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Picture it: you’re sitting in your office in 2023, communicating with someone via email or chat. Your conversation is going beautifully, with both you and the other party responding quickly to one another’s messages. Then, suddenly, the other person stops answering.
Several minutes pass by. You wonder what happened. Did they go somewhere? Did they get distracted? Are they even still there?
More importantly, how do you find out without sounding rude?
The answer is simple: send them a message and ask, “Are you still there?”
It may seem bold to ask them this question outright. But this is a customer you’re talking to, or a potential sales client, or a fellow professional. You need to know if they’re done with the conversation so that you can choose the best course of action. Should you disconnect? Should you hurry up and finish your sales pitch? Should you schedule another date and time to talk? Asking, “Are you still there?” is the best way to determine your next move.
Below, you’ll find our guide for using the “are you still there?” phrase. We’ll go over common situations where you may need to use it, tips for writing an “are you still there?” email, and templates for quick chat responses and emails which you can copy and paste.
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Asking, “Are you still there?” during a chat or email conversation is a strategy you’ll use in multiple types of situations. This is because it can benefit you in more than one way. Not only does it enable you to determine if the other person is, in fact, still there, but it can also help you continue a profitable conversation.
We’ll demonstrate how important the latter is in the following situations where you may want to use the question, “Are you still there?” (or a variation of it).
When you’re a customer support agent on the job, it’s essential that the customer you’re trying to assist actively participates in your chat or email conversation. You need them to respond to all your questions and follow your support instructions so their problem can be fixed.
But you can’t solve their problem if they aren’t responding. If they haven’t answered you within two or three minutes on chat or a couple of hours on email, you should ask if they’re still there. It’s possible they got distracted by someone or something in their immediate environment. Their internet could have gone out or their electronic device lost power. Or they may have decided not to continue the conversation.
By asking, “Are you still there?” you give the customer the opportunity to respond so that you can finish addressing their issue. This is also a signal to them that your time is limited, and you want to help them as quickly as possible.
If the customer still doesn’t respond, that’s your cue to politely end the conversation and move on to the next person in your queue.
Sales representatives know the importance of keeping a conversation with a potential client going until a deal is struck. So, when the client is no longer responding to your chat messages or emails, it can be quite distressing. You may worry that you’ve lost a sale.
This is where you should follow up and ask, “Are you still interested?” When the client on the other end reads this, they’ll be reminded that they still haven’t decided whether to buy or not. They will also realize that you are still interested in making a deal with them. This realization may even cause them to return to a conversation they had previously decided to cut short.
Don’t give up on a sale just because the other person hasn’t responded in several minutes. Play the “are you still interested?” card instead and see where it takes you.
Correspondence with your fellow professionals is just as important as communicating with customers and clients. In your conversations with coworkers, supervisors, and peers, you will discuss reports, company policies, customer information, sales deals, and more.
But what do you do when the professional at the other end of your conversation has stopped responding?
When you follow up with a professional you haven’t heard from in a while, you can ask, “Are you still available?” This is a polite way of saying, “I haven’t heard from you in a long time, and this matter we were discussing still needs your attention.” Then you can remind them of your previous conversation and request a prompt response.
Here are some tips to help you write a polite “are you still there?” email.
When you send an email to another person asking if they are still there, still interested, or still available, it’s wise to remind them of your previous conversation. It’s possible that they haven’t responded to you yetbecause they got distracted or forgot.
Don’t take the risk that they won’t remember what you were speaking about. Just remind them with a brief summary.
It’s not polite to send an “are you still there?” email after only a few seconds or minutes. Give the other person a few hours or even a day to respond.
Remember that email is different from chat messaging. Whereas in the latter situation, if someone doesn’t respond for a minute or two, you may think they’ve left the chat. However people often take longer to reply to an email.
No one likes to be bombarded with emails asking the same question over and over again. If you send an “are you still there?” email to someone, and they still don’t respond, the ball is now out of your court. You’ve done all you can to get their attention.
Depending on the situation, it may be appropriate for you to follow up one more time after the first time you reach out. But this is more of a last-ditch effort, and you shouldn’t feel bad if you still don’t receive a reply. Again, you’ve done all you can do.
Below is a dozen quick response “are you still there?” phrases you can copy and use in your chat messaging.
Writing “are you still there?” emails is a snap with the following nine email templates.
Customer Support “Are You Still There?” Email Template #1
Hello {{first_name}},
Are you still there? I still have a couple more questions about your problem that I need to ask before I can recommend a solution. Please respond at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
{{sender_name}}
Customer Support “Are You Still There?” Email Template #2
Hello {{first_name}},
Are you still there? I haven’t heard from you in a little while. Are you still experiencing issues? Please let me know at your earliest convenience if I can provide any further assistance.
Sincerely,
{{sender_name}}
Customer Support “Are You Still There?” Email Template #3
Hello {{first_name}},
Are you still there? During our previous conversation, I asked if you would prefer a replacement or a refund, but I haven’t heard from you in a couple of days. Please let me know which solution you would prefer so I can start the process for you.
Sincerely,
{{sender_name}}
Sales “Are You Still Interested?” Email Template #1
Hello {{first_name}},
Are you still interested in moving forward with the deal? Please let me know at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
{{sender_name}}
Sales “Are You Still Interested?” Email Template #2
Hello {{first_name}},
Are you still interested in proceeding? I have the invoice ready to send to you. I just need your payment information. Please respond at your earliest convenience if you’re still interested in making this purchase.
Sincerely,
{{sender_name}}
Sales “Are You Still Interested?” Email Template #3
Hello {{first_name}},
Are you still interested? I can hold this product for you for another 24 hours. Please respond as soon as possible if you still want to make this purchase.
Sincerely,
{{sender_name}}
Professional Correspondence “Are You Still Available?” Email Template #1
Hello {{first_name}},
Are you still available to finish the latest report? Please let me know at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
{{sender_name}}
Professional Correspondence “Are You Still Available?” Email Template #2
Hello {{first_name}},
Are you still available discussthe implementation of the latest company policy? Please let me know and I can send over a calendar invite
Sincerely,
{{sender_name}}
Professional Correspondence “Are You Still Available?” Email Template #3
Hello {{first_name}},
Are you still available to proceed with the sale authorization? Please let me know if you approve so that I can close this deal with my client as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
{{sender_name}}