Communication Overload?

My newest pet peeve is people not returning phone calls, texts or emails. I'm not talking about casual calls here. I'm talking business. At the moment I have several custom jobs going on and getting these folks to answer back is like pulling teeth. And it isn't just people I'm doing business for, it's people I want to do business with, too. I may email with a question and days go by before I get a response. Or not. What's up? I can't even tell you how many businesses have lost my business in the last few months because they didn't respond. Other companies were happy to pick up the slack and not only answered right away but gave awesome customer service. 

Are we just overwhelmed with communications, both on the phone and on the computer? Because I am self employed I always try to answer emails and phone calls as soon as possible. Otherwise I lose work. As a free lance writer an editor often sends out several emails on a prospective job and the first responder often gets the job. The same with other free lance and custom work. So why don't other businesses answer their calls and emails? 

We all understand that emails add up quickly. One woman I'm working with has such an intense spam filter on her email that all my emails with attachments go to spam, which she doesn't check. This means the drawings and work I've done for her isn't being approved or disapproved in a timely manner, we are way behind schedule and now she is upset that it is taking longer than she wanted. It took her 2 weeks to answer my last email and today she hasn't returned a phone call to confirm an appointment that will be taking place in about an hour. It is very frustrating. I first contacted her per her request in July and we have yet to begin a project that she now needs in a week or so.

She is not alone. There are several people I am working with that are not answering their emails, texts or calls and then they want to know why things are taking so long. I'm at the point where I'm no longer working on jobs that I'm getting no response for. If someone can't be bothered to answer their phone or email then I'm not going to worry about it. And when they get hysterical that something is late, well, that's really their problem, not mine. And it totally stresses me out.

I've also noticed that this is happening on a personal level as well and lots of people are talking about it. People are shutting down. There is too much communication, too quickly and too frequently in many cases. So, filter it, but please, respond, even if it is to say, sorry, can't deal with that right now....

....it only takes a minute or two and will move your projects along!

Comments

[Allison]

Amen! I hear ya on this pet peeve

[Suki]

Well I always answer phone calls but must say I seldom use the phone. I seldom answer emails. And I've never texted in my life. Of course my cell phone doesnt work where I live. No reception. However, that is on a personal level. I do want to add though that I always answer my phone when it rings and then talk to the person right away which is pretty rare nowadays. I do little business so basically don't get involved with that. However to me it seems rude to not get back to someone who I know is waiting for my answer or whatever ASAP

[fourdogday]

I always answer my phone, and texts and e-mails as soon as I get them...if not I know I will forget and then someone won't be happy.

I realize that some working people get a hundred e-mails a day and I don't know how they ever get through them all AND get their work done. My daughter has a job like that.

Things certainly have changed haven't they? I love technology, and I am just in awe of how I can sit and text my son in Colorado and get a text right back...it's kind of creepy, but on the other hand it just puts us all on fast forward I think.