A bit weird, but providing you can, do you answer clients instantly (within an hour)? Or within a day or the next day?

 

Depends how annoying and cooperative they are.

^ lol

 

I usually offer a 24 hour response time Monday to Friday, though in practice I tend to answer emails as they come in - even if it's only to acknowldge I've received it with a timescale if any work needs doing. Of course if it's genuinely urgent I'll be onto it straight away within reason.

Something to think about it what standard you want to set, if you start by offering/providing a quick reponse and then gradually you can't provide that anymore your client may feel as though you aren't giving them the attention they require. However, you do want to be quick enough to suggest they're important to you, but not so fast its detrimental to business.

 

I personally think each case/client will be different, and you 'go with the flow' and respond as necessary.

Good question I reply to all emails as soon as I see them, unless something else takes priority. I've got great feedback from clients for super fast responses, so that's paid off. Then again, I do get the odd client who knows that I respond promptly, so then starts expecting immediate results. I'll reply immediately, but that doesn't mean I'll action their request so quick. That would be madness! Just a courtesy reply to acknowledge that I've seen their their email/received their call.

 

It's my character too. If someone sends me a personal text, I reply pretty much as soon as I've received it. Phone calls are the opposite. Business, within 24 hours, personal - well, they always end up calling back - hate the phone!

I try to answer ASAP. Sometimes though this could take up to 24h, I don't like writing emails from my phone.

Emails within 15 mins, calls straight away.

 

Were looking at upping our support systems soon. Emails will automatically generate a ticket, which is picked up by a member of the team and dealt with on first come first served basis. Emails don't really work for us anymore and my inbox looks like Chernobyl.

Pretty much the same, I do answer as soon as I receive the email. Calls - depends really

I'm flooded with emails from my mailing list subscribers, can't handle it, that's too much, some of them wait for 5 days to get a reply.