Why Professional Service Providers Often Embrace an Email-Now-Call-Later Philosophy
Image Credit: Death to Stock
We all have our preferred methods and platforms for communicating, and it’s certainly true that learning to use new communication tools can be a time-consuming and sometimes painful experience. But there are some methods that are consistently and strategically better than others when it comes to reaching out to a professional service provider. In this blog, I break down why I believe using email should be the main hub of communication for running your service-based small business, and some things to consider as a client to help make the outcome of any service-based project a success.
Why Email-First?
I can say with confidence that the majority of working adults I know have an email address and use it at least once a week, much more if they have a desk job. Even my retired father is giddy to receive emails from his favorite backpacking gear companies (otherwise, he’d never open his AOL account 😂). Learning new communication tools is hard so why not stick with what we know? Here are some concrete reasons using email to communicate with professional service providers is the best.
A Simple, Universally Understood Tool
With the market for remote communication platforms, apps and software exploding in recent years for obvious reasons (that shall not be spoken of here), the array of options is dizzying. Every business owner has a different workflow, software lineup and preference of communication tools. Then there’s email. Good ol’ email. Because it’s been around so long, it doesn’t matter what email platform you choose, all email platforms are designed to send/receive to/from all other platforms. And because of it’s oldness, the interface has been tested and optimized more than virtually all other communication platforms, making it super intuitive to send an email from your desktop, phone or tablet.
Email is the Rosetta Stone of communication apps.
While email is simple with few bells and whistles, it is these qualities we should embrace. There’s no need to train new clients to use a new-fangled way to communicate in addition to all the other platforms you will still need to train them in (especially if you’re a web designer). And if you do require other communication platforms to assist with your processes, email is still the best place to start with new client intake. It’s a win-win for both professional service provider and client.
Stop & Think Before Relaying the Message
Calls are great for initial intake meetings to fully understand the needs of the client, get a sense of who they are and what their goals are for their business. Getting off-the-cuff answers is helpful to service providers like designers to understand the general tone and capture the essence of the business. That said, when it comes to providing feedback to a designer, a call works fine, but email is better. When you write your thoughts out, you’re forced to look at and really consider them. The process of writing helps my clients glean insight into their true feelings and express them more clearly than if they were simply reacting verbally on a phone call. Writing an email demands attention and forethought, which not only helps a creative project, but can also help clients see things more clearly and ensure a better project outcome as a result.
Document Important Thoughts & Milestones
Versus calling, it is always better to put your message in black and white and email them so they can be used as a reference when a project progresses. Virtually all email platforms are amazing at providing time stamps to every email, ways to organize your inbox and search filed emails. This ensures your inbox doesn’t get overloaded and you can easily find old emails that can be of help later on as a project progresses. Was something missed in a deliverable? Search your inbox for the detailed request to make sure you were specific in your email or if the service provider is at fault for missing the request. It’s way easier for details to slip through the cracks if presented over a phone call.
Respect Everyone’s Time
This is the main reason I’m writing this blog, but to avoid going on a total unproductive rant, I’m attempting to provide some helpful tips in addition to this specific ask…
Please, under no circumstances, call me out of the blue and expect me to provide you with quality service delivery in that very moment.
Email is where the request for a call happens. And when you’re writing out your email to request a call, you may even be inspired to write out what you were going to ask me on the call so we won’t even need to have a call. I will reply to your email and possibly even provide you with the deliverables you seek the next time you hear from me, thus saving everyone time. Additionally, emailing first will provide me with the time I need to prepare for the call and allow me to be in a better position to provide you with clear insight into your question or request on the call, thus saving everyone time in the long run.
Calling your service providers out of the blue to ask a question or make a request can be disrespectful to their time and might disrupt their processes. They typically have other clients, possibly even other calls and meetings happening when you call them. To me, it feels like the caller is saying, “my time is way more important than yours so I need your attention immediately.” Rude right? I make sure all my notifications, including email, are on silent so as not to disrupt my creative flow, which is scheduled at limited and strategic blocks of time throughout my week. It is really easy to lose my train of thought when my phone lights up, even when the ringtone and vibrate are turned off.
My inbox gets attention a handful of scheduled times throughout the day and I reply to all my client requests within 24 hours. No one’s creative request is so important that it can’t wait for a reply within 24 hours. After all, it’s design work, not ER triage.
Gone are the days when a random phone call is a regular daily occurrence, save for telemarketers and scammers, which everyone can agree are a complete nuisance. Millennials and younger generations are used to screening calls and strictly managing their time when 24/7 connectivity is not only an option but an expectation given the infinite number of ways we all stay plugged in via social media. We have to draw the line somewhere, not only to preserve our sanity, but also to preserve our quality of work.
Occasionally, I require services too, and I always want to respect my service provider’s time. If they prefer a call, I send an email to schedule the call, then I make sure I have all the info I need to communicate effectively. If they prefer email, I’m obviously all for it. If I can’t tell what they prefer, I try to send an email, as this says “I respect your time, take all the time you need and get back to me when you’re able to.” And I hope they know full well that if they take too long getting back to me, I may move on to someone else because this is 2021 in America after all. 😏
