Question 1: Overall satisfaction with your response management:
Overall how satisfied are you with the way your organization manages inbound contacts?  Is there a watertight process in place for each category of contact and each type of inquiry. (Categories of contact include customers, prospects, press, consultants and other influencers. Types include all sorts of unsolicited inquiries as well as responses to mailers, Web sites, brochures and other outbound marketing.)

Select answer Very satisfied Satisfied Disatisfied Very disatisfied Don't know

Question 2: Setting standards:
Do you have defined standards for how each type of inquiry/responder should be handled? In addition to covering who handles the inquiries/responses and the content of the reply, these standards should also have service levels on response speed.

Select answer We have very tight standards with service levels for most situations Some standards are defined with some service levels We have rough guides but they lack service levels There are no clearly defined standards or service levels Don't know

Question 3: Everybody sells:
Every inquiry/response could be a future sales lead. Do the people who handle your inquiries/responses have the sophistication, experience and training to "sell" your organization while also asking the right questions to develop a lead?

Select answer Our inquiry handlers sell us and develop leads effectively Our inquiry handlers have some ability to "sell" and spot a lead Our inquiry handlers are limited to the mechanics of answering the inquiry This varies a great deal Don't know

Question 4: Campaign response management:
When you start a new campaign do you set up a special response mechanism for each project or do you have a standard response management infrastructure that can absorb it?

Select answer We channel most campaign responses to our normal process Some marketing projects require us to set up special response handling We set up special response management for most campaigns We usually ask the supplier executing the campaign to handle the responses Don't know

Question 5: Database and reporting:
Capturing the details of inquiries builds your database. Using the opportunity to update contact names and get contact permissions increases the value of your database.  Analyzing the frequency and content of inquiries can reveal interesting trends in your business. Indicate how you are doing in this area in two ways.

Question 6: Critical mass:
For small and even medium-sized businesses, providing very high quality response management at all times is a challenge. The challenge is often a combination of affording the right level of skills and having a "department" that has the critical mass to operate well at all times.  A mental experiment will help you to know if you have critical mass problems. Imagine it is the week of your biggest trade show/conference of the year. Just as several of your managers are leaving town one of your key inquiry handlers gets the flu. How will your inquiry response handling be affected during this week?

Select answer Inquiries will be handled as normal Inquiries and responses will still generally be handled well. Inquiries will not be handled well and/or will be delayed Some inquiries will be delayed a week or even get lost Don't know

Question 7: Cost of response management:
How much should it cost and how much is it costing to manage inquiries and responses?

Question 8: Issues, concerns, observations:
Read the following list of statements and check any that you agree with or that apply to your organization's lead management activity.

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