I am sure every person in business has had an awkward situation with running into someone several months (or years) after not receiving a response to the message they left on their voicemail or emails that was a follow up on a business deal they were working on. What fear of happens once the reconnection is made is uncertain. However, it could have been avoided if another level of communications was used.
The awkwardness comes from not knowing if their non-response was due to it being their way of blowing you off or if there was a technical issue that kept them from getting the message or email..something like an earthquake knocking their house out into the Pacific Ocean…or something like that. Some anxiety builds towards the excuse they are going to give and how they will handle unexpectedly running into you.
If this has not happened to you, well, it will eventually, especially if you are like many of us who have to use email and other electronic methods of communications to keep up with business. Plus, having Spamware set on Nuclear, or like mine that is set on Thermal Nuclear, could also be causing all this miscommunication.
What I am finding is the spamware is placing emails from real people in my Spam Folder or deleting them all together, so I am sure that is taking place with others which would explain how this situation happens. And how business deals could come unraveled.
Even in the analog environment many people who use the telephone will leave a voicemail. Logically what happened for the lack of response to a voicemail message was the voicemail box was full and dropped the message. Again, another avenue where a business deal or personal relationship just went south.
However, in many of these cases of miscommunication the first instinct, the negative reaction, is usually correct. Yes, many people use the logical happening of Spamware as the resolve to what they say happened to the email or the full voicemail box for the voicemail that was left. In reality it was their way of ignoring the deal or the person…in these people’s minds it keeps them from appearing negative. Leaves the resolve in the unlikely possibility of being encountered as…
“OH, my spamware must or ate it..” or ”I have been having trouble with my voicemail lately..that dam AT&T.”
The appearance of being negative is becoming an obsession with some people. Instead of facing an issue that would generate a negative image of their self they will just avoid responding al together. This method of non-communication is growing and to a point that business people are now assuming if they have not received a response within 24 hours that they are being blown off. BUT, are they? There is always that question lingering.
Business is moving faster and faster each day. Deals (very profitable deals) are being missed out on because people would rather default to saying nothing as their form of rejection or decline on the offer, than make a close on not making a deal.
Then, on the other hand, there are deals being missed and business relationship being tainted because of a legitimate reason that caused the connection of communications to be broken. For the lesser technically inclined this is probably happening to them frequently. A deal will come around via email, the information start flowing, ideas start bouncing and then..what happened…no response.
Does this mean the person is still thinking? Does it mean they are out of the office? Does it mean they are not interested any longer? Did I just get blown off?
Did the spamware kill the business deal? In some cases it did, but in a growing number of cases I have reviewed it had nothing to do with it… What causes the disconnect in most cases was based on how the relationship, the discussions, the meetings and side bar conversations were handled. If there was no effort to get on the phone and at least hear each other’s voice, then the ignoring of the deal usually is based on not really knowing who the person they are dealing with.
Even after a phone call,or several phone calls, it is still not certain that form of communication is enough to close the deal. What helps the most is finding away to physically meet. Statically, a person is more apt to raise the level of the business relationship once they see the person…they have seen their body language. There is still as small chance after that effort the deal is still not done, but there is a better chance it will.
The BEST tool for checking out a person’s intentions is Business Golf. It is a character evaluator. If you play golf you understand what this is about. If you do not, then you need to learn to play golf to fine out how powerful Golf is in revealing the person who is going to blow you off or go into a deal with you.
Don’t let the spamware and voicemail waste your time in thinking that someone is going to contact you back. Get out and play golf with the person..if they don’t play golf, invite them to a golf school so they can learn. If they still insist in not playing or learning golf..then that could be telling you something.
Business Golf is the best investment your business can make and it will save you from those awkward gathers where you feel you have to say…
Say, I never heard back from that message I sent you..or message I left on your voicemail.
Let me know how I can help.
