THE INSIDE TIP

With John Tippins

When Silence Is

Not Golden

 One of the most powerful tools we have in business is something so basic to our daily lives, we forget to appreciate its benefits: the cell phone. 

Everywhere you go, from airports to your doctor’s waiting room to even a hushed-toned restaurant, we can’t stop texting, taking pictures or idly skimming through social media. So with the accessibility our cell phones provide, why do so many of us still struggle to return messages?

I understand not wanting to speak with that pesky salesman who calls you every Monday morning, but when it comes to returning calls and emails from clients, your response time (or lack thereof) could mean the difference between opening your doors the next morning or shutting them indefinitely. So, in this edition of The Inside Tip, I give you a simple one: Return your clients’ reach-outs.

No matter how busy and successful you may be, don’t forget that it’s each one of those clients, customers or patients seeking your services that convert to dollars in your business. There are no excuses. We all have cell phones, and we can make calls or send emails instantly. For most of us, not returning messages will just punish us in the form of our deposits at the bank; but for attorneys, not returning messages can lead to sanctions from the State Bar of Nevada. I’m not an attorney, but I’m willing to bet those sanctions are worse than taking a few minutes of your day to get back to someone.

With that said, make yourself accessible. Business owners who allow themselves to be readily accessible to clients and customers will have a much higher retention rate than those who keep themselves as silent as their phones.

John Tippins is the CEO of Northcap, owner, operator and listing brokerage for over 2,000 distinct high-rise and mid-rise units in Las Vegas including The Ogden, Juhl, Palms Place Condo Hotel & Spa.