Fast answer

How fast should we answer? In which manner? For how long we make waiting for it? ... Fast, friendly and enough time to not hang up...

Jorge

I have a friend in the US that has the need for information about Mexico: economy, legal reforms, contacts, airlines, among others. He sends me his requests by WhatsApp and because some of them are technical doubts, first I have to do some research, then I send him the information, usually one or two days later. And when I have a question for him, he also replies back really fast. For example to get his picture for this post, I send him a request to download it from his Facebook. Our friendship has grown because the fast answers we both get. It's not worth to ask for something and get feedback when the information has no use at all.

When data is related, the response times are really important, first think about how much time are you willing to wait for the information to come, to make an appointment, to buy a ticket, to be at a waiting room... Exactly, no one likes to wait, so I encourage not to make your contacts wait too long.

Chat

What about when you are a second hand contact? In this last days I had good friend from Monterrey asking for information to her husband. He wanted to know about our offer and our programs. She shared with me her contact and now we are in conversations. That is every thing you need to encourage your networking. Give a fast answer, if you have the information, and it's not confidential, share it.

So here are my recommendations about fast answers: 

1.-Always think on the amount of time you are willing to wait for information, divided by 2, subtract the number you thought, and that is the time you should make other people wait.

2.-If you are at a sales department, and a contact ask for some information, the answering time is much more important, if  you do not answer, your competitors will.

3.-Make fructify your attention, take enough time to search about your contact requests and make your best effort to get the information to share.