In today’s technological business environment, being put on hold as an incoming telephone caller can be time-consuming and frustrating. No one likes to wait for a company representative to finally answer the call after several minutes of waiting. When this happens, customers are often less likely to give your business positive consideration. If you must incorporate phone on hold messages as the caller’s first contact, the following suggestions can help to occupy callers’ time in meaningful ways.
1. Play enjoyable background music on hold. Relaxing, upbeat, or even humorous songs can immerse the listener into a fantastic mood. Review several music types to find one that best represents your business or is likely to appeal to customers who enjoy listening to on hold music while waiting for their call to be answered. For some callers, music onhold may be a pleasant break from a hectic workday, so make the experience worthwhile.
2. Record helpful phone messages. Fun facts, interesting stats, or product details will keep callers focused on the company and the reason for the call. Recorded on hold messages can save the company time by answering prospective customer questions.
3. Supply links to other company services. When providing a phone marketing recordings to waiting callers, add linkages to other departments or service areas that are best equipped to handle the customer’s reason for calling. A brief message on hold explaining the telephone buttons to be pressed for various services will be appreciated by customers who prefer reaching the right person rather than waiting for several minutes.
4. Record phone messages with clear voices. A recorded on hold message spoken in a shrill, low, or hard-to-understand voice will be off-putting to the caller. Have the voice artist practice the message several times for accuracy and clarity before recording it. Ideally it should be recorded in a professional audio studio. Your callers will hear and know the difference compared to recording the same yourself.
5. Review your on hold system and associated equipment periodically. Although your on hold system may be working effectively, it’s possible an even better model may have hit the market with more promising features or benefits. Review your company’s needs for an on hold music system, and compare the features of your current system with those of newer models to see if an upgrade could better suit your needs.
6. Provide adequate hold time for messages when voicemail is utilised. Some phone systems provide one minute or less for callers to leave a message, while others offer up to three minutes. Decide how much time you would like to provide callers and set up the message time accordingly. Keep in mind that with less time, slower speakers may not be able to explain the reason for calling, while with more time, some callers may leave far more information than is needed.
7. Review your onhold system routinely. Call your inbound number and go through the steps that a typical caller must follow. Check message for accuracy, see if enough time is given for messages, and assess the expected comfort level of callers who are put on hold. This is no different to a ‘mystery shopper’ in a traditional retail shop.
Following this evaluation, make needed adjustments to improve callers’ onhold experience.
8. Keep medical on hold messages clear and accurate. If you are running a medical practice keep in mind that giving medical advice or information can be sensitive. Medical phone messages can make the difference between life and death for the caller, so double and triple-check accuracy and instructions to be sure there is no risk of misunderstanding. Those unwell can be easily misguided or confused if such on hold recordings aren’t produced with explicit clarity.
Onhold messages offer a valuable means of making your customers happy by soothing them with on hold music, facilitating their calls, and providing helpful information before they reach their intended departments or representative. On hold systems are a powerful customer marketing tool when used to maximum advantage.
