What Does “Shortly” Mean To Your Customers?

When a client or customer asks when a project, product, or service is going to be done or delivered, an answer offered might be, “soon” or “shortly.”

Frustration ensues.

It ensues because “shortly,” means: “I’m not sure” and “I don’t want to be responsible” and “you shouldn’t ask.” It creates little in the way of connection, and doesn’t project confidence, authority, or even care.

“Shortly” is a one-word way to say, “go away.”

The alternative is to seek to understand and to work to be understood.

If the customer is double-parked, a better answer might be, “it will definitely be less than ten minutes, give me your phone number and I’ll call you the moment it’s done.”

If the engagement person or simply the sales agent is trying to juggle priorities and dependencies, a better response might be, “would it make things easier if we could narrow down the delivery date to a two-or-three day span?”

And if the client is simply curious to understand why she hasn’t heard from you and whether you’ve got this under control, perhaps the answer is, “the trick didn't work out, the new product or service is promised for Monday and in the past, it has taken two weeks after arrival for us to complete the testing.”

It might not be done, but confidence is restored.

You sell what you sell, but you also sell the story we tell ourselves about your relationship with the work (and with us).

Have a Great Jamuhuri Day Ahead.