Why All Businesses Need On Hold Messaging
An informative custom on hold messaging program will encourage your callers to hold for a longer period of time than they might otherwise, allowing your business more time to retain more of your callers.
When the time comes to place a caller on-hold, and every company must do so at one time or another, you can take advantage of that time to introduce your callers to information about your products and services. By presenting a polished professional image, first-time callers will get a positive first-impression as they wait to speak with you or one of your representatives.
Most businesses tell us they want callers on hold for as short amount of time as possible… in many cases, we are told that :30 seconds is too long. With this mind, we help our customers make more money, while presenting themselves in a professional manner, with an effective on hold messaging program that is all about their business and what it can do for their callers.
From another perspective though, the only thing more valuable than a company’s on-hold time, is the caller’s time they spend on hold. A business can show callers they value their time by sharing content that may actually be of interest to them. Afterall, they called you, so they are already interested in your solutions. Why not peak their interest with more information on what they called about in the first place. Many of our clients tell us there are things about their business that the average caller does not know about, so on hold messaging is the perfect opportunity to disseminate this information.
Of course, you will also want to consider WHO is calling your business… customers, prospects or a mix of both. If most of your callers are prospects, are they just becoming aware of your business or are they ready to buy if you can provide the product or service they need? An on hold message program can tout the benefits of your product or service, instead of simply talking about your experience and years in business. If most people calling your business are already customers, this is a great opportunity to introduce promotions, run loyalty programs, and cross promote other products or services.
Remember that time spent on-hold is unique in that you have the caller’s undivided attention. If you want to make them feel satisfied with waiting, it is important to make that time on hold worth their while. What does the caller want to hear? Probably not a sales pitch, but they do what more information presented in a simple way they can easily understand and you can do so with a focused, professional on hold messaging program.
