# Always good to have this reaction.....



## somedevildawg

So I respond to one of the horsey ads on CL (hay wanted) wants to come look at hay before purchase, boy have I heard this one before, she lives about an hour away, buys about 3k bale a year. She said she was coming, no showed, imagine that.....calls back, something came up, guess her phone fell in the water trough cause she damn sure didn't call to say SHE WASN'T COMING! Damn these horsey folks can drive ya crazy. Anyway she said she was coming again, asked again for the 15 th time what the bales looked like, etc. already sent forage analysis after first email....still pissed after being no showed the first time, I told her, bring a truck and trailer, she reiterates that she only wants to look......I tell her, ma'am I really ain't got time to spend with looking, I have 200 bales to deliver today before this rain system gets on us, I tell you what, if you come over here and see that it's not for your horses, I'll pay for your fuel, both ways, I'll be at or around farm all day, let me know when you'll be here.....
She calls says shell be here in about 15 min.....purposefully I left so as to make them WAIT.....I went down to fuel station and had a coffee. Go back to the barn only to see this lady with a wad of hay in here hand with her hand smashed against her nose inhaling until I thought she would hyperventilate......when I walk up she says......this is without a doubt the prettiest, sweetest smelling hay I have seen in a long time







as she grabs another wad and begins the routine again, and how much did you say again? 6.50.... Not a peep, just....and how many bales do you have? about 2k. OK, let's load this trailer full as we can, I'll be back after the rain system and get some more and I want to talk to you about a drop trailer and.....gets another wad, same routine as b4, I think I can sell a bunch of hay for you, thank you for answering my emails, I don't have to worry about hay anymore......you know the secret.....

Now first off I don't know what secret she's talking about so I just say, ma'am, there ain't no real secret, I'm purty much a dumbass, the only real trick is opening up the checkbook and getting a lot of help from Mother Nature......and working ur ass off in the hot South Georgia sun.....but I'll take that as a complement and i appreciate it, we hay growers don't hear it nearly enuf out of the equine market.......

Last thing she says was "I don't mind paying a premium price for premium hay" puts a smile on your face, that's for sure.....









It'll probably be short lived, first time she gets a blade of Baha'i in one of those bales....


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## FCF

Good for you!! There are decent horsey people out there, just like other decent people you don't here much about them! It takes awhile to sort out the trash and find the keepers.

I sold out of all types of hay earlier this week, earliest ever. Had the following email, from a decent horsey customer of 2-3 years, this morning. Makes one feel good about the job they are doing! They are about 70 miles away.

What are you thinking about with your hay situation? When do you normally get your first cutting and about how many bales can I get from you? I have had to buy some hay this winter from a local guy here and it was pretty good but I would love to get stocked up with your hay as much as I can this year.


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## Tim/South

Good Job.
That is why we do what we do.
The only thing that would have made it better is if she asked if you accepted cash.


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## somedevildawg

Lol, haven't thought about that Tim, check will prolly bounce......have another lady that buys 21 bales every two days, pays cash in fives, tens and twentys, figure she's either a stripper or crack dealer, either way, she feeds those horses up, and for that reason the horses and myself like her.....


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## Teslan

The people that don't show used to bother me. Until I figured out a simple thing. I just tell them. Call when you leave your house to come. Then I tell them it's because of all the people that call and say they will come and don't and I'm stuck sitting around and waiting. Appointment only. Generally it takes everyone 30 minutes or more to get here. Then if they don't call I don't worry about it. If they show up without calling and I'm not here that's on them and they might have to wait awhile. So basically I don't have any real no shows anymore.


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## steve in IN

have had alot of new customers calling this year with the drought. i tell them all the same thing. If you say you are going tbecome a steady customer and I find you price shopping dont bother to come back because you will not have saved enough money to pay my special price for you. I love it when they ask if i have any cheaper hay. I tell them yes i do its in round bales and I feed it to my cattle. This springs first cutting is going to be very interesting.


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## somedevildawg

Agreed, I already have people asking when I'm going to cut, grass is dormant as a doormat, low of 29 last nite........


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## swmnhay

had 3 calls last week for new crop hay._I said call back later I may or may not have any.Take care of my loyal customers first._


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## askinner

I have found a good way to reduce the number of no shows and the PIA customers that come for one bale. I simply just send a bulk text message to all my customers on the evening I will bale, and tell them if they want hay, be here in the morning and I will load you in the field. It saves me loading hay into the barn, saves me starting and stopping my tractor to load one bale, saves my time by not making trips to the barn for just one bale, and the hay the customer gets is fresh out of the baler so it looks and smells good (smell is very important, that is a horse owners feed test method!).
I also let them pick out the ones they want, gives them a sense they are getting added value somehow. If they want small squares, I will give them a small discount to pick them up themselves.
I have also had new customers this way, as it attracts business when people drive past and see a field full of trucks and trailers getting loaded, much like a roadside stall does.

And yes, that sort of feedback is great to hear. I just hope her check's not made of rubber, or that if she finds a single little weed seedling in her hayburners feedbin, she doesn't badmouth you to all her friends and not tell you...


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## Tim/South

I also had three calls this week from new people wanting to get hay next year. I doubt I will have much to sell, feeding more each year.

