Demonstrate Urgency in Response Time and Follow-Up | FOW #22

Model enthusiasm in your response to issues and rigor in your follow up.  Make sure your work is accurate, complete, and timely.  Keep people updated, and make sure they are clear about your communication(s).

One could argue the attention span of business has contracted to the impatience of a butterfly.If someone sends you an email that goes unreturned for more than a day, it’s possible they’ll assume you’re not interested in whatever the topic is.In today’s world of advanced technology there tends to be an expectation of almost limitless access to each other, and in some businesses this translates to being available, 24/7/365.Certainly this isn’t sustainable for everyone, but it’s safe to say that keeping your virtual door Open for Business can make or break the sale. When we respond to our clients’ inquiries quickly they see it as a favorable customer experience.Even though the speed of doing business has reached a blistering pace, I interpret the response rate for people returning my calls and emails correlate to how much they want to do business with me. I don’t think I’m unique in this regard.

We may be responding to someone as fast as we can, but is that fast enough for the recipient?

My wife owned retail stores in her past, and her #1 rule was: If someone is at the cash register ready to pay, drop what you’re doing and make the sale NOW. This urgency shows appreciation and respect. It values the time of the customer as well as collects their money before they have a chance to change their mind.The big challenge I’ve noticed is showing consistency in response time AND in enthusiasm. When I respond quickly and enthusiastically, the recipient is likely acknowledged in a positive way, and my hope is that this translates to a good business relationship. When I respond slowly or in a listless way, can I really expect the same positivity from them?None of this is required, but it does demonstrate something. It demonstrates a higher standard.Practicing urgency is a business bonus we don’t have to do, but it is consistent with producing high performance results. It’s not our intentions or our circumstances that our clients care about, it’s the results we produce.If being the early bird is what it takes to get the worm, it just might be time to wake up those wings and start soaring.What do you notice about response time in your business?Comment below to share your thoughts with me, I'd love to hear what you’re learning!Best,Brett