Small firms fail to answer the phone
Almost six out of ten small firms and sole traders have admitted they don't answer the telephone - meaning they are losing a huge quantity of potential business.
Research has shown that seven out of ten callers don't leave a message or call back if they are unable to get through. Most new business tends to come via the telephone.
A survey of 200 Birmingham-based businesses by TimeEtc found just 82 answered the phone.
A spokesman warned:
"Customers are used to getting everything faster these days, and are less tolerant of poor service, like telephone calls going to voicemail or not being answered at all."It's so easy for people to move on to a competitor if they can't reach you, so it's vital to make the most of each and every time you're contacted."
