You may already know you need to replace the silence or the static-filled radio your callers currently experience while waiting on hold.

For years, multiple studies have found that when callers were presented with On Hold Messages versus silence or a radio commercial, they would stay on hold longer, were more likely to exhibit interest in the product advertised, were more likely to retain information and were less agitated.
 
A better customer experience is better for your business, but if you invest in professional on hold messages, what is your return on investment?
 
If you have been reluctant to acquire custom on hold messages for your business because of how much it will cost you, we are hoping to convince you that it may be the single best investment you can make today in terms of both tangible revenue and intangible customer experience.

Lost revenue opportunity

There are three ways your business is currently losing revenue if callers are placed on hold in silence or a poorly-tuned radio:
 
1. On average, seven out of ten callers are placed on hold. -Inbound/Outbound
 
2. The average person will spend 1.2 years on hold. -Woman’s World Magazine
 
3. 34% of callers who hang up will not call back. -Voice Response, Inc.
 
You may be thinking, “There’s no way my on hold time is that important to my customers.” Well, a recent survey by Infomax, Inc. found that 88% of callers preferred On Hold Messages to other hold options, and 16% made purchases based on an on hold offer.
 
Convinced yet?
 
Consider for a moment how much you are really losing because of the reasons noted above. If you do the math, you will find the numbers astounding. In addition, “94% of all marketing budgets are spent on inducing a customer to call, while only 6% is spent on handling the call once it is received.” -Inbound Telephone Call Center
 

Lost control of image and branding

Poor service on hold distracts callers and can ruin their perception of your company.
 
8 to 15% of a company’s customer base is lost each year, 68% is due to indifferent or negative phone treatment. -Oren Harari of The Tom Peters Group
 
Customers left on-hold without any background music felt that a 30-second on-hold call actually lasted 90 seconds. Furthermore, customers thought a 30-second on-hold call that used music-on-hold last only 15 seconds. -AT&T
 
Callers hang-up the fastest when when experiencing silence on hold. -North American Telecommunications Association
 
It’s pretty clear with results like these that hearing nothing on hold or static from a radio is a waste of valuable marketing time and destructive to the bottom line.
 

The solution is simple and cost-effective

Caller surveys point the way:
 
88% of callers preferred On Hold Messages to other hold options, and 16% made purchases based on an on hold offer. -MaxiMarketing
 
Callers stay on the line up to 25% longer when provided with On Hold Messages versus “dead air” or “background music,” and up to 17% longer than radio. -Infomax, Inc.
 
41% of American consumers have initiated a purchase over the phone in the last year.” -American Teleservices Association
 
When you consider all the reasons noted for lost revenues due to silence on hold or a poorly-tuned radio and then note the average cost to acquire a professional on hold message and music recording that solves all of these problems, ranges from $199 to $699, depending on your hardware requirements…
 
The cost doesn’t seem so high anymore, does it?
 

As an insurance agent, your commitment to earning the trust of prospects and clients is crucial to remaining competitive in the market today.
 
Customized phone on hold messages that inform callers about your agency allow you the opportunity to highlight your expertise and promote your specific areas of available insurance policy coverage.
 
GO On Hold can create an effective script for your business and our experienced voice talent will record your hold messages with a warm and personable delivery that will help you in acquiring or keeping the confidence of your callers.
 
The professional sound of your phone on hold messages will impress callers and provide them with valuable information, such as any multi-policy discounts or other important features you offer that set you apart from your competition.
 
Other advantages to implementing phone hold messages include the following:
 
1. Callers remain on the line longer. When people are placed on hold and hear nothing, they normally hang up, on average after about 30 to 45 seconds. With a custom on hold message that provides them pertinent details about your insurance agency set to pleasant music, that time normally increases to as long as three minutes.
 
2. You are more likely to be considered an expert. Many callers on hold who experience silence or an annoying beep will perceive a business as inexperienced or unprofessional. A custom phone on hold message program presents your agency as having their act together and makes waiting callers feel more comfortable with their choice to remain on hold.
 
3. Captive audience. Marketing messages on hold are a salesperson on auto-pilot and provide those interested in exploring your agency an overview of what your business is all about during a time they cannot help but be captive to the message, with their phone stuck to their ear.
 
Phone on hold messages allow your agency to take advantage of a cost-effective marketing tool that guarantees your potential and exisiting clients will hear about your policy options for protecting individuals, families, businesses or property anytime you must place them on hold.

 
When your customers or prospects call your business and you need to put them on hold, do you leave them hanging in silence or listening to a poorly-tuned radio station? Certainly, you would rather have them experience on hold communications that include promotional and informative messages about your business set to pleasant background music.
 
Your on hold script content possibilities are endless… from letting callers know they are still connected and you will be with them as soon as possible, to answering commonly asked questions and promoting newly added products and services.
 
You may think your clients and prospects do not care for or even notice your on hold communications. In fact, if asked directly, most people would tell you they have a negative perception of music on hold, but this is a general perception and the reality is they are listening. And the more interested they are in your offerings to help them solve an immediate need, the more likely they are to listen to your messages on hold.
 
On Hold Communications are important to presenting a polished image. In addition, callers to your company are a captive audience, for when they inquire about your product or service, they are already interested and their mind is open to any message you send because they are looking for your product or service to fill a need or solve a problem.
 
A professionally produced phone on hold message program can make the time on hold seem shorter, which helps your business avoid having callers form a negative impression of your company. Nobody likes to be put on hold, but it is much worse when there is nothing to listen to or the audio quality from a static-filled radio distracts even the most rabid fans of your buiness.
 
Don’t underestimate the value of your On Hold Communications. It is a crucial part of your customer service efforts and adds value to your business with information and sales messages about your offerings that help you control what your callers hear and enhance your company’s image.