USA BUSINESS TELEPHONE TODAY in Washington, D.C. conducted a survey to determine the effects of putting callers “on-hold.” The callers surveyed were routine callers seeking information. A total of 30,000 callers were placed “on-hold” for one minute under various conditions. Each call was then answered with the same message, “Thank you for waiting. Would you mind telling me how long you had to wait “on-hold?“

The results?

SILENCE (sample – 10,000 callers)

• 52 percent of callers dropped off the line
• 27 percent estimated the on-hold time exceeded 5 minutes
• 18 percent estimated the on-hold time exceeded 3 minutes
• 3 percent estimated the on-hold time exceeded 1 minute

MUSIC OR RADIO (sample – 10,000 callers)

• 13 percent of callers dropped off the line
• 56 percent estimated the on-hold time was less than 1 minute
• 28 percent estimated the on-hold time exceeded 1 minute
• 3 percent estimated the on-hold time exceeded 2 minutes

ON HOLD ADVERTISING (sample – 10,000 callers)

• 2 percent of callers dropped off the line
• 81 percent estimated the on-hold time was less than 1 minute
• 16 percent estimated the on-hold time exceeded 1 minute
• 1 percent estimated the on-hold time exceeded 2 minutes

Instead of letting your callers stay on hold listening to silence, the radio or background music without a message, have them listen to you and make their time spent on hold seem shorter, reducing call abandonment.

So long, John Philip Sousa. Hello, Kenny G. That was the short-lived message House leadership sent to lawmakers over the break, as the “on-hold” music that so many constituents hear when they call their congressman was switched from patriotic tunes to smooth jazz standards — or, as one lawmaker complained, “elevator music.” The switch was quickly reversed, though, following complaints and controversy. Read More