Six Communication Mistakes Business Owners Make
By Sherese Duncan

1. Calling a number listed on your caller ID. In business, you should never just automatically call a number just because it came up on your caller ID, even if you know the number listed. Since you weren’t able to answer your business line (cell phones included) doesn’t mean you should just call right back. Always listen to the message first or if they didn’t leave a message it doesn’t necessarily mean to call right back. In business, communicate accordingly and respect the communication process.

2. Calling someone back before listening to your voice mails. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve left detailed short messages and the person calls me back and says, “Hey Sherese, I see you called.” And I say, “Yes I did; what do you think?” And of course they say, “Oh, I just saw that you called; did you leave a message?” I know that sometimes this is warranted, but it’s a waste of time to have voice mail if you’re not going to use it. Be cautious of doing this. Make sure to listen to your voice mails on a regular basis, take down the information, and then proceed to make your call back calls.

3. Answering your cell phone if you’re in a meeting or at an event. I recently met someone for breakfast and we were discussing an upcoming project. In the middle of our conversation, she got a call and answered it (it was not her kids)! This is a rude action—just don’t do it. I understand about children and making sure you’re available, but if you look at the phone and you know it’s not your kids, don’t answer it. And if you have to leave your phone on, put it on vibrate and let the person you’re meeting with know—before your meeting starts—that if it’s your kids, you have to take the call.

If you’re in a meeting and someone calls you, don’t answer the phone. Last week I had three people answer the phone and all three told me to call back because they were in a meeting. I thought, “Then why did you answer the phone?”

Also, if you’re at an event or a seminar or other group gathering, make it a habit to put your phone on vibrate, and if you get a call, leave the room and then answer.

4. Giving out an e-mail address you don’t use or check on a daily basis. This is pretty simple. If you give me an e-mail address but you don’t check that particular e-mail very often, that tells me one of two things:

If you give out an e-mail address for business but you never check it, why give it out?

5. Not reading your business e-mails/correspondence fully. If I send you an e-mail with details, instructions, or answers to specific questions, I expect you to read the e-mail fully, just as you should expect the same from me. I get e-mails all the time with half answers or that have been half read based on the response. We then end up playing e-mail tag, which is a waste of everyone’s time. Read your e-mails fully and start enforcing this on your end as well. I make it a habit to not regurgitate; I always respond with, “Please read the original e-mail once more. It has all the details and I’ll await your response.” Now, those I do business with respect me even more because it’s allowed them to do business the way they should do business.

6. Leaving a message on all phone numbers you have, or calling and leaving several voice mails on the same number. I know, I know; sometimes it’s just an emergency. Just don’t make this a habit for every call you make. I have several colleagues that have to leave the same message on every phone number I have and they also send an e-mail (technology can be very bad sometimes). Also, don’t call the same number three or four times with the same message that is only 5–10 minutes apart. (I’m laughing as I write this one ... it’s just funny when I hear a series of messages separated by five-minute increments. It just makes me not want to call that person back!) A single message on one phone number is sufficient. If you don’t hear a response in a timely manner (give them at least a few hours) then do a follow-up.

The bottom line: If you’re in business, you have to communicate effectively and appropriately.