Wake me up when September ends

With apologies to Green Day (that's a rock band for all you silverbacks out there) I have to share with you today an example of exactly what not to do when you are out of the office for prolonged periods of time.

This morning, I sent an email to a C-level business consultant who had his Out of Office AutoReply set with the following message:

I am away from my office until October 1 and will have very limited e-mail access. If you need help right away, please call xxx-xxx-xxxx and ask for _______.

Leaving an Out of Office AutoReply like this telling potential clients you will be inaccessible for a month is not a good idea. At the C-level in a client-oriented business, you need to create the perception that you are always available. If I were a client looking to work with this guy's firm and he were my only contact in the organization, I would be inclined to take my business someplace else. I think it's also worth noting that this consultant's business has not exactly been drowning in cash lately.

Here at PSMJ, there is a team of people who have access to each other's email - as well as info@psmj.com and customerservice@psmj.com and we check with other constantly to ensure that no opportunity falls through the cracks -and we're selling $47 books, not trying to win six- and seven-figure design projects. Sure, this is financially driven, but it's also common courtesy.

If you or your bosses do stuff like this, you need to look at a different options.

Have a great Labor Day weekend,

Bruce