2 April 2025
First impressions in business are critical, often influencing the success of future relationships. But what factors matter most to experienced professionals when making initial contact with a company?
To find out, we surveyed 934 decision-makers, including executives and business owners, about their priorities during the first point of contact with a company (conducted on October 31, 2024). The results revealed key elements such as office location, initial meeting venues, communication methods, and response times.
Here, we share valuable insights and tips for building trust from the perspective of seasoned professionals.
Key Findings
The first question is, "What factors do you consider when choosing a business partner?"
When asked, “What factors influence your choice of a business partner?” The top answer, cited by 44.6%, was whether the company has an office in the same city. Despite the rise of remote work and digital communication, many still believe that having nearby offices facilitates smoother collaboration.
The second most influential factor was recommendations from trusted contacts, selected by 38.6%. This highlights the importance of networking and referrals, especially for older demographics.
The third most common answer was whether or not the company has a landline phone, with 20.7% of respondents choosing this option. Although more and more companies are eliminating landlines due to the popularity of remote work, there are still many people who feel that businesses with a landline phone number are more reliable.
Having an online presence (website, social media was the fourth most common answer at 19.5%, indicating the increasing importance of an online presence in modern business.
In addition, we also asked "If a potential company has an office in the suburbs, would you refrain from inquiring?" Interestingly, 28.9% of respondents avoid contacting companies with offices in suburban areas, showing that both urban and central locations are critical.
Comparing the results by age group, 69% of people in their 20s answered that they would "refrain from inquiring," followed by 43% in their 30s and 29% in their 50s, with the percentage decreasing as age increases. This result shows that younger generations tend to place more importance on the location of the business.
Next, we asked, "What are your impressions about the location of the first meeting with a company?"
The most popular location for a first meeting was the "company office," with 60.4% of respondents saying it was positive. Many people feel more comfortable meeting in an office where confidentiality is guaranteed.
The second most common positive location was "home office" at 28.1%, followed by "cafe" at 21.5%.
15.1% of people have a negative first impression when meetings are held at cafes, which is a higher percentage than "corporate offices" (2.7%) and "home offices." (11.9%) Cafes may have a more casual atmosphere than offices, but they are at risk of confidential information being leaked, such as being overheard by others or having documents seen. Also, some people may feel uneasy about whether the company actually exists if the initial meeting is not held in an office.
Next, we asked the question, "When making inquiries to a company, what are the most reliable contact points?"
When making inquiries or contacting a company, most respondents (67.9%) said that they would feel more assured if the company has both a mobile phone number and a landline number. The second most common answer was "landline number only" at 22.8%, which suggests that having a landline number as a point of contact increases trust in a company.
In contrast, email-only (16.1%), mobile phone number only (15.7%), and online forms only (11%) were in the minority and deemed less trustworthy.
Overall, older generations are more likely to choose "both a landline and mobile phone number," and younger generations tend to be less averse to "mobile phone number only."
We asked, "When making your first phone inquiry to a company, would you prefer to speak to a person directly, or would you be okay with an automated response?"
According to the survey, more people (85.5%), preferred to speak to a human. Although automated telephone responses have become more common in recent years, it appears that many people still prefer to speak directly to someone at a company when it comes to business.
Additionally, in response to the question, "If you are connected to an answering machine or automated response system on your first call with a company, do you ever give up on the inquiry?" more than half, 52.4%, answered "I always give up" or "I often give up." 15.3% of people said they would "look for another company" if they were unable to get through on their first call, which shows that telephone response has a significant impact on business opportunities.
Next, a question about the speed of response.
In response to the question, "Have you ever avoided selecting a company because it took more than three days to respond?" 65.6% answered "Yes" and 34.4% answered "No."
Addition, in response to the question, "When choosing a business partner, does the speed of response to inquiries influence your choice?" 38.2% answered "It definitely influences" and 47% answered "It influences to some extent." The findings show that most business people want a speedy response, and that a delayed response can lead to lost business opportunities.
Finally, we also asked about the quality of the company's website.
When asked, "When deciding whether to use a company's services, how important is it that the company has a high-quality website?" 63.5% of people answered "very important" or "somewhat important."
In many cases a website is the first point of contact with a company, and accurately communicating the company's services and brand image can lead to inquiries.
Servcorp offers the world's highest quality workspaces, with 30 locations in Japan and over 150 locations worldwide, all located in five-star office buildings in major business districts. Servcorp offers the following services to help you minimize risks and maximize opportunities for your business:
To secure new customers, a prime office address, meeting rooms where you can concentrate on your conversations, a landline phone number that allows for quick responses, and a high-quality website are essential.
With Servcorp, you can secure the infrastructure and credibility you need for your business to succeed, and minimize the associated costs. Plans start from as little as one month, so if you're interested, please give it a try.
Survey Details:
Respondents: 934 decision-makers
