Keep enquiries moving when a contact is absent
Practical answer: Keep enquiries moving when a contact is absent
Define a backup contact for routine acknowledgements and a separate route for decisions requiring authority. The backup needs access to the agreed enquiry summary, not unrestricted access to every business record. Tell the sender who will respond and which questions will wait. Keep personal reasons for an absence out of the customer-facing explanation.
An enquiry should not depend entirely on one person being available. February 2022 is a relevant period for considering how a business can maintain basic communication when the usual decision-maker or recipient is unexpectedly absent.
Economic context
The RBA’s February 2022 overview described recovery from Delta lockdowns and the effect of Omicron-related absences on hours worked. Read the RBA overview.
An illustrative example
Imagine a supplier sends a clarification while its usual contact is away. A backup confirms receipt, records the question and identifies when the authorised person will review it. That is more useful than either silence or an improvised commitment. When the usual contact returns, the register should show what was communicated and what remains open.
Three points to take into the conversation
- Define backup coverage
- Record the pending question
- Preserve decision authority
Before progressing the conversation, check that the purpose, current information, responsible contact and next review date are clear. For a corporate-information, supplier or partnership enquiry, contact EJN Services through its enquiry page.
The economic context comes from the report linked above. The process suggestions and examples are original editorial guidance, not RBA recommendations or records of EJN Services engagements.
