Have you ever sent an email or left a telephone message for someone and not received a response? How did it make you feel? Annoyed? Frustrated? Like you weren't important enough to warrant a response from that person? Now turn it around. Have you ever not responded to a message or email? Maybe put off answering a question because it's something you just didn't feel like dealing with at the time ... and then forgotten all about it? How do you think that made the other person feel? Taking the time to respond to others is just as important as what you do when you reach out and follow-up with someone yourself. Often times there is a feeling that if you don't know exactly why the person has contacted you, the reason is unimportant. Should all messages be complete with name, telephone message and the reason for the call? Absolutely, but "should" is not always what happens. Failing to respond to a phone call or ignoring an email is, quite simply, poor manners. It speaks volumes about your character, your reliability, and the level of customer service you offer. Besides, you may never know what you might have missed! |
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Remember...
It's not all about you ... what you are doing, who you need to connect with, and what you feel is most important. Communication always includes at least two people; you, and the person on the other end of the line or computer screen. Distinguish yourself as someone who responds to messages quickly, even if you don't have the needed answer. It's not only the courteous thing to do, but it also makes you someone people enjoy communicating with. |
