Do you want to make a difference in the world? We all do, right? We want to be doing something that has meaning. And many times during our day, we find it difficult to find purpose in our work.
No matter what work you do there is one thing you can do that will make a big impact on those you come in contact with. It is smaller than your mission or purpose but people will be grateful and take notice every time you do this. It can be a key element of your customer service model and a fundamental part of your company’s values. It should be a practice adopted not just by you but by all your employees if you value customer service and humanity in your work.
It’s very simple. Reply to people. Whether that means replying to an incoming email, calling someone back when their call went to voice mail, or getting back to a customer with the information promised.
In working with small businesses, the number one complaint I hear is, “No one ever calls me back!” However, think about how you feel when you are seeking information and the person doesn’t call you back. Don’t be that person.
Think about this. When we ignore those incoming calls, we are telling others they don’t matter. Be respectful of others simply by replying to them; let them know, I hear you. In doing so, every reply you write isn’t just a task, it now has purpose.
With the advancement of technology, most of us are responsible for our own inboxes. There are so many incoming – phone calls, emails and social media comments that it is difficult to keep up with them. (I admit, I struggle with it as well.) Here are some tips I use that can help you manage the one thing that will set you apart – finding time to reply and respond to others.
Park items for later.
Create a folder where you can park items. This gets them out of your main work flow leaving your more important work front and center. This also makes it easier when you do take time to reply. All the items are in one place and no time is lost sorting through your emails for the umpteenth time.
Block out time.
Be strategic and don’t let these calls interrupt the important work you need to do to advance your work. Set time aside before the beginning of each day. This means that if you start your real work at 8:00, use the 30 minutes before to reply to emails and phone calls. Or set time aside at the end of your morning or the end of your work day. To maintain your best productivity, don’t get distracted and interrupted by answering incoming emails and phone calls unless there in something you are expecting.
Have a standard reply.
If you receive similar questions from suppliers or customers, simplify your life by writing standard replies. Be sure to use this as the basis of your reply, adding specific effects that make it a personal reply. If you have an incoming message that you know will take some time, respond with a simple reply that says, “I see you”, something like, “Dear Barb, I got your email but am tied up with a project. It’s going to take me a few days to get back to you.” If it is someone like a salesperson whom you don’t really need to speak with, reply with a “Hi John, got your message. We are not currently looking for a new supplier. Feel free to check back in six months.” Be courteous in your replies even with salespeople. You never know when they may have a new product that can up your business.
The sooner, the better.
Make every effort to reply in a timely manner. If you can’t do it daily, make a goal to do it weekly. Maybe even outside the Monday to Friday workweek. Perhaps Sunday evening after the weekend is over and you begin to prepare for your work week. Or visit a local coffee shop and treat yourself to coffee and a pastry while you send replies. No matter what habit you form, try to reply weekly. Waiting any longer will weaken your response and send a strong message that the recipient is at the bottom of your priority list.
Making Sense of it All
Set yourself apart by being the person who “always returns calls.” Bring humanity to your work by always affirming others with a courteous reply.
Here are four tips that will make it easy to make this a habitual practice:
Park items for later. Put the random incoming calls or emails in a separate folder for quick access when you have time.
Block out time. Set a small block of time aside for replying. Do this as often as the volume requires.
Have a standard reply. If you get a lot of similar asks, have a standard reply that you can quickly personalize.
The sooner, the better. If you can’t find time daily to send replies, try to do it weekly.
Honestly, if we all did this, it would up everybody’s game. We will form stronger bonds of trust which sets the foundation for more mutually beneficial and prosperous relationships. It’s not just business anymore, its people responding to people. And that is the highest level of one’s purpose.