The Power Of Silence

When Thomas Alva Edison received an offer from the Western Union Company for the ticker he had invented, he was undecided what price to ask. He requested for a couple of days time to think about the matter. Edison and his wife talked it over thoroughly and  Mrs.Edison suggested that he ask for $20,000.  Edison thought it an exorbitant figure. But on the appointed day, he went to the Western Union Office ready to ask for the amount.
  "Well, now, Mr.Edison", the Western Union representative said after he had greeted him. "How much do you want?"
  Edison tried to say $20,000, but it still seemed to him an outrageous demand and he could not utter it. He hesitated, and then he stood speechless before the Western Union Official. In the quiet that followed, the official. In the quiet that followed, the official waited restlessly for Edison to answer. Still Edison did not speak.
   The impatient businessmen was unable to tolerate  silence of this nature for long. He said "How about Hundred Thousand Dollars"

Implication of the story:  Clearly it was Edison who benefited from the silence and the Western Union Company that lost. The company's representative lacked the patience  to wait  for a reply.
  People in business have tendency to say what they want to say without listening to the other person.
We prefer to conclude business transactions as expeditiously as possible. Listening to silence calls  for some patience; many simply cannot remain quiet for long.