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A growing culture of silence is corroding commercial trust in the digital economy. In a recent piece for Search Engine Land, consultant Nick LeRoy recounted losing a client to an AI SaaS platform and, more tellingly, a string of professional interactions that ended in unexplained silence. His examples — from warm introductions that evaporated to an NDA that was requested and then ignored — expose a wider problem: efficiency tools and outsourcing are speeding processes, but not necessarily improving basic courtesy or accountability. See LeRoy’s original column for full context. (https://searchengineland.com/the-ghosting-epidemic-why-efficiency-killed-basic-professional-courtesy-487762)
What is the ghosting epidemic?
Organisational ghosting is when a business initiates contact, asks for time or deliverables, and then fails to follow up or to close the loop. It is not the occasional unanswered email. It is a pattern: introductions made and never acknowledged again, interviews carried out without a final response, and documents requested but never returned. LeRoy’s accounts — a CMO promising an update by Tuesday and a brand that asked for an NDA then vanished — illustrate how pervasive the behaviour has become. The damage is practical and reputational: calendars wasted, proposals delayed, and professional goodwill eroded.
Why it matters now
We are not simply seeing rudeness; we are witnessing a market failure in signalling. When organisations outsource decision-making to automated tools or make efficiency a cover for lax follow-through, they change the incentives for how business is conducted. Commoditisation of expertise — where advice becomes a standardised deliverable rather than a judgement call — makes it easier to treat people as inputs rather than partners. That in turn feeds a culture where closing conversations is deprioritised because attention is fragmented and accountability is diffuse.
The commercial consequences are straightforward. Word travels quickly in tight industries. A single unreturned NDA or a half-promised update can cost access to long-term talent, trusted introductions and the kind of referrals that sustain professional service firms. As LeRoy notes, warm introductions often translate into the most durable client relationships; letting those fall silent is short-term thinking that weakens future revenue streams. For another perspective on how automation can hollow out relational value, see the author’s consultancy site. (https://seoforlunch.com)
Where efficiency goes wrong
Efficiency should buy time for judgement and relationship maintenance, not justify neglect. Many companies now have tools that capture meetings, transcribe calls, and create follow-ups automatically. LeRoy mentions using Fireflies to generate call recaps — technology that should make it easier, not harder, to follow up. (https://www.fireflies.ai) The paradox is that the very systems designed to reduce busywork are being used as a substitute for professional courtesy. The result is lower transaction costs for starting conversations and higher non-monetary costs for leaving them unresolved.
Practical steps for restoring basic professional courtesy
Businesses that want to keep reputation and reduce churn can take immediate, low-cost steps:
– Close the loop rapidly. A one-line email that says no, paused, or delayed costs almost nothing and preserves relationships.
– Set clear internal ownership. If someone promises an update, record who is responsible and when in a shared system.
– Use templates sparingly and honestly. Automated replies are fine for logistics; they are not a substitute for a direct answer when a person invested time.
– Treat introductions as reputational capital. If someone connected your company, honour that social currency with a courtesy update.
– Train hiring and procurement teams to expect closure as part of the process. Ghosting on interviews or commercial pitches damages employer brand.
A market for decency
There is a market signal here for firms that behave differently. Businesses that answer honestly and close conversations will be rewarded with stronger networks, better talent retention and referrals. That is a competitive advantage that no AI agent can buy for you. If the current trend continues, the firms that maintain professional decorum will be the ones that attract human expertise back into their operations.
Conclusion
Nick LeRoy’s piece is a useful reminder that technological progress does not absolve firms of basic obligations to people. The ghosting epidemic is less about individual rudeness and more about a change in business practice that treats human time as disposable. Organisations that want to prosper should remember that efficiency is a tool, not an excuse. Close the loop, honour introductions, and make a simple commitment: say something, even if it is only two words. For the original column, read LeRoy’s full article on Search Engine Land. (https://searchengineland.com/the-ghosting-epidemic-why-efficiency-killed-basic-professional-courtesy-487762)
