WHEN A RADIO STATION EMPLOYEE LEAVES

Have you ever sent an email to someone at a radio station — only to receive an automated reply informing you the person no longer works there?

If so, the message probably was similar to this one that I received:

Bob Smith is no longer employed at XYZ Broadcasting Co. If you need to contact someone please call our main office during normal business hours at (333) 333-3333.

Contrast that with an email that I received exactly one month earlier. This was sent proactively — before the people in his address book would have a chance to send an email that would only bounce back to them.

Good Afternoon!

I wanted to send you a quick email to let you know that I will be leaving XYZ Broadcasting — KXXX / KYYY as of today. I’ve accepted a position with Radio X as Market Manager in (City, State).

I’m excited about the new challenges, but somewhat saddened with the fact that I leave an incredible staff behind. KXXX and KYYY Radio have always strived to deliver the very best marketing and service to our clients.

Let me assure you that this will not change. Our staff stands ready to serve you for years to come delivering the same quality service you have come to expect from XYZ Broadcasting.

If you should need anything, please don’t hesitate to give me a call on my cell at (333) 444-4444 or email at jameson@idooie.com. My new business contact information is listed below as well.

To streamline the transition process, I’m also including two key contacts for your address book. Please forward any email, faxes or calls to their attention. Barbara Bell — Sales Manager — (333) 333-3334; bbell@XYZBroadcasting.com; Carol Collins — Business Manager — (333) 333-3335; ccollins@XYZBroadcasting.com.

Thank you again for your continued business and I look forward to working with you down the road.

Respectfully,
James Jameson
VP of Radio Operations
XYZ Broadcasting

Compare those two messages, as well as the thought processes behind them.

The first one says, “The person you’re trying to reach doesn’t work here any more. If you’re an advertiser or otherwise do business with our station, call us at our convenience and we’ll try to find someone who is willing to talk to you.”

The second one says, “This person is leaving for a new job in another city. If you want to reach him personally, here’s how to contact him. If you wanted to talk to him about business related to our radio station, we want to make it easy for you to reach the right person.”

This is so obvious, right?

The second version is the one that makes good business sense.

So why is the first version is so much more familiar to you?