It sounds simple and it really is, but it is amazing how many companies practice not returning telephone calls.  Our work in the area of customer service indicates that it does not matter who is calling, a customer with a million dollar project, a vendor, or an individual seeking immediate assistance, it has become acceptable to not return telephone calls for days on end.  There is even the attitude that if the call was important they will call again.  We see the same attitude and inaction with emails.  As companies move deeper into the electronic age, emails in some cases have replaced telephone calls.  This replacement has given some individuals, who are not customer focus, one more way to be non responsive. 

We have also observed a pervasive attitude in some companies that when an individual is traveling, he/she has a built in excuse to be non responsive, no matter what the issue might be.  In fact, individuals will actually program their outgoing voicemail to alert callers that they will be away from the office for the remainder of the week and will not be available for contact.  The last time we checked, almost everyone in the business world has a cellphone, pager or access to a telephone while on the road and it is amazing that individuals think that business can wait until they return to the office.

These attitudes and corresponding inaction that has taken over some businesses must stop.  Individuals who cannot multitask, i.e. travel and return telephone and email messages in a timely manner should not be given the responsibility to travel on company business.  If a person truly cannot return messages while on the road, then they should not leave the office.

There is also a wrongful perception by some that if I return a call immediately, people may think that I am not busy or have nothing to do.  This is not the case, in fact, some of the busiest individuals we know at very high levels within organizations return all calls immediately.

For the good of the organization’s bottom line, we recommend that leaders set the expectation and implement the practice that all telephone calls and emails are returned same day (within 24 hours) no matter what the time zone may be.  If this means that a traveling executive has to get up at 5 a.m. on west coast to contact an individual on the east coast at 8 a.m., so be it! 

Leaders must model this behavior themselves and set the example for others.  This is truly a competitive advantage and will be noticed and applauded by all who have contact with you.  We are often told by our clients, “I did not expect to hear back from you today.”  Our response is that we return calls same day, no matter where we are or what the circumstances may be!  This truly amazes our clients and sets a positive tone and expectation for future interactions.