Answer your phone, you'll be amazed!

I met with a business owner friend from out of town last week to help her with some business troubles. Her very established business was feeling the squeeze from discounting internet-based competitors. A secondary concern was lagging employee morale, especially her sales team.

As we casually talked over a few hours, her cell phone was vibrating and beeping and and humming away. Even though I'd told her that I didn't mind if she dealt with business, she never so much as looked at her phone. It was starting to distract me as I grew concerned about why she was so "in demand". She assured me that it was like that 24/7, in fact she encouraged her customers and staff to just text her what they needed. She found it much more efficient to respond to texts, e-mails and voice messages. Her friends, collaegues, and even CUSTOMERS knew she didn't answer her phone. This was how she preferred to do business and run her business.

WHAT??

You can connect the dots between her business troubles and her communication habits. Maybe you are not so extreme, but I wager we can all learn a lesson from my friend. Answer the damn phone! Maybe even place a call yourself to check on a client. How about walking out of your office to a colleague's and asking how they're doing????

I am as guilty as anyone, letting our technology play our gatekeeper. Be careful or you will lose your relationship. When times get tough and everybody is shopping price, your only asset may be "the relationship". That relationship is with you, not your cell phone or Inbox.

Mary Rogers
Mary@GoMarigold.com