I love doing my best to keep up with my emails and questions. My Surface 3 Pro rocks in that process, I sit there cleaning out emails during the day to make my life easier and answer clients questions!
I love it when I am busy working away and I meet awesome people out in the networking scene. Like myself, they are mostly awesome, kind, got families (or getting ready to start one) and are proud of the quality work they do. They are responsive to their clients and do whatever it takes to support them.
I remember having this conversation with Grant Dempsey and just then with the lovely Jude and we are joking about “Those People” that often tell you / boast / totally lie about how they “Just check their emails once every few days and train their clients to behave that way”.
What are you talking about? We have had quite a few people give us this arrogant type of answer about how they treat their clients and usually we observe / infer three things 1) They are just making it up, 2) They have no clients, 3) If they keep going that way they will have no clients.
In what I have done, I get emails everyday from my clients. They may just be simple “One Line Answers” that although may only take me 2 minutes to write – every moment that question isn’t answered their whole business & development is on hold. I almost always clean my emails everyday and keep everyone supported and it’s helped me generate great customer service and these days I get so many referrals it’s awesome!
I have been lucky to meet other key players as well that do the exact same thing, that is – they have way bigger businesses than me and they make a point to clean their emails each day, get back to people and prove to their clients that they love them.
I would then ask the question, is this one of the traits / behaviours that helped make them successful? I would think “Yes” would be the answer. As the past few years of my business have passed, I have got endless feedback from clients and older clients that love how fast I response.
Talking to examples of my suppliers too, they rock! Phillip Raish from WildFX Printing & Promotions, Matt Craig & Brendan from MindArc, Lisa Starr the Graphic Designer etc – they are the same. If I ask them a question (that to them is a 95 second email but to me is really important) I know they will answer me quickly and I can keep what I need to do moving in total complete style.
And guess what? I love them and I gladly refer them.
My advice and thinking? Sure you got to have a life, but don’t by way into that total bull of answering your emails “every 10 days” and expecting your clients to stick around. That doesn’t happen and I think most of those lines are preached by people who have no idea. People love customer service and it rocks! Hence, people with great service and all else equal often have growing businesses and tons of referrals.
Love your work and thanks the read!
About the Author who always tries to answer his questions quickly:
Edward Zia is a Marketing Mentor, Consultant, 4Networking Leader, Speaker and Lover of Awesome Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners based in Sydney Australia. He spends his days helping the business community with Ideas & Strategies to help his clients get more profitable clients with greater ease, success and automation.
2 Responses
Very different approach Edward. Probably the first post I’ve ever read that has said to always reply to emails quickly. As you said, most take or recommend the reverse. Didn’t catch you today at 4N but will catch you another time. Sam
You are very kind and thank you Sam! I know plenty of millionaires that respond to emails quickly and stay on top fo their workloads. I know so many poor people that response to emails very late. That has got me thinking. Thanks for your great feedback Sam and love your work!