The WAV Group had researchers pose as consumers and make inquiries with real estate brokers. The results were depressing. They found that:
- 48% of buyer inquiries were NEVER responded to.
- Average number of call back attempts after the initial contact was 1.5
- Average number of email contact attempts was 2.07
- Average response time was 917 minutes (or 15.29 hours)
Their results were about right for solo technology professionals as well, in my experience.
Unfortunately, that’s not the the most depressing part. It’s embarrassing for me to admit this, but the very week this study came across my desk I blew off a new contact …and we were discussing some ways we could work together. I didn’t ignore him intentionally. I simply completely dropped the ball on getting back to him in an email thread we were having.
I never like to leave somebody hanging. I have no excuse, though I told myself I was too wrapped up in a couple of projects that suddenly picked up momentum that week to continue the thread wholeheartedly. I still should have acknowledged him and said something before it became a 14 (!) day gap of silence. This is Customer Service 101 and I blew it. Learn from my mistake.
Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won’t have time to make them all yourself.
Alfred Sheinwold
Josh Richards 