In the recent Mood of the Boardroom report, the number one concern for CEOs and directors is falling revenues. No surprises there. These businesses are likely focused on turning around their declining revenues. But my guess is for some, it’s not just the economic challenges that are slowing them down. It is also potentially how they handled their customers when times were good.
Back then, one of the most common complaints we heard—over and over again—was about the slow response to customer enquiries. In sales, that’s a killer. Speed is everything, whether the economy is booming or we’re in a downturn.
Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, put it best: “In business, speed is the name of the game. The faster you respond to your customers, the more likely you are to win their loyalty.” I couldn’t agree more. Speed should be a core value in sales—especially now.
Last year, we got a call from a contact who needed help with a CRM implementation project. We said yes, met the very next day, and within a week, we had a statement of work, a proposal, and the project was already underway.
What we found out later was that before calling us, this contact had reached out to another supplier. They couldn’t meet for two weeks. That meeting never happened because by then, we had already secured the project. Maybe that other company was too busy at the time—but my guess is they’d love to have that work now.
Most of us in sales know you need to move quickly when the phone rings, when the email lands, or when a client needs something. But not every business operates that way. Some companies tolerate sluggish response times, and some even promote a culture where being slow to respond seems acceptable.
My advice? Don’t be one of those companies. When customers reach out, they expect a fast response. And why wouldn’t they? Research shows that the quicker you respond, the higher your chances of converting leads into paying customers.
If a customer is asking for something now, they want an answer now. A fast response shows them you’re serious and keeps their attention on you, not on your competitors. It is not a sign of desperation. Slow responses? They kill momentum and drive prospects elsewhere.
I have heard many stories of deliberately delaying their responses. “I don’t want to seem too available,” or “If I respond too quickly, I’ll look desperate.” I am not a fan of that, it reeks of playing games. Slow responses frustrate prospects and hurt your chances of closing deals.
There’s a company I personally used to deal with, and every time I had to call them, I knew I would get a minimum of a 20-minute wait. The message was always the same: “We’re experiencing higher than usual call volumes.” I got that answer every time I called. I moved to another provider who are much better. When businesses can’t respond quickly, they lose customers, plain and simple.
The reality is, slow response times create poor customer experiences. And with the challenges we’re facing in the market, no one can afford that right now. If your revenues are falling, take a hard look at how quickly your team is responding to customers. Speed may be the simplest, most effective lever to pull.
In sales, the companies that thrive are the ones that treat every customer touchpoint with urgency. So if you’re not moving fast, someone else will.