Is Responsiveness becoming a lost art?

This has been bugging me lately. A couple of months ago, a marketing consultant reached out with a solid pitch to promote our business.

Smart guy. Clear plan. Asked good questions. My business partner and I liked him a lot.

We followed up with a few basic questions about scope and some contract terms, standard stuff.

Then… nothing, not even a “Need a couple of days to get back to you.”

We nudged him. Three days later, he replied: “Sorry, I was tied up.”
Okay, I understand, life happens. A week later, nothing. 

So we sent a thank-you and said we were going a different direction. No reply!

And it didn’t stop there.

Freelancer for email consulting? Same story.
Affiliate marketing expert? Ghosted.

Five similar experiences in two months.

Ten years ago, I would’ve been seriously annoyed. Maybe even blasted them online :).

But now I find it fascinating. And honestly, I feel a little bad for these consultants/business owners. Are they serious about getting clients and growing their business? Because they’re not losing deals due to a lack of talent, it’s a lack of responsiveness (probably the most basic/underrated skill for a new business).

Am I just old school? Is this a generational thing? Are people no longer as hungry for business?

To fellow entrepreneurs, especially new ones, I’ll say this,

Responsiveness:

1. Builds trust before money changes hands
2. Is not about personality, it’s a habit you train and a muscle you build
3. Can help you stand out and win more deals

I get it. Life gets busy. We’ve all got a lot going on. But if a prospect has to chase you? It’s already too late.

What’s been your experience with vendors and consultants lately? Is responsiveness becoming a lost art? Or are expectations just shifting?