When an email message builds client relationships better than a phone call

Demanding a phone conversation can feel manipulative to your prospective clients.

Janice had a medical test that turned out to be positive for a serious disease. She had a hunch something was wrong from the beginning. She expected to get a report of her test results in her medical portal — a practice that’s becoming increasingly common.

To her surprise, she got a call from the clinic office. They wanted to set up a visit to “discuss the results” with her.

Janice was puzzled at first, then angry. She knew they wouldn’t be calling to deliver good news. She didn’t want to make a time-consuming trip to the clinic where she would be unprepared to ask good questions and make wise decisions.

Forcing communication will alienate the other party.

The clinic was so focused on the value of “in-person” they failed to recognize the greater value of giving someone time to dig into the information and prepare for a meeting.

In business we don’t deliver life-and-death news very often, but we can learn from the clinic’s process and Janice’s response.

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