It drives me nuts! On any given day I am on the phone – calling clients, friends and prospects. Guess which ones never get returned? If you guessed all three you are right – there are times when clients, friends and prospects don’t return calls – I bet this is a surprise. You probably thought it’s only prospects that don’t return calls. Wrong!

The number of phone messages that never get returned is phenomenal. Is it because they are so busy they cannot take a few minutes to return a call? Or is it because they do not know how to use a phone? Maybe it’s just the fact they feel they are so important they need only return calls to equally important people.

It would possibly be better if I knew the answer. Unfortunately, I don’t! It does seem a day does not go by that every individual in business gets more calls than can be handled. Regardless, it is critical you reply to the calls you receive.

Just like when you would rather not attend a meeting you have indicated you will attend, not returning phone calls, and yes, even emails that request a response, put you in a negative situation. You, me, all of us want to feel we matter. When we do not get a response it feels like we don’t matter and that doesn’t feel very good for the ego.

Perhaps the challenge here is a fear of the receiver in how to turn down a request – a fear that there is question which may require a negative answer. Ouch! It is never easy. Like most people I really dislike having to say, “No, that is not going to work for me.” Yet, it is often necessary to say.

How do you give the negative answer? Sometimes it means practicing so you can say it over the phone or in an email – with gentleness and kindness rather than rudely. There is no need to ever be rude!

Consider what is happening to your brand when you don’t acknowledge contacts:

• Your organization is too good for me – I don’t measure up – feeling is you think you are better than me/never a good feeling
• You think you are better than others – you are better than me – feeling is you think you are better than me/never a good feeling
• You have no manners – although manners do not seem to be as important today as in the past there are still enough people who care about propriety/feeling is you are rude
• You are busier than me – I am not as important as your other tasks – feeling is I don’t matter/that never feels good

Regardless of the reason, when you don’t return calls the caller feels you don’t care and that does damage to your organization’s brand. With enough negative branding you can begin to lose your  grip on your reputation.

Even when the answer is no, return calls. Take the high road – let your callers know they are of value, that you do care about them enough to give them a minute of your time.