# How do I get people to answer emails? And to be pro-active.



## Kikie (Nov 7, 2008)

I prefer to work with email rather than phone as a) I have some difficulty with hearing speech clearly on a phone and b) having things written down makes for more clarity of understanding in both directions. And records!

However, I am finding that very, very few businesses here answer emails. Even English speakers so it's not just language complications. In particular I am trying to get information out of Property agents. But I usually either get no reply or I get a very basic one saying 'no sorry, we don't have anything'. No 'but I'll keep your details and let you know as soon as we do' or 'have you considered this'. 

There is also no pro-active interaction. Eg 'we recommend you look in this area, let us know where you are interested and we will actively look for you'. 

So, I'm wondering if I am missing something due to different expectations, different ways of working here. Do I need to word my requests in a certain way, be more concise with just one or two questions (I usually give full details of what I am looking for) 
or head my emails in a particular way?


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Nothing will work, nobody wants to commit themselves to anything by putting it in writing lest they have to actually think for themselves.

It's just a long ongoing battle to find someone with the type of business standards you expect, ignore the ignorers and cherish the ones you do find.

You may want to try using whattsap instead of sending an email, nobody has cottoned on to the fact it is practically the same thing yet and most businesses believe this is a perfectly acceptable platform to run a business from.
It's like a magic bullet.


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## Kikie (Nov 7, 2008)

Oooh WhatsApp! Bit unwieldy for more than a few sentences but if gets through their defences. Thank you!

Must admit as totally professional, lateral thinking, pro-active, logical people ourselves this is frustrating!


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Agreed, it doesn't get easier given time too.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

It can be frustrating, but there are exceptions to the general lethargy. I sent an abogada who was recommended to me by a friend an email yesterday evening, regarding a property purchase I want her to deal with for me. Within an hour of her office opening this morning, I had a reply. So far she is living up to her reputation for efficiency.

On another occasion I was trying to obtain a spare part for a washing machine which couldn't be sourced locally. I sent an email to the spares company shown in the user manual, who were based in Zaragoza, and they replied promptly with very helpful information, even attached fitting instructions, and were happy to despatch it to me to be paid cash on delivery, no credit or debit card details required.


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## Bill59 (May 15, 2017)

Hi

I am new to this site/forum but thought it was worth briefly sharing my recent experiences with Estate Agents around the LLiria region. I have found them to be responsive and helpful and I hope this continues. We have within a few short communications agreed two separate viewing days with two separate agencies. I try and respond in my caveman Spanish but thankfully they are happier to correspond in English. If anyone is in the LLiria regain or has any insight to the area I would love to hear from you.
Regards
Bill


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Pazcat said:


> Nothing will work, nobody wants to commit themselves to anything by putting it in writing lest they have to actually think for themselves.
> 
> It's just a long ongoing battle to find someone with the type of business standards you expect, ignore the ignorers and cherish the ones you do find.
> 
> ...


Agree WhatsApp definitely works. I usually get an instant response


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## hwmartin (Jun 22, 2015)

Kikie said:


> Oooh WhatsApp! Bit unwieldy for more than a few sentences but if gets through their defences. Thank you!
> 
> Must admit as totally professional, lateral thinking, pro-active, logical people ourselves this is frustrating!


You can it on your PC and link it to your phone, so you can type messages on a proper keyboard!

https://web.whatsapp.com/


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

There are cultural differences between Northern Europe/USA and Southern Europe which you just have to get used to if you plan to move from one to the other. One of them is not being proactive.

If you want to read more about this, google Trompenaars' theory of synchronic vs sequential approach to time.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

hwmartin said:


> You can it on your PC and link it to your phone, so you can type messages on a proper keyboard!
> 
> https://web.whatsapp.com/


Just what I was going to say. When I'm at home working I always use What'sApp on my PC as it's much easier for me to write and also add images etc. (my phone is not high end)
What'sApp is THE message medium in Spain and I find that a lot of friends and business contacts are much easier to contact through What's App than by email now


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> There are cultural differences between Northern Europe/USA and Southern Europe which you just have to get used to if you plan to move from one to the other. One of them is not being proactive.
> 
> If you want to read more about this, google Trompenaars' theory of synchronic vs sequential approach to time.


I don't know if I agree that you have to get used to being not proactive (I know plenty of Spaniards that are!), but that there are different ways of doing things and that you have to get used to that and accept it to a certain extent if you want to live in Spain without grumbling about everything, yes _that much is true_ (which is a line from a song I think??)


