Speedy agents are Number 1 when it comes to call answering

Estate and letting agencies are the best performing businesses for low call waiting times in the UK.

A survey of 1,000 people by outsourced comms company Moneypenny suggests that only five per cent believe agents have long waiting times - that’s compared to 33 per cent for utility firms, 27 per cent for doctors’ surgeries, 25 per cent for banks and 21 per cent for telephone companies.

Legal firms were almost as good as estate agents, with just six per cent.

The findings also reveal that 85 per cent of people believe businesses are blaming long wait times on Covid, despite being almost a year into the pandemic. 

The average wait time for calls and live chat requests across all business types was also revealed.

Some 18 per cent said they have to wait between one and five minutes and 23 per cent have to wait five to 10 minutes. Six per cent have to wait an amazing 45 to 60 minutes and 19 per cent typically give up waiting altogether.

Younger callers have greater tolerance - 73 per cent of 16 to 24 year olds said phone answering delays are acceptable, compared with 45 per cent of over 55 year olds. 

“Businesses that say unprecedented demand due to Covid is the reason for long wait times are essentially telling customers they are not important – and our data shows that customers recognise this. Meeting demand is imperative to business survival, now more than ever” explains Moneypenny group chief executive Joanna Swash.