dings chiming from their phones at unnatural hours of wake times as it is not an option with a corporation or businesses.
.I think it is further an unfair assumption that breeding cats is a business. Most breeders work a regular 9-5 job, and breeding is more of a passion and or hobby not an occupation. While we try to treat everyone in a professional manner, we are people not institutions.
I personally try my best to help anyone with questions, even if they have nothing to do with me or my cats, I will however draw a line at an on going assistance to a person in which I have not placed a cat with. Who would know their cats or kittens better than the person in which bred, and reared many generations of the same lineage (?) It is generally frowned upon to give advice on other peoples bloodlines or the best ways to deal with offspring from other lines, as it would be to assume all bloodlines behave and respond the same to the same stimuli and or conditions, which is not practical.
I am sure the courtesy in which she extended to assist you with answering some questions was appreciated, and if she felt she had reached a place of over extension she would and should have every right to severe or request severance of contact, as you have not established a relationship of transaction nor mentorship. While I understand that you may have felt your needs were not being met by her at that period of your uncertainties, you must also realize that the advise was that of courtesy and not owed to you. Nor should posting your grievances about personality conflicts be a valid reason to post something online, with someone in which you never had an established relationship or transaction with. I think its safe to say that even while growing up we were often told, not everyone will be compatible nor can everyone be friends, so lets stop at our pride, smile and simply walk the other way.
I think the reaction of both these breeders from what I have read was because the timing of the messages at wee early morning hours. Also the frequent bathing of the cats you own. Maybe it is unfair to attack publicly?
Both breeders are good and decent People but like most of us we have things we do and say that hurt one another.
Is this the new way People can vent their problems on public forums? I can't imagine how bad that feels? I don't think anyone is perfect and do not hold them to perfection standards we all fall short. Are our shortcomings going to be shouted from the roof tops now? Just so sad because I do have friendships with both these breeders. I know they are very decent and very sensitive People.
Just very sad and I will continue to refer People to these Catteries because they are clean and their animals are in loving, safe and well cared for homes.