The Great Pause has highlighted some major deficiencies in the communication policies of both public and private organizations. In other words, many are bloody rude and irritatingly unresponsive.
What is the mind set of someone who simply ignores an email from a customer or supplier? How about those unreturned phone calls? When it is your job to be customer and or supplier facing it is your job to prioritize those communications.
Here is an easy way to remember what your job entails. Reorganize your job description under three categories.
“A function” are the things that you and only you can do. An example might be if you are the HR manager responsible for hiring, you should develop a comprehensive plan to hire that includes utilizing current recruitment methodologies which should include strengthening relationships with local recruiters. I.E. Me
“B functions” are the things you and maybe one or two others can do. Keeping our HR manager as an example, a B function might be input into the development of a job description, reviewing resumes and coordinating a short list with staff and informing applicants if they are moving on or not.
“C functions” are the things you and several others can do. Again, using our HR Manager an example of a C function would be answering the phone.
Everyone can operate under this metric and when combined with measurable performance factors could increase the efficiencies of any department or organization.
On a personal note, there is nothing more irritating that not having my communication acknowledged. Recently I sent an email to a perspective client, an HR Manager, highlighting the service I could supply to their recruitment efforts. I even mentioned my referral had come from senior management. Nothing, Nada, crickets.