It's frustrating beyond belief when you expect an answer or a call from an employer , employee, vendor or friend. ... and the e-mail box or voicemail is empty....
Great organizations, competent professionals and good friends always respond when promised. Weak organizations, disorganized managers and fair-weather friends don't meet their commitments and leave you hanging.
"The 24 hour rule" is a standard that defines the speed and importance for returning calls or emails in many professional organizations. That is: ALL requests, promises , calls or email are responded to within 24 hours. That may simply be to say: "I need another 24 hours or 7 days" to fulfill my promise to you but I didn't want to keep you hanging. In great organizations the response time is even faster.
Slow responders make you mad, reduce your productivity, develop a poor reputation and put you on the lookout for new employees, suppliers or friends. If you are going to fill 4100weeks, you need to know where the meeting is, when the flight leaves and whether or not to bring the running shoes... and now.
All of the excuses are dead: Smartphone's, PDA's, Mobile Phones and Satellite phones connect everyone on the planet except possibly (and maybe not) your 95 year old Grandmother 24/7. "Oh you were trying to get in touch with me." reeks of no integrity. It takes approximately 16.3 seconds to hammer out an email reply if you type with one finger.
The other 24 hour rule - Not to be confused with the first 24 hour rule:
The 24 hour rule states that any partially consumed liquor left over at the host's house for more than 24 hours after the end of a party becomes property of the host. The host is not required to notify the owner during this period.
"Hey man, I left some rum here last week, did you see it?"
"I drank it, 24 hour rule dude."
"Fair enough."
Borrowed from the Urban Dictionary.
The second 24 hour rule can be employed when the first 24 hour rule is broken.