A new independent research study reveals that – even with a wealth of new communication technologies – 71% of senior managers regard the telephone as their best sales tool. Despite this, senior managers admitted they miss over a quarter (27%) of calls to their business, every day.
The research gathered responses from 200 US and 200 UK companies about their business practices, beliefs and results². The study found that almost half (49%) of senior managers feel their organisation does not have enough dedicated secretaries or colleagues to answer calls.
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Businesses rely on human interactions by phone. But to fully realise its value, they need the resources to use it.”— Fraser Wilson
The study also found that:
- 57% of respondents said it’s common for customers to face a wait/hold time of more than five minutes before speaking with someone in their organization, while 65% said many of their customers will hang up if left waiting that long on hold.
- 69% of senior management say the phone helps to create personal rapport as potential customers prefer to speak to a real person.
- 75% of senior management say their customers prefer to talk to a human by telephone.
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Fraser Wilson, Global Head of Marketing at AnswerConnect said:
“The findings of this study confirm that the phone is still number one when it comes to sales. Businesses of all sizes across the US and UK rely on human interactions by phone. But to fully realise its value, they need the resources to use it. It’s imperative they answer every phone call and respond to every opportunity.”
The study reveals that – even in an increasingly digital world – human connection is still central to business outreach and support. Looking forward, the research found that over three quarters (76%) of senior management believe the phone will still be an important sales tool for their business in five years time. However, to maintain their support network and weather the challenges posed by covid-19, businesses need to better utilise the power of the telephone .