A while back, I noticed a clip in an online legal service I subscribe to which indicated that a real estate customer was suing her realtor for harassment because the realtor sent this client emails in the middle of the night. I never found out what the outcome of this litigation turned out to be. My only thought was that this suit was a perfect example of how deeply enmeshed our country is in litigating anything and everything. It is my fervent hope that this customer did not prevail in this lawsuit.
Like many Rainers, I work strange hours. I don’t sleep much, and when I wake up in the middle of the night, I am just as likely as not to go to my computer and fire off a few emails as to return to bed. I have some thoughts and solutions for some of my clients. Why shouldn’t I write them down and get them in front of the people I am trying to serve?
To me, the beauty of email is just what I described. I can write an email any time I please. My client can read it any time he or she pleases. For me, email has cut down my phone conversations considerably. More than that, it has permitted me to put down in writing often complicated solutions to questions, in print, so that my clients have a better chance of understanding what I mean because they see it in words rather than hearing it from me, and perhaps, not quite understanding everything I have said.
My clients often say to me “Don’t you ever sleep? What are you doing sending me an email at 3:45 AM? I usually respond that I was thinking about a solution for their situation, and I thought it made sense t get it down in writing so they could have an opportunity to review what I was thinking. My sense is that, deep down, there is recognition of effort and commitment on my part, and these two qualities can only enhance my standing with clients.
I can’t really control how much I sleep. Fortunately, none of my clients have sued me for sending emails in the middle of the night. My sense is that my sleep deprivation syndrome may be a marketing plus. I would be interested in hearing your reaction to this analysis, and whether, you, too, use middle of the night emails.