Not returning a call, especially after more than one message has been left, sends a big message: “We’re not interested in your business.” If you’ve ever contacted a company you wish to do business with and been given the cold shoulder, you know the situation.

And given that bad news travels fast, especially with the technology that enables social media, a bad reputation for customer service precedes itself. Most customers have plenty of options to consider. Often, a prospective customer will simply lose interest when presented with unnecessary hurdles.

In Dale Carnegie’s landmark book “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, playing hard to get is never mentioned as a way of achieving either goal. A company’s ethos, or the image it wishes to convey to the world at large, is something that is too often considered as an afterthought. Business relationships that last must work both ways, and some end before they have a chance to begin. No matter how rare or essential the product or service your business provides, not everyone may be beating a path to your door, especially if your business sends a message of indifference.

Not only is returning messages common courtesy, it makes good business sense. At Workplace Safety, we make every effort to return messages as soon as possible, whether they are from existing or prospective clients. We pride ourselves in this common courtesy.

To make your business stand out from the competition, it’s essential to be friendly and communicative with the caller. Make yourself easy to reach and when leaving messages of your own, make them friendly and intelligible. Return calls within 24 hours, if possible. If you haven’t heard back, be politely persistent by following up and ask if the customer or client needs anything else.

Good communication can make the difference in converting an unsure caller into a client or customer. Business relationships that last are two way streets. Make sure your business is headed in the right direction.