FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
For facilities managers, response time is no longer just a customer service metric – it has a direct impact on revenue, reputation and retention.
Today, customers expect immediate engagement, whether that’s reporting a maintenance issue, requesting a quote or chasing support, they are far less willing to wait than businesses think.
At Moneypenny, we surveyed 5,001 UK consumers and 2,000 UK business decision-makers and found that 70% of customers choose the first business to respond, while only 23% say they would keep trying if they did not hear back.
For facilities management businesses, slow response times can quietly lead to missed opportunities, lost contracts and frustrated tenants – often without obvious warning signs.
Customer expectations are also tighter than ever:
- 60% expect calls to be answered within minutes
- 62% expect live chat responses within minutes
- 74% expect live chat responses within the hour
That matters in facilities management, where many enquiries are urgent and delays can quickly damage confidence.
There is also a significant disconnect between what businesses believe and what customers actually do. While 77% of businesses think customers will keep trying if they do not get a response, only 23% of customers say they actually would.
In today’s “one-shot economy”, the first response often decides who wins the work.
The hidden cost of slow response times
Slow response times do not always lead to complaints. More often, the impact appears elsewhere:
- Missed calls that never convert
- Enquiries going cold
- Lower conversion rates
- Reduced tenant or client satisfaction
- Damage to reputation when customers feel ignored
When internal teams are stretched, delays can feel understandable. But from the customer’s perspective, slow responses suggest a lack of availability, organisation or urgency. That is why responsiveness matters just as much as speed.
Customers want reassurance that:
- their enquiry has been seen
- someone is taking ownership
- they know what happens next
- there is a real person available if needed
A quick, clear response builds confidence immediately, even if the issue itself takes longer to resolve.
Why 24/7 coverage matters
The challenge for many facilities management businesses is not recognising the importance of fast response times – it is maintaining them consistently.
Enquiries do not always come in within office hours. They come during busy periods, evenings, weekends and at the exact moment internal teams are already under pressure.
That is where Moneypenny comes in. For over 25 years, we’ve supported businesses like yours with 24/7 switchboard provision, ensuring every call is answered and handled professionally.
By replacing or supporting your front of house when you’re busy, off-site or out of hours, we flex to your needs – giving you real people, AI, or the perfect blend of both to manage calls seamlessly.
Here’s what we take care of:
- Answering calls
- Booking appointments
- Taking payments
- Qualifying enquiries
No missed calls. No interruptions. Just a consistent, professional experience for your callers – without the need to increase headcount or manage rotas.
Download The Customer Experience Divide Report
See the research from Moneypenny revealing how changing customer expectations around response times are impacting businesses – and why fast, consistent communication matters more than ever.
Download the report now. A practical read for facilities managers looking to improve service delivery, protect revenue and create a more responsive customer experience.