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## skip o (Aug 1, 2011)

Yeah, I find Spain to have many, many more "unmotivated sellers/workers" than what I was used to in the US. I agree with using Whatsapp, as I have had better luck with it than email. Unfortunately not everyone has Whatsapp. Anytime I am looking to hire a new lawyer/plumber/whoever, my formula is to email 10-20 of them all at once. I will usually hear back from only 2 or 3 people, and then one of them will be good to hire.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

I hate when people whatsapp me at the weekend. I'm closed weekends. I might check my emails on Sunday evening if I know that Monday will be very busy, & then I'll deal with anything urgent early on Monday.

I often forget to reply to whatsapps though.....


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I don't know if I agree that you have to get used to being not proactive (I know plenty of Spaniards that are!), but that there are different ways of doing things and that you have to get used to that and accept it to a certain extent if you want to live in Spain without grumbling about everything, yes _that much is true_ (which is a line from a song I think??)


Sure, I wasn'st suggesting there is no such thing as a proactive Spaniard.  As with all cultural differences, there are exceptions. But it's good to be aware of those differences.

I was trying to explain to my Spanish friend this morning why the British apologise for things that aren't not their fault or before asking a favour. Of course, not every Brit says sorry when someone bumps into them, but it's a well-known phenomenon.

Why English people say sorry so often | The Independent


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

skip o said:


> Yeah, I find Spain to have many, many more "unmotivated sellers/workers" than what I was used to in the US. I agree with using Whatsapp, as I have had better luck with it than email. Unfortunately not everyone has Whatsapp. Anytime I am looking to hire a new lawyer/plumber/whoever, my formula is to email 10-20 of them all at once. I will usually hear back from only 2 or 3 people, and then one of them will be good to hire.


I think the number of Spanish plumbers, painters and bricklayers who have a business email is still going to be minimal. Getting a mobile number is still the key round here.


xabiachica said:


> I hate when people whatsapp me at the weekend. I'm closed weekends. I might check my emails on Sunday evening if I know that Monday will be very busy, & then I'll deal with anything urgent early on Monday.
> 
> I often forget to reply to whatsapps though.....


I don't mind getting What'sApps at the weekend, you can always silence the ones you don't want to get weekend messages from and not open the message when it arrives. Frankly I'd be lost without WhatsApp for my classes now, not so much for me - I still check my email constantly, but my students "demand" it of me. In one company, when I go to their office in a big complex there's no doorbell and I have to WhatsApp my students to come and open up...


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Sure, I wasn'st suggesting there is no such thing as a proactive Spaniard.  As with all cultural differences, there are exceptions. But it's good to be aware of those differences.


But my point of view is that they aren't exceptions. There are many who are proactive. There are also many who open a business and don't seem to have a clue about how to make that business successful ie they aren't proactive enough.
I also know plenty of, *plenty of* British people who are as proactive as a lump of lard.
The difference for me is not proactive or not, it's cultural differences in running (small over all) businesses
Save
Save​


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I think the number of Spanish plumbers, painters and bricklayers who have a business email is still going to be minimal. Getting a mobile number is still the key round here.
> 
> I don't mind getting What'sApps at the weekend, you can always silence the ones you don't want to get weekend messages from and not open the message when it arrives. Frankly I'd be lost without WhatsApp for my classes now, not so much for me - I still check my email constantly, but my students "demand" it of me. In one company, when I go to their office in a big complex there's no doorbell and I have to WhatsApp my students to come and open up...


That's the thing..... I don't open the work whatsapps at the weekend & then sometimes forget them.....

I too would be lost without whatsapp & FB messenger though, because they offer the most immediate method of contact between me & my students.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> But my point of view is that they aren't exceptions. There are many who are proactive. There are also many who open a business and don't seem to have a clue about how to make that business successful ie they aren't proactive enough.
> I also know plenty of, *plenty of* British people who are as proactive as a lump of lard.
> The difference for me is not proactive or not, it's cultural differences in running (small over all) businesses
> Save
> Save​


Well, perhaps pro-active is the wrong word - I only used it because it was in the thread title. It is _very common_ here for people to have a great product or service and do virtually no marketing. They might set up a website dispaying their wares, but there is no way of ordering them. Or bars which have the town's best tapas but you only find out by chance. They rely on word of mouth, or re-posts on Facebook. The only estate agents round here who market on international property sites are the foreign-owned ones; the Spanish ones rely on people coming to their own website, despite the fact that most of the people currently buying property in the village are from Northern Europe. In business terms, I'd describe this as not being proactive. 

As for answering emails, I totally agree Whatsapp is your man. Everyone uses it, even for booking tables at the restaurant. I've just installed it on my PC, thanks hwmartin for the tip!


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Don't get me started about no replies to emails!!!

I operate a Nigerian scam asking people to send me their bank details in order that they then can have a share of my fictitious 60m legacy.

Daily I send out 2/3000 email requests and am lucky if I get bank details returned to me of 6/7 people a day

Sometimes I really wonder why I bother as some people are just plain rude


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