· Business
Why the first business to reply often gets the job
Someone needs a TV mounted on the wall. They find three businesses on Google and send each one a message.
One answers in ten minutes. The other two answer tomorrow.
By then, the job is already booked.
Many jobs are not lost on price. They are lost on time.
What I see at Handwerker Netz
Handwerker Netz is a handyman service in Vienna that I co-own. It offers 15 small jobs, like IKEA assembly or TV mounting.
Requests come in on WhatsApp or by email. I reply within an hour. Sometimes within five minutes.
- fastest reply
- 5 min
- usual reply time
- < 1 hour
- better chance to reach the customer in the first hour (study)
- 7×
A fast reply doesn't need the full answer. A short "Got it, I'll send you a price today" is enough.
The person knows someone is there.
The part nobody sees
A website can bring the request. But it can't answer it.
The problem is often not the page. It's what happens after someone sends a message.
Maybe the inbox is checked once a day. Maybe the form sends to an old email. Maybe the phone is on silent during work.
Worth a look
- Where does a new request land? On your phone, or in an inbox you open at night?
- Send yourself a test request. How long until you notice it?
- Does the person get an automatic reply, so they know the message arrived?
When I build websites for local businesses, every request goes straight to the owner's phone.