SME's need to wake up to Speed to Lead

In business, the gap between an enquiry coming in and your first response can make or break a sale. That gap is called speed to lead—and it’s one of the biggest revenue leaks most service businesses never see. Studies show that contacting a lead within five minutes increases conversion rates by as much as 900%. Yet most companies take hours, sometimes days, to reply. In that time, the prospect has already spoken to your competitor, lost interest, or moved on entirely. The problem isn’t that businesses don’t care—it’s that systems are broken. Messages arrive through multiple channels: email, WhatsApp, Facebook, website forms, Instagram DMs. Without a unified inbox or automation, leads fall through the cracks. Improving speed to lead isn’t about working harder—it’s about working smarter. Automation and AI can acknowledge enquiries instantly, qualify leads, answer FAQs, and even book appointments before you’ve picked up your phone. The faster you respond, the higher the trust, the stronger the impression, and the more likely you are to win the work. In 2025, speed to lead isn’t optional—it’s the new standard for customer experience and growth.