On a daily basis, there are many distractions that are part of running a business. An employee shows up late—once again—without calling in. The supplier has no record of your order, even though you do, and you need the materials right now. A client remembers having told the salesperson something, but the salesperson doesn't remember it.
Success depends on the transfer of information between the appropriate people at the right time. Particularly when working with clients, it is imperative to be on the same page. How do you make that occur more often than not?
Document Every Conversation
You need to tell a client (or supplier, etc.) something. You call them. Maybe you even connect with them instead of leaving a message.
Write them an email recapping the call, stating what the issue is, why it occurred, by when it will be resolved, who is responsible, and if it is a cost issue.
You might not need to cover all those items, depending on the issue that's being addressed. But for the sake of clarity, I suggest you lay out any email you write in this manner.
Why? It avoids mutual mystification, which is when two parties to a conversation each walk away with a different idea of what was agreed to.
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