On-hold messages are the most useful method to give any new updates to your current and potential customers. On-hold messaging can assist you in getting essential information to callers, improve your trademark, and engage callers while they wait.
We’d never have to put a consumer on hold in a perfect world. We know a client’s time is important, and the last thing we want to do is increase the probability of annoying a potential consumer. But the truth is that we can’t forever take each call or resolve every issue instantly.
Consider an on hold message as information about your corporation and a reliable way to hold your callers on the line.
The value of a good on-hold message:
Before we get into how to implement personalized on-hold messaging in your company, let’s look at the benefits of doing so. You may already know that leaving notes for consumers on hold is important, but do you realize how critical it is?
The phone is still valued and used by customers. Customers are still using the phone to contact businesses when they need them, despite the availability of many communication channels.
- When clients need help or support, 61% prefer to call rather than email or search online.
- The voice was recognized as the mode of receiving support that offered the most satisfaction by 69 percent of customers.
Customers may hang up if they have an unpleasant call experience. The majority of marketing budgets go into persuading customers to call. If the customer calling experience is poor, that marketing could be for naught.
- When callers are placed on hold in quiet, 60% of them will hang up.
- Callers who hang up don’t call back 34% of the time.
Customers who are placed on hold may hear messages that lead to sales. Because hold messaging allows you to interact with a highly engaged audience, it can automatically lead to sales, up-sells, and cross-sells.
- 16-20% of callers purchase based on information they hear while waiting on hold.
- In the previous year, 45 percent of clients made a transaction over the phone.
Over-the-phone sales have always existed, but as internet purchasing has overtaken brick-and-mortar traffic, they have reached an all-time high. Experts predict that in 2019, the number of consumer-to-business phone calls made from smartphones will reach a staggering 162 billion.
That’s quite a staggering figure. What’s more surprising is that 34% of callers who hang up while on hold never call back, according to data. That’s a sizable portion of the trillion-dollar pie. The good news is that you don’t have to answer all of these calls. Your firm will not only retain customers on hold with unique, entertaining on-hold messaging, but it will also generate income by marketing extra items and services.
According to the Small Business Chronicle, callers will only wait an average of 45 seconds on hold before hanging up. When callers are given messages on hold instead of “dead air” or “background music,” they will stay on the line up to 33% longer.
Tips for a great ongoing message:
Every week, the average person spends roughly 10 to 13 minutes on hold or nearly 43 days in their lifetime. Even though the typical call to any firm results in a wait time of 40 seconds or less, you want your consumers to leave delighted and eager to speak with you, rather than furious, frustrated, disappointed, or sore. You can keep your customers active, engaged, and positive about their relationship with your company by developing a good on-hold messaging program.
Recognize Your Customers
There’s nothing more irritating than phoning a company and being put on hold without being acknowledged. A simple greeting like “Our customer service specialists are currently working with other clients; we’ll get back to you as soon as possible” can mean the difference between a lost call (and lost income) and someone willing to wait.
When you acknowledge your clients, you show them that you value their time and are grateful that they’re utilizing it to wait for you. If you want to go beyond a conventional hello, thank your customers for their patience while they wait.
Instead of apologizing for the wait time, studies show that impressing consumers with good quality, like patience, motivates them to live up to your expectations and be more patient.
Make the Wait Worthwhile
Do you remember how valuable your time is? Give your consumers wait for the value to make the most of their time on hold. Giving clients an incentive to stay engaged and listen keeps them hanging on, whether it’s a special offer available only to those waiting on hold to talk with a customer care person or a rundown of promotions they may not be aware of.
Deals, promotions, and advertising for your services aren’t the only ways to add value. You might also use your on-hold message to educate customers about the field you work in or to entertain them by providing a carefully curated, licensed, and rights-secured selection of on-hold music.
Customers are less likely to become enraged when you eventually answer their call if you give them something to do while waiting.
Don’t get stuck in a rut
If your consumers are regular callers or clients, they’ve likely heard your on-hold message before. At the very least, change your hold message seasonally. You give your loyal consumer base something new to look forward to by keeping things fresh.
Changing your messages will also allow you to assess what’s working and what isn’t and customize your on-hold message to the season — no one wants to hear about your summer specials in the dead of winter.
Nobody expects your company to remain unchanged, so why should your on-hold message? Add something new to your on-hold message to keep your callers’ attention whenever you have something new to say.
Engage Callers
Even if you can’t take their call right now, that doesn’t mean you can’t communicate with them. Allowing your clients to know that you value their opinions, thoughts, and insight shows them that you care about their business and what they have to say.
You might even get important input to help you better customize your on-hold programming to your target market’s needs.
Customers waiting for a long period could appreciate suitable comedy or even a riddle or problem to solve. At the same time, they wait, providing value to the time they are waiting. The less likely your waiting clients are to be annoyed by the wait, the more you can keep them thinking and interested while they wait for you to accept their call.
Answer Frequently Asked Questions in a Non-Repetitive Manner
Even while many clients can get answers to simple queries about your company by conducting a quick web search, some still choose – or must – phone to inquire. Include some basic information about your company in your on-hold messaging if possible.
Customers who have inquiries can benefit from basic information such as store hours, whether you’re open for an impending holiday, an address for your physical location, or a website link.
Repetition is a concern in any on-hold message — the average wait duration is 40 seconds, so avoid repeating the same message. A customer who isn’t calling to inquire about your business hours or location doesn’t need to hear that over and over again.
The Secret to Great On-Hold Messaging
Your on-hold messaging should mirror how you’d like to be treated as a customer: appreciated, important, and not forgotten or kept waiting. An effective on-hold messaging system is dynamic and changes frequently. It provides solutions to common questions without being unduly pedantic or repetitious.
When you finally pick up the phone, acknowledge your clients as real individuals, appreciate them for their patience and time, and place a value on that time, you’ll be less likely to speak with an angry caller.
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What Are the Requirements for Creating Custom on Hold Messages?
If you’re ready to put an on-hold message plan in place for your company, you’ll need at least three things:
1. Write a script
You’ll need a script before you can set up an on-hold message. During the communication, the script is the copy that is readout. You must outline key themes, make clear call-to-actions, and prepare for how you will continue to update your messages overtime to write a script for your on-hold message.
2. Software
You’ll need a hold messaging system that connects to your phone to deliver your messages to callers. There are a few software solutions. You might be able to use pre-installed software with your phone system, or you could collaborate with a provider to design custom software for your phone lines.
3. Voice Talent
Last but not least, you’ll need a voice talent to deliver your message. Because the way your message is conveyed is crucial, you should employ a consistent voice with your brand and sector. While you could record your message with an internal team member, you could be better off hiring professional voice talent.
Conclusion:
On-hold messaging also allows a company to provide information about and access to ordering a product or service to a caller right away, increasing the likelihood that the caller will purchase it. In essence, it’s free marketing with a little added cost to the company and immediate listening.
You can take advantage of on hold messages and use them to increase conversion and sales. Get in touch with our experts at Studio52 today.
