How quickly do you respond sales enquiries?

[wevet]

Personally, unless, it is totally impossible, I like to fire off a response (NOT an auto response) off within an hour of the email coming in. If we cannot undertake the client's requirement we let them know - courtesy I think it is called.

Is this unusual? I am I being paranoid about keeping the contact with the client live? Are potential clients being unreasonable to expect even the most basic of acknowledgment?

The reason I ask is that I have asked two regular contributors to UKBF for quotes on work (yes I am buying if the price is right!) the most recent of the two enquiries is now around 18 hours ago. No response.

I can only conclude that, I am an impatient, over demanding client who should have the patience to wait on the pleasure of an esteemed would be supplier.

So if I am being impatient what elapse of tiem should I allow before I permit myself feelings of impatience?

 

[Mister B]

Personally, I like to reply within the hour but there are times when workload/meetings will not allow this. In this case, I normally make sure that I get back to them within the day, even if it is just to apologise for the delay and to state that a more informed reply will follow within a set period of time.

Mister B

 

[cycloneuk]

Usually instantly if i am at the desk and not busy, i even reply to emails outside of my working hours.

 

[ImproveSearchListings]

If someone didn't get back to me I would assume, for whatever reason they didn't want/need my business.

For the most part, this isn't a problem. The only time it becomes a problem is when you need a solution from that specific supplier and have to wait.

Normally, I believe, this is because they have grown and now feel they are untouchable. Ultimately, this leaves room at some stage for a new entrant to the market and before they know it they lose their strangle hold on the market.

Taking 2-3 minutes out of your day to let someone know you have recieved their quote and will get back to them soon with full details is basic customer service in my eyes.

 

[kirit1966]

The sooner the better.

I run a personalised laser engraving company and last year managed to obtain a couple of pretty large orders. Within 24 hrs of receiving the enquiry I had a sample on their desk.

This attention to their enquiry got me the business.

Always try and deliver earlier than you promise!!

 

[deniser]

I like you am impatient and regularly have to wait a week for a supplier to respond and then have to chase them up.

I reply to emails as they come in and if I am not in my desk, make sure I log in at 11am, then again at about 4pm and then again at about 11pm (which saves me having to deal with them in the morning as I like to end the day with everything dealt with before I go to bed).

 

[Fenland]

Slightly different for me as I'm often not sat at the computer, although I have got mobile email.

If its contact through our website it states that if someone emails us we will always get back to them within 2 hours during "normal" working hours. Its invariably shorter than that though..

Weekends/evenings etc, then as soon as I've got time I'll respond.

 

[Foz]

I think sometimes its easy to get into the mindset of 'why havent they replied yet?' especially when you may have high standards of yourself to respond to contact, i find myself doing that.

If i dont get a response from someone in a few days i tend to send a follow up but sometimes people just dont have the capacity to respond in a timely manner and it can be frustrating!

Regards,
Simon

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

WITHIN 2 MINUTES

UK collection within the hour on all consignments up to 1.3 Tonnes !!!!

You cant hang around when the phone rings !!!

 

[Kev Jaques]

I would say it depends on your business.

For companies which have more than a few people then most likely they have someone to take calls, however, for the one man bands it's a different reality.

I have patterns for looking at mails, phone calls and this also depends on what work I am doing. I often do not look at mails first thing in the morning as I have set objectives but schedule in 2 slots a day to check on mails during the working day.
This lets me focus on work rather than getting tangled into what an email or phone call may entail.
Out of work hours I often ring or email depending on those aspects.

There is of course the answering machine which handles things should I not be able to take those calls.

Plus I or other people could also be in meetings.

People are impatient with regard to most things but with knowing that you only answer at specific times of the day/week should help.
Plus of course emails/phone calls are listed, not necessarily in priority order, so it gets looked at as and when they have been dealt with.

Obviously we are not talking weeks here but merely half a day or a day delay and this would be different if there was someone dedicated to dealing with this kind of communication.

 

[CameronGetBiz]

I tend to get back clients who put in a request pretty quickly. Even if its just a quick mail to let them know I am there in the first instance. I am a huge fan of the telephone and would put the call in if I wasn't too busy.

There is nothing a hate more than waiting hours for someone to come back to me when I am placing a request for a service!

 

[silver]

I reply within 24hrs...usually its the same day and I am not in front of a computer for most of the day.

Alison

 

[hlsps]

I have only just set up so cant answer this with an informed opinion from the supplier side yet, I would hope within an hour if I was at the pc, and certainly on the same day. However, I hate waiting for suppliers to get back to me, probably because I am often juggling several projects at once. I have been trying to get a copy of a lease agreement for a franking machine for my main employer for three weeks now and have not had the courtesy of a reply yet, having been promised the document three weeks ago. When looking for quotes I will often contact several companies, give them a couple of days to get back to me, and look not only at the price but also the service. I think the response when it does come is crucial, unfortunately there are companies out there who give the impression they are doing you a favour, not selling you a service, and yet there are also companies who go that extra mile, and have great customer service. I know which one I would like to be when my business "grows up".

As I say this is looking at it from the other perspective but I do hope this opinion is helpful.

 

[KateCB]

We respond within about 10 minutes during the day as there is always one of us at a computer ad our email automatically seds/receives every 5 minutes - if someone needs a quote for embroidery/print or trade orders, we respond immediaely with either a request for more information (usually the case - you would be amazed at how many emails I get asking for a price for an embroidered garment - would that be any design in particular, any specific garment?) or a timescale to allow me to put the quote together

One thing I really hate iscompanies who tell me that they 'attempt' to respond tonemails within 48 hours.....what???

I too check emails when I get home from work too and respond accordingly where needed - even if it is silly o'clock!

 

[Esk247]

debatable with my business! people work funny hours when they order websites..sometimes they order website work when they get back home and have a chance to chat about it.

i usually get back within a few hours e.g. email arrives at 10am if i don't see it or i'm out you'll get an email back at 4pm latest, same day.

If customer phones its dealt with straight away..but i prefer emails because its a bit of a faff on when a customer phones for an update and i dont have their folder infront of me to give them the latest information.

if i don't email you back then its because i'm busy as hell and your email has dropped off the bottom of the first page..therefore..i'm probably not much help to you