30 minutes and countingÖ

The new business time-bomb: Half an hour to respond or get blown away.

Chat date: Wednesday 11th June
Chat time: 12:00

Competition for business is getting so tight that putting off dealing with a call or email for less time than it takes to have a sandwich break can cost your firm thousands according to an annual bellweather survey of the nationís firms.

A year ago the survey revealed firms had a two hour window to respond to enquiries or risk losing business. Twelve months on and that figure is falling dramatically with one in seven UK companies saying they now demand a response in just 30 minutes.

And the report estimates that the average cost to businesses of opportunities lost via slow response stands at 18,840 per business (a rise of 5% year on year).

The city where the 30 minute time-bomb is most likely to apply is Birmingham where one in five now expect a response within half an hour. Other cities where the 30 minute time-bomb is becoming increasingly normal are Manchester (18%), Newcastle (18%), Cardiff (17%) and London (17%).

But leading author and ëeí expert Matt Beaumont believe senior management canít shoulder responsibility on their own and staff need to share responsibility in being available to respond wherever and whenever is needed to meet the customerís needs. Thatís backed up by the survey where 58% of the working nation believe that all employees, not just senior management, need mobile email access in the future to combat the problem.

So what can you do to ensure your business is as responsive as it can be during the credit crisis? What can you do to help your boss and what do they need you to do to make sure your business doesnít fall victim to the business timebomb?

Leading author Matt Beaumont and Vodafoneís Bryony Clow join Jane Constantinis live online at http://www.webchats.tv/chats/Business/30minutesandcounting on Wednesday June 12th at noon to discuss answer your questions.

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