It has been a transition for me to get in the mindset of not selling hay. Selling hay since I was a teen has always been a way of life. Getting away from squares, rolling hay off the farm, getting more cows, is definitely a change. 
I know I can not make money fertilizing and making a max roll of hay and selling it for what folks around here are accustomed to paying.


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## D.C.Cattle Company

You might get a kick out of this.

We sold near 4000 square bales and couple hundred big rounds this year to about 15 different customers. All were horse people but one. Everything went fine as we sell quality hay for a premium price and make sure all those interested know this up front

Then on day in late January I get a call from a guy that lives 80 miles north of me looking for 50 bales of alfalfa (this would end up being the smallest amount I sold at one time all year).

He shows up at the farm, backs into the barn, and grabs a bale and says "these bales are light for $6.00 a bale". I said well "ok maybe your can find some heavier bales somewhere else" "No" he grouches "I need some hay"

Well to make a long story short as we load his trailer, 3 more times he whines about the hay bales not weighing enough.

The 4th time he complains, I start taking hay off the trailer and he says what you doing. I told him I was tired of his complaining and I didn't want any unhappy customers and I particularly didn't want him for a customer, so he should just go get hay somewhere else.

All the while his wife is sitting in the truck. She hears this jumps out and tells the guy to "Shut His Mouth" apologizes and thanked me for the hay.

I suggested she not bring him back here. I now know why he drove so far for hay.


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## Nitram

I could see that as I read it! Lol


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## Tim/South

Back when we catered to the horse market a neighbor brought a relative over to look at some hay. Dad and I were in the pasture and drove to the gate. We talked to the neighbor and asked if we could help them. The relative was a loud mouth type and asked how much we got for hay. Dad told him and the guy says that is too much.
Dad put the truck in gear, said OK and drove off. Left them both standing at the gate.
The neighbor still laughs about that. Said it was the first time he had ever seen the guy speachless. He had driven about an hour, out into the "country" to find some cheap hay.

I do not sell much hay these days, feed most of what we make. Some times people will stop by a field and ask about hay.
If someone says my price is too high, that they can buy if for $30 a roll, I tell them that is a good price and they should buy that hay.
Some times a person is feeling froggy and will spout something like, "You should buy some of the cheaper hay and resell it for a profit".
My reply is that I only handle feed quality hay and have no need for reclamation hay.
Hay lesson 101. There are different qualities of hay.


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## JD3430

The world needs more dads like yours


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## askinner

I have found the worst customers to be the guy that "used to make hay"... They try and tell you this and that about how you should be doing. Makes me wonder why if they're so good, they are here buying hay from me??

One lady called me the other day and asked if I was negotiable on price if she were to purchase in bulk, I asked what quantities she would be looking for, "oh, about 3 or 4", Me: "truckloads?", Her: "no, bales", Me: Oh, I'm sorry, the last 3 bales must have just sold while you were asking me for a better price, thanks for your enquiry, good bye"....


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## JD3430

LMAO.
Would I get classified as a knuckle dragging neanderthal republican if I said the that woman was a_ "retard" ???_


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## askinner

JD3430 said:


> LMAO.
> Would I get classified as a knuckle dragging neanderthal republican if I said the that woman was a_ "retard" ???_


No, I think that anyone haggling prices in the middle of a drought must be a sandwich short of a picnic lol, the prices I was charging was only just covering costs with the price of irrigating. Annoys me when they want to haggle without seeing the hay.


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## rjmoses

askinner said:


> No, I think that anyone haggling prices in the middle of a drought must be a sandwich short of a picnic lol, the prices I was charging was only just covering costs with the price of irrigating. Annoys me when they want to haggle without seeing the hay.


"Sandwich short of a picnic" --- Never heard that one before -- I like it.

And the price is ALWAYS negotiable. The more irritated I get, the higher the price goes! At one point, when I was consulting, I had a price for my really good customers, a price for so-so customers and $150/hour, 8 hour minimum for people I didn't like.

I used the woman's approach -- I figured if I was unhappy, they would be unhappy too.

Ralph


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## Teslan

askinner said:


> I have found the worst customers to be the guy that "used to make hay"... They try and tell you this and that about how you should be doing. Makes me wonder why if they're so good, they are here buying hay from me??
> 
> One lady called me the other day and asked if I was negotiable on price if she were to purchase in bulk, I asked what quantities she would be looking for, "oh, about 3 or 4", Me: "truckloads?", Her: "no, bales", Me: Oh, I'm sorry, the last 3 bales must have just sold while you were asking me for a better price, thanks for your enquiry, good bye"....


I don't know what I would be like if I had to shop for hay. I bet you I would be downright rude if I found crappy hay for a high price. Or crappy hay billed as premium hay. I've been told that happens a lot around here.


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## somedevildawg

Teslan said:


> I don't know what I would be like if I had to shop for hay. I bet you I would be downright rude if I found crappy hay for a high price. Or crappy hay billed as premium hay. I've been told that happens a lot around here.


I've thought Bout that as well, I too would be a crappy customer.....


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## swmnhay

_I've bought a little hay over the yrs when I've run short.I would say more often then not the hay is not as good as they say it is_

_REPEAT CUSTOMERS ARE IMPORTANT.REPRESENT YOUR HAY CORRECTLY!!!!!_


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