How Quickly Should an Affiliate Manager Respond?

[DerekForeal]

He doesn't have to keep the entire shift. If I come to work at 9 EST, I know to not expect a call until at least noon my time.

On the other end, I need to make myself available to the fact that his workday will end at 8 EST and I should adjust my schedule to be able to accommodate him if I need an answer.

I think I'm looking at this right. Maybe I'm wrong.

[GregK]

it sounds like you mean 9AM Pacific - 8PM Eastern, that is about 8 hours instead of 14

[Coderea]

We started discussing timezones..however what I mentioned was 24 hours..if you shoot an email it goes instantly to whoever's mailbox..and irrespective of timezones..you are sure to respond to email..
Even a simple..email like..: I would get back to you soon..suffice

[minko]

I try to respond to all Affiliates as soon as I receive their e-mail. All "daily" e-mails I receive are "cleaned up" within the course of my 8am-5pm EDT workday. I check e-mail at various other hours and assess the urgency. I answer my phone (my number is posted online) Weekdays and weekends (usually). I also take phone call and Skype appointments after hours for affiliates located internationally to accommodate their schedules. Also, have posted my IM in my signature, so many contact me "out of the blue" by IM.

That's just me though. I think 24 hours is realistic for an affiliate to expect a response, even if only to say "Hey, I'm working on it...be back soon".

Pam White
Affiliate Manager
Professional Cash

[GregK]

I really like your strategy minko. Keeping a good response time and setting up appointments to fit with other peoples time zones. If only every affiliate manager were like that things would be much easier for many affiliates.

I will tell you this though, the affiliate managers here on AP are some of the best there are. Maybe we need to put together an award or something to honor the best of the best.

[DerekForeal]

Originally Posted by GregK

it sounds like you mean 9AM Pacific - 8PM Eastern, that is about 8 hours instead of 14

No mistype. I get to work at 9 EST time. It is 6 Pacific on the west coast. No one is at work for 3 hours. Then, it is noon EST. Is anyone following my logic or am I just totally off here?

[JessicaWhite]

I think you're right Derek, you guys are just looking at this different. If you want to think about all of the hours that anyone in the states working 9-5 is available it will have to be 9AM PST to 5PM EST. That is really 12PM EST- 5PM EST so there are only 5 hours of overlap. I think you have the idea right that they should respond in their business day, its just not always the same day for everyone.

[HomeComputerGames]

Originally Posted by GregK

Obviously the faster the response, the better it is for the affiliate, but you are not the only affiliate that a manager works with (despite what some affiliates think).

I think 24 hours is a good response time. Any opinions?

Having been on the other side in the past I always enjoyed instant response.
Many affiliate managers added me to their IM. This is their job after all and the client comes first.
How many people would tell someone that was offering them money to "wait for a bit"? "I'll come back and get it later".

But 24 hours is acceptable.......not any longer or I would get frustrated. If it happened often I would start looking for someone else that wanted the income I could generate for them

HCG

[WestEagle]

IM, Skype and MSN are life saves for affiliates. I have resolved more issues that way than I can count. I agree though, if that isn't an option, 24 hours is good. Plus, lets be serious here, affiliates don't hold hours, we just work all the time.