The survey asked respondents what they would do if, when they made a call to a business or tradesperson, the call went unanswered. Surprisingly, almost two thirds of respondents (59%) said that they would not leave a message if the call was unanswered, with more than a third preferring to call the next business on the list.
Paul Kinsella, Vice President, General Manager, j2 Global Europe, said: “This is one of the key areas where small businesses are continuing to miss out on potential sales. We all have experience in having our calls unanswered, and – in the age of instant communications – consumers are voting with their feet and moving on to the next business.”
1000 business people across the UK were asked about their company’s biggest concerns. As expected the economic outlook continues to weigh on the minds of UK business as consumer confidence and red tape share the spoils as the major worries for UK businesses, with 26 per cent and 25 per cent of respondents respectively stating this was the biggest concern for their organisation.
Just below this were staffing issues – whether the loss of experienced staff or the difficulty in capturing the right kind of new-hires – finding and retaining the right staff continues to be a big concern.
“For the companies themselves, we see how crucial that first interaction with a business is. So, whether it’s a lack of staffing or technology, these businesses will continue to miss out on potential trade – that’s one of the primary reasons we developed our eReceptionist product. This product allows small and medium businesses to have their calls answered and routed, 24/7, without additional staffing costs. This means that customers reach the right person in the business for that first, crucial interaction.”
