We're salespeople. That means we don't do details. Wedon't do follow-up, administration or operational efficiency. Andwe most definitely do not, under any circumstances, do customerservice.

Am I the only one who resents that stereotype? The key to goodcustomer service is simple communication. I once heard that goodcustomer service means calling them before they call you. Isn'tthat the truth? The one thing you don't need from a customer is,“I've left messages, but haven't heard back.”

We're good communicators. So why is our stereotype that if aproblem arises, we suddenly go as radio silent as a black ops teamat zero dark thirty?

Related: How to be a better salesperson

My goal is to return calls and emails the same day. At 5p.m, there are no outstanding voicemails or emails on my list. Noteverything is resolved, mind you, but no one thinks I've lefthim/her hanging. I usually hit my target, but there are days whensales calls run long or fires have to be fought.

Oddly enough, I often hear, “Thanks for returning my call soquickly. I didn't expect that.” Huh? I called you back at 5 p.m.from a call you made to me at 8 a.m. That's “quick?”

Comedian Chris Rock once did a bit about people taking creditfor things they're supposed to do. “People brag,'I take care of my kids,'” he mocked,“You're supposed to take care of your kids,dummy. What do you want, a parade?” To me, returning calls the sameday — or within 24 hours — is much the same as taking care of yourkids. It's what we should expect.

I'm not asking you to marvel at my superior powers of customerservice. I'm bringing it up because it occurs to me that mostpeople today have pretty low expectations of us. And that means wehave an unprecedented opportunity. Timely communication isabsolutely critical to success, especially in 2015 when the pacewill quicken and the questions will proliferate.

In times of stress, our clients need to know we care about them,even if the answers we get aren't favorable. When they know they'reon our radar, they trust us to seek the best possible outcome forthem — because when you care about someone, they're on yourradar.