• Respond To Never – Many people struggle with ignoring any email, but there are times when it’s best not to respond, even at the risk of being considered rude.

Over the course of the day, these categories will change. What was a Respond To Later will become a Respond To Now, etc.

• Turn Your Ringer OFF - It’s okay to silence your phone when you’re working. Leave a professional sounding voicemail telling customers that you’re away from your desk (they don’t need to know if your desk is the kitchen table) and you’ll return their call as soon as possible. If you answer the phone each time it rings, you can easily get to talking and find time quickly sliding away from you. Beyond that, you break your concentration flow – it takes time to refocus on what you were doing and where you were in the process.

Just like with email, set blocks of time aside to answer your voice messages. Base the amount of time you allot for returning calls on how many you normally receive, and how much time you usually spend responding. You may not be able to reach everyone during your scheduled time – that’s okay too. Telephone tag is a fact of life; you’ll connect sooner or later.

Managing your communications effectively can be the difference between running a successful e-business and letting your e-business run you. Says Ennico, "Plan your days ahead of time and, as much as possible, stick with the plan. You’ll be amazed at how the simple act of creating an organized Customer Service Schedule can free your time up.  anil