How quickly should you reply to a customer enquiry?

Someone fills in your quote form, sends a WhatsApp or rings while you're under a sink. How long have you got before they go elsewhere? Not long, usually.

This guide covers why speed matters, what reply times are realistic for a small business, and how to reply quickly when you can't stop what you're doing.

Why speed matters

Most people asking for a quote are asking more than one business. Reply two days later and the job may already be booked with someone else.

The best-known research on this comes from the Harvard Business Review. Its authors looked at 1.25 million sales enquiries received by 42 US companies. Firms that tried to contact the customer within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to have a meaningful conversation with them as firms that waited even an hour longer, and more than 60 times as likely as firms that waited 24 hours or more (Harvard Business Review).

The same authors tested 2,241 US companies by sending each an online enquiry. 37% replied within an hour, 24% took more than a day, and 23% never replied at all.

That research is from 2011, it is American, and it is not about trades. But the pattern is familiar: interest fades quickly, and plenty of businesses never reply. Replying promptly puts you ahead of many of them.

Realistic reply targets

If you're on a roof or serving a full restaurant, you can't answer every message the moment it arrives. So split the reply into two parts.

1. An acknowledgement, straight away. This tells the customer their message arrived and when they will hear from you. It can be automatic, so it costs you no time.

2. A proper reply, the same working day. This is the one where you answer their question, ask what you need to know, or book a visit. During working hours, within a couple of hours is a good aim. For enquiries that arrive in the evening, first thing the next morning is fine, as long as your acknowledgement said so.

Some enquiries need a faster response. A burst pipe, no heating in winter or a lockout can't wait for the end of the day. If you take emergency work, say how customers should reach you for it, and check messages more often.

Whatever targets you set, keep the promises in your acknowledgement. A promise kept builds trust; a promise missed does the opposite.

How to reply fast when you're on a job

Auto-replies on email and your website form

An automatic reply to every enquiry is the easiest win. Gmail lets you save a message as a template, and by setting up a filter you can send that template as an automatic reply (Gmail Help). Many website form tools can also send the customer a confirmation email.

Greeting and away messages on WhatsApp

If customers message you on WhatsApp, the free WhatsApp Business app can send a greeting message when someone messages you for the first time, and an away message when you're busy. You can set the away message to go out always, on a schedule, or only outside your business hours (WhatsApp Help Center).

Missed calls

Calls are harder, because a missed caller often just rings the next number. A few things help:

Record a useful voicemail greeting. Say that you're probably on a job, when you'll call back, and that a text is often quicker.
Reply to a call with a text. On an iPhone, when a call comes in you can tap Message and send a ready-made reply. You can write your own replies under Settings > Apps > Phone > Respond with Text (Apple Support). Something like "On a job, will call you back by 5pm" works.
Set times to call back. Check missed calls at your tea break, at lunch and at the end of the day, and work through them in order.

Saved replies for common questions

You probably answer the same few questions every week: do you cover my area, how much, when can you come. Write a short answer to each once and save it as an email template, a WhatsApp quick reply or a phone note. Then a proper reply takes a minute.

What a good first reply says

A good first reply is short, and shows you've read the enquiry. It should:

Use their name and mention the job. "Thanks for getting in touch about the leaking shower" beats "Thanks for your enquiry".
Say what happens next. A visit, a phone call or a written quote, and roughly when.
Ask for what you need. Their postcode, a couple of photos, or when they're free.
Give a timescale. "I'll be in touch by tomorrow afternoon."
Say how to reach you if it's urgent.

For example:

Hi [name], thanks for getting in touch about the leaking shower. I'm on a job today, but I'll call you by 5pm to talk it through. If you can, send a couple of photos of the shower tray and the ceiling below in the meantime. If water is coming through now, ring me on [number].

Avoid a one-word "Call me", a price before you know the job, or a long message with no clear next step.

How Support Labs can help

One of the automations we set up is automatic replies: every enquiry from your website form gets a reply sent automatically, from your own email address. We can add a reminder that emails you if a new enquiry is still unanswered, so it doesn't get missed. We test each automation with you before it goes live. They don't answer your phone or reply in your own words: they send the replies you've approved.

Each automation on its own costs £150 setup and £50 a month, and automatic replies come in all of our website and automation packages. You need a free Google account. Details are on our pricing section, or get in touch and we will reply by email within 1 working day.

FAQ

How quickly should a tradesperson reply to an enquiry? Send an acknowledgement straight away, which can be automatic, and a proper reply the same working day. Aim for within a couple of hours during working hours, and reply faster for emergencies.

Is an automatic reply better than no reply? Yes, as long as it is clear and honest about when you'll be in touch. Then make sure the proper reply follows when you said it would.

What if an enquiry comes in at night or at the weekend? An automatic reply can say when you're next working and when they can expect to hear from you. Reply first thing on your next working day.

Should I give a price in my first reply? Only if the job is simple and you know enough to price it. Otherwise, ask for photos or arrange a visit, and say when you'll send a quote.

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