What I Meant To Say

In business there are many things that should never be said. “I’ll get back to you” is one of them, unless you mean it.

Sadly, in most instances there is no follow up. As a consequence the image and standing of the individual, the entity they represent and the related product/service range are compromised.

The phrase is now widely recognised as a fob-off. The implied and often conspicuous intent is transparent– dismissal. If so, it is discourteous, offensive and most important of all, unnecessary.

Disturbingly, the most common application of the statement is in business-to-business interactions. Business relationships imply the presence or scope for sustainable, mutually rewarding alliances. Therefore, there is no place to hide.

IT’S OKAY TO SAY NO

If the intent is to say no, then do so, for everyone’s sake.

For whatever reasons, some people feel incapable of saying no. They don’t want to be seen as offending others. The situation is felt to be worse in face-to-face interactions.

Perhaps individuals believe the lapse in time will ensure that the issue at hand or the commitment of “I’ll get back to you” will be forgotten.

They are wrong on two counts. People don’t forget, and recall can fester into a sense of resentment.

Prevarication has a negative impact on productivity. A timely no response enables the parties to move on and to reallocate limited resources into productive, profitable pursuits and to alternative opportunities.

A no tomorrow has the same consequences as a no today.

There is not and should not be any guilt in the use of the word no. Few people in business take such a response personally. They may not agree with it or like it, but they accept the rights of others to make such decisions.

A MATTER OF TIME

“I’ll get back to you” is acceptable, where one intends to do so. An important rider is the specification of a time horizon. That is, “I’ll get back to you within 7 days”.

The typical unspoken response is “thank you”. One is then able to get on with life, with business and activities until that time. It is always important to respect another’s time. That is the act of kindness.

Remember well these words: One of the most difficult things to give away is kindness, for it is usually returned.

RESPECT BONDS RELATIONSHIPS

The need for and benefits of strategic alliances are well known to business people, regardless of the industry or profession.

A cornerstone of a successful strategic alliance is the respect accorded to the partners and their self interests.

Large, powerful manufacturers, distributors, franchisors and retailers need to recognise the importance of all those in the supply chain. Nothing is more powerful or influential than an executive, a staff member and/or an entity exercising the prerogative to be sensitive to the value of a strategic alliance partner’s time.

The outcomes and impact of tuitions in “power negotiations” and “power dressing” fade into insignificance against the impact of the personal actions of a person who, as promised, initiates contact and gets back to those when they promised that they would do so.

BE EXCEPTIONAL, NOT THE EXCEPTION

Diligence in following up, as promised, provides scope to exploit competitive advantages. It facilitates increased communications, develops trust, promotes personal integrity and fosters favoured consideration and images that is considered to be exceptional service. It is also deemed to be the exception. Ironically, some recipients of follow up contacts feel intimidated. Why? Their expectations were not met. They believed the earlier statement was simply a fob-off. If that is not what you wanted to imply, then it may be timely to review and to revise what you say, and how you say it.

TRAINING FOCUS

This brings us all to a time for honesty. Just how often in recruitment interviews, induction programs, training schedules and periodic staff meetings are time and resources allocated to discussing, reviewing, refining and extending the issue of the treatment of strategic alliance partners, customers and clients.

Indeed, how often are job applications, submissions and business proposals left unanswered.

Time is running out. For those people who don’t set self imposed deadlines to respond or to “get back to (them)” then time horizons will be established by others. Those who don’t comply with either or both are dead.

An alternative is to respond positively to the statement of an associate, prospective client or supplier: “Leave it to me.”

That too appears to give “it”, what ever it may be, the kiss of death.

AND ANOTHER THING

Take the time to call your own message bank and/or voice mail. How and when you promise to get back to the caller? “As soon as possible” is vague, non-specific and generally is questionable.

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