A slow response to customer emails can be hugely damaging to UK businesses, according to a survey released today by Fasthosts Internet.
July 12, 2007 (Press Release) --
A slow response to customer emails can be hugely damaging to UK businesses, according to a survey released today by Fasthosts Internet, the UK’s largest web hosting provider. A survey of 1300 British consumers revealed that a slow response to a customer’s email enquiry will negatively affect business image and directly lead 89 per cent of consumers to choose a competitor. 78 per cent of consumers surveyed have been disappointed by a slow response to email, with the average consumer sending three emails before receiving a satisfactory response. A further survey of 500 UK small businesses found that one in five UK SMEs had received a complaint specifically about their slow approach to email, and 56 per cent had no policy in place concerning their response time.
Fasthosts’ ‘Customer Service Email Study’, performed by research company Tickbox, found that for British consumers, waiting too long for a response to an enquiry is their biggest gripe when emailing a business, with some 78 per cent of consumers having suffered. Unhelpful automated replies came second with 66 per cent of consumers affected and 40 per cent had found out-of-date email addresses. Whilst the majority of emails from consumers to businesses involved large companies, one in three Britons have been disappointed with a slow response to an email sent to a small local company they have used.
The average British consumer is only willing to wait up to 24 hours for a reply, with one in five consumers (19 per cent) abandoning their enquiry after only 12 hours. Women are prepared to wait longer, with 12 per cent prepared to wait up to a week, compared with only 7 per cent of men.
However, a further study of 500 UK small businesses found that despite 82 per cent of companies recognising email to be important to their customers, some 56 per cent had no policy in place concerning response time, and over half had no consistent corporate style for emails to customers.
UK small businesses also appear to be missing out on the latest ways to speed up email communication. 61 per cent admitted to not utilising a mobile email solution, such as a Blackberry or mobile email device, to communicate with customers. The majority of businesses also admitted that they fail to capitalise on website traffic, with 62 per cent not providing basic email solutions such as functionality on their website such as feedback forms.
Jeffries added, “Both consumers and businesses have much to gain from more swift email communication. British SMEs can see great returns from investing in the way they handle customer emails”.
Fasthosts, as the UK’s largest web hosting company, offers a comprehensive range of web solutions including domain name registrations, email solutions (including mobile email services), shared web hosting, dedicated servers, online payment services, reseller web hosting and feature-rich broadband packages.
Fasthosts’ ‘Customer Service Email Study’, performed by research company Tickbox, found that for British consumers, waiting too long for a response to an enquiry is their biggest gripe when emailing a business, with some 78 per cent of consumers having suffered. Unhelpful automated replies came second with 66 per cent of consumers affected and 40 per cent had found out-of-date email addresses. Whilst the majority of emails from consumers to businesses involved large companies, one in three Britons have been disappointed with a slow response to an email sent to a small local company they have used.
The average British consumer is only willing to wait up to 24 hours for a reply, with one in five consumers (19 per cent) abandoning their enquiry after only 12 hours. Women are prepared to wait longer, with 12 per cent prepared to wait up to a week, compared with only 7 per cent of men.
However, a further study of 500 UK small businesses found that despite 82 per cent of companies recognising email to be important to their customers, some 56 per cent had no policy in place concerning response time, and over half had no consistent corporate style for emails to customers.
UK small businesses also appear to be missing out on the latest ways to speed up email communication. 61 per cent admitted to not utilising a mobile email solution, such as a Blackberry or mobile email device, to communicate with customers. The majority of businesses also admitted that they fail to capitalise on website traffic, with 62 per cent not providing basic email solutions such as functionality on their website such as feedback forms.
Jeffries added, “Both consumers and businesses have much to gain from more swift email communication. British SMEs can see great returns from investing in the way they handle customer emails”.
Fasthosts, as the UK’s largest web hosting company, offers a comprehensive range of web solutions including domain name registrations, email solutions (including mobile email services), shared web hosting, dedicated servers, online payment services, reseller web hosting and feature-rich broadband packages.
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