Have you ever filled out a contact form on a website or sent an email and weeks later you are still waiting for a response?
Unless you have been extremely lucky you probably have experienced this and felt a little frustration or even felt angry.
This issue is not restricted to large companies. It seems from reading a number of small business blog posts, especially the ones that are enjoying healthy growth, responding to emails appear to be lessening in importance.
I have even seen contact pages that say please contact me and fill out the form; however we receive so many emails it may take some time to get back to you. I asked the following question on Twitter – “Do you always answer emails especially those sent from your contact page on your website (scammers and spammers aside)?
Here are some responses over a few tweets:
@MYOBtrainer YES! what is the point of a contact us form if you ignore it? & yes people have ignored me when I have contacted them – Too busy for my money
@DebraTemplar Emails. I answer. Have spent the day doing just that. Some occasionally slip through to spam … Trust me Susan there are times when Scarlett OHara bites “tomorrow when I’m stronger…” Nope I don’t give in. Always respond.
@DoTheWoo Are there folk who don’t answer? Even if it is to say, sorry can’t help or don’t have the info you want? Think there r folk who don’t realise that filling out Contact Us is like an impulse buy. U don’t want to let someone go off the boil
Contact Page
If you think about it, apart from spammers and scammers, people are contacting you for a reason. They have taken the time to fill out the form or write the email and for the most part they are expecting a response and not in a month’s time.
Their request or enquiry is important and they expect you to return the email.
Impressions Last
As people go through your website they form impressions. If you invite them to contact you and you do not respond in a timely manner, then their lasting impression may not be that favourable.
To add to the problem they may not have received a response but they see you actively using social networks all day connecting with others.
Solutions
As harsh as it may sound one solution may be to not have a contact form or email address if you are not going to answer them. At least this is being honest.
Or you may want to consider hiring a Virtual Assistant.
One solution I am trying is to set up rules in Outlook that sends certain emails to folders and soon I will have subjects for people to select when contacting me so they match the folders in Outlook. I have also set up standard emails that can be used for the most common requests and enquiries.
It isn’t a good feeling being ignored and you just never know if the ones you ignored might be the ones you need in the future. The last word and summed up well by @MYOBTrainer Pretty Woman all over again!!!
Now over to you, how do you cope with the increasing number of emails?
I like your Twitter research, Susan. Tres avant-garde! P.
Shame you were not on Twitter at the time Paul. Let me ask you, how do you handle all the emails you receive. Any secret tips?
I answer every legitmate email I get.
With regard to sending them, I’ve been contacting a lot more firms lately as part of my Small Business Owner blog research. I’m amazed at how few respond, even when I say I’m doing a piece on them and am keen for their input. Guess I’m just little people.
I hate the form-style emails that don’t give you an email address to write ‘free style’. Filling in the form and then not getting a response is doubly annoying. Best regards, P.
Hi Paul,
Your posts have been really interesting Paul and it just a simple thing to reply especially as they have a chance to connect with you and your readers.
Re the forms do you mean on websites?
I find if I don’t do it straight away…they can slilp through the cracks. You just have to stay on top of them. Not responding is as bad as leaving a phone ring and ring and ring.
Not getting a response is not restricted to Contact Us forms online of course. 79% of leads generated at events are NEVER followed up. When I ask exhibitors….”did you get back in touch?” (with the people who they have met and got details from at the event) the usual response is “I didn’t want to be pushy”.
Bah DOH! Be pushy. I have given you my card. I have filled out a form. I have contacted you. Now I want you to SHOW ME that you care enough about my potential business to get in touch!
Well said Bambi. I have heard this “I do not want to be pushy” a lot of the time from small businesses. I wonder if it a confidence thing or whether they do not actually know how to follow up from the initial contact. What is your take on this?
I think they think following up is a sales call….in which case they are probably right that it may be considered to be pushy. But they should be following up with a mind-set of “how can I help this person with what I know…”.”What have they shown an interest in that I can fulfill?”.
I have actually had an expo attendee come up to me at the front desk as he was leaving the event to say: “No one wanted to talk to me….” (He thought it was because he wasn’t wearing a suit). What kind of message is that to give a potential client?
I think if you approach people the right way – respond to their enquiry with an offer to help them; follow up after networking; etc; MOST people will feel special rather than pushed….
Bambi,
I think you are right especially when you said that most people will feel special. Perhaps it is a case of thinking about themselves rather than their customers.
Don’t You Just Hate Being Ignored? | M4B Marketing…
Have you ever filled out a contact form on a website or sent an email and weeks later you are still waiting for a response? Unless you have been extremely lucky you probably have experienced this and felt a little frustration or even felt angry. Althou…
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