to ring this woman back and tell her how rude she was?

[cheesetoastie]

Just rang a local gardening firm to ask if they had anyone who could well....do our gardening (Is that really so off the wall). I was under the mistaken belief that a Garden Services firm who had put an advert this very month into our local newsletter might be looking for local gardening work.
The woman (co-owner of the firm) that answered the phone with 'Hello' (I had to ask if I had the right number) then went on to tell me how unreasonable I was being in wanting them to do my gardening because they are 'very very busy, you know, very busy indeed' and that the firm had 50 clients that they went to and that even if the clients moved away often the firm was kept on to do the garden at the new house and that really I would have to wait for one of their clients to be struck by lightening before they would ever deem to visit my lowly house (OK I may have paraphrased the struck by lightening bit).
She then demanded to know where my house was (answer - in XXXXX village), then where in the village (answer - on XXXXX lane) then where on the lane. We are talking about a place with no more than 10 houses on it - and she had already told me that she thought it very unlikely that they would want to do our gardening jobs. God knows what that was all about!

She is going to talk it over with her business partner and ring us back.

AIBU to ring her back first and tell her that 1) I wouldn't want her firm to be doing our gardening if her telephone manner reflects the way that her gardeners behave. 2) that small businesses thrive or fail on their reputation and as far as I'm concerned (and anyone who asks me about local gardening firms) their reputation is now mud.

[grovel]

Probably not worth the bother. If she calls back just tell you've changed your mind because you did not like her attitude.

[MadYoungCatLady]

Tell her to stick her gardening up her knickers, miserable cow!

[simbo]

Don't waste your phone bill calling her back. She is obviously unprofessional and no business woman. If it were me I would tell all my friends about it, and waste no time in telling her or her partner why you will not be using or recommending them, should they deign to get back to you. I would also remind them that there is no second chance to make a first impression.

[OTheHugeManatee]

Tell her to stick her gardening up her knickers, miserable cow!

Knickers
Gardening
= lady garden



OP, YANBU at all. What a cow.

[cheesetoastie]

BeerTricks - I had let her know right at the start that we were looking for someone regularly because that garden is too big for us to manage without help. It may have been a snobbery thing - ie. is it a big house/garden but all the houses on this lane are big/quarter to half acre plots so lots of gardening needed.
Am calming down slowly. Have googled and found a one-man-band firm that even has the word 'weeding' on their website (there are loads of firms advertising tree maintainance/one off shrub tidies round here but not many mention the lawn mowing/pruning/weeding type jobs) and emailed them.
Think I will see if they ring back then tell them that I heard that they had a reputation for being rude so I'm not interested anymore. :)

[Sarsaparilllla]

What a ridiculous woman, I woulnd't waste your time ringing her back, if she calls then tell her you're not interested and will spend your money elsewhere

[GwendolenHarleth]

Look up local gardening firms on Which Local to see which ones have good reviews. If you see the gardening firm you phoned on there, you could even write your own review based on the owner's telephone manner!

[Cocoflower]

"their reputation is now mud"

Good choice of words... gardening... mud...!

[HellAtWork]

Ooh no - I'd be all childish about this and wait for her to ring you back and then be ready.

Firstly, (only works if you have caller ID I suppose) give her no clue as to whether she's rung the right number and answer in monosyllables in order for her to establish who she's talking to.

Then feign ignorance about who she is, and allow it to dawn on you slowly (you've been ringing around for lots of quotes so they all get a bit blurred) until you can declare "Oh yes, I do remember you now, you were so rude and ungracious on the phone I'd decided it would be a very bad idea to do business with you, and when I discussed your reputation with a few local friends they agreed. Thanks anyway." And just put the phone down.

What a silly woman! Who answers a potential sales call like that? Even if your books were full you would be apologetic and seeing if you could persuade a potential customer to be added to a waiting list wouldn't you?

[nenevomito]

No, I'd not ring back. Let her call you and you can tell her own her own phone bill!