We are Responsive.
We have a sense of urgency in all that we do. We acknowledge others’ needs, set expectations and deadlines and have a quick turnaround on services – both internally & externally.
It seems like we all intend to be Responsive. We want to get back to clients, managers, and internal requests really fast. I think it is human nature to be well intended, but we also think if we just push for one more hour, if we just make one more phone call, we will have a candidate to present! Then we miss deadlines.
Everyone is busy. To say we are busy is to violate another value, No Excuses! Our customers should not really care if we are busy. In fact, they assume we are. That is just the way it is. It does not make us special. How we manage our busyness is a part of our culture.
That is why we ask to take interrupt calls. What is an interrupt call? We work so hard to make that phone ring, yet we are in meetings, at the coffee pot or even taking a bio break! Wow, that’s a strange thing to mention! What’s a bio break? Ask Linda Chiffens. Linda once charged into the Men’s room to alert me of an important call and she insisted I wrap it up and take the customer’s call!
So being Responsive is of course cultural. This is really a mindset thing! If we want to answer the phone in three rings can we get in two? Or one? If your customer expects a response by 3p.m. and can wow them and get it to them early?
If you think about it, this is about managing expectations. To do this well it is important to establish just what your personal brand promise is. How often are you clear on establishing boundaries when you interact with others?