A third of UK businesses continue to expect an email response to their new business enquiries within two hours according to the annual Vodafone Critical Response Time Index.
Surprisingly, a growing number of businesses (up 11% on 2007) where patience levels are wearing even thinner - expecting a reply to their enquiry by email in half an hour.
These lost opportunities, business owners say, cost them on average £18,840 - an inflation beating 5% rise year on year.
The Index, which examines the changing attitudes of UK business to email behaviour, also indicates that the combination of pressure from quicker turnaround and potential financial loss is causing workplace anxiety: More than a third (36%) of UK workers are aware of occasions where lack of access to email, whilst on the move, has caused unnecessary stress and conflict in the workplace, rising to 48% for those working in London.
Mark Bond, Enterprise Business Unit Director, Vodafone UK commented. "This year we have seen mobile email access, more than ever before, become an essential piece of the business armoury. This survey clearly demonstrates that the way we approach our work is changing and businesses need to move to address that change."
Surprisingly, a growing number of businesses (up 11% on 2007) where patience levels are wearing even thinner - expecting a reply to their enquiry by email in half an hour.
These lost opportunities, business owners say, cost them on average £18,840 - an inflation beating 5% rise year on year.
The Index, which examines the changing attitudes of UK business to email behaviour, also indicates that the combination of pressure from quicker turnaround and potential financial loss is causing workplace anxiety: More than a third (36%) of UK workers are aware of occasions where lack of access to email, whilst on the move, has caused unnecessary stress and conflict in the workplace, rising to 48% for those working in London.
Mark Bond, Enterprise Business Unit Director, Vodafone UK commented. "This year we have seen mobile email access, more than ever before, become an essential piece of the business armoury. This survey clearly demonstrates that the way we approach our work is changing and businesses need to move to address that change."
