I'm somewhat amazed at how many businesses, large and small, don't offer multiple ways for a customer or prospect to reach them. And how few businesses offer and set expectations on their response.

We live in a 24/7 world. People want and need multiple ways to contact your business - days, nights, and weekends. While many businesses can't answer live calls and immediately respond to all customer inquiries around the clock, there are many options to accept calls and messages 24/7.

Here are a few tips and resources to ponder:

1. Prominently post your telephone and fax numbers, hours of operation (include time zone) and mailing address (both overnight and standard mail) on your website.
2. Put a web form on your website for email inquiries.
3. Give a statement of expectation regarding how fast you will respond.
4. Give callers the option to route their call to the specific department they wish to speak with - sales, service, accounting, etc.
5. Make sure your voicemail clearly identifies whose extension has been reached and when a call is expected to be returned. If you're out of the office, give the caller an alternate contact while you're away, for immediate response.

Letting people know their message has been received and what to expect next goes a long way. You don't want to loose or aggravate a customer simply because you're hard to reach. And you don't want to contribute to frustration because reaching your business is like jumping into a black hole.

What do you think? Is it frustrating to want to contact a company and all you can do is send an email or call and leave a message on an answering machine...not knowing if the message is received or when a return call or email will be made? What are some nightmare experiences you've had trying to reach a business?