This is an easy and effective way to improve your business image while providing greater value to 85% of callers who prefer an on hold service with commercials over silence.
On hold messages have been around for quite some time. Today, they have become even more useful to businesses in need of some communication organization. If you want customizable extensions, VoIP access and phone call analytics, you need to give on hold messaging a try.
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If message personalization is not an option, your still can use generic on hold messages that would work in most situations.
Someone is late for the conference call, so the music starts. "Well, I've been sitting here all day," the song begins, sort of croony, with a vaguely country affect — the kind of opening that leads you to expect there is, somewhere, an ex-lover who probably isn't coming back. A certain variety of pining. But then, a few bars in, a turn: "Yes I'm waiting on this conference call, all alone. And I'm on hold, yes I'm on hold... I hope it's not all day, ey!"
“Superbly written copy and extremely dry humor that was a perfect match for what could've been a dull subject. I laughed out loud at points, and when a caller starts with that reaction, it's a great way to start a conversation.” - Jim Hausfeld / On Hold Messaging Association's MARCE Awards Judge
Now that you understand the value of having an on hold messaging strategy, it’s time to for our: Step-By-Step Guide to Custom On Hold Messages.
When your callers are on-hold, it’s a perfect opportunity for you to promote your business, company, products or services. It’s also an opportunity for you to provide generic tips and content that will catch the interest of your callers. This strategy is called being abundant and being abundant in the business climate today can yield your business more dividends by directly increasing the loyalty and satisfaction of your business clients.
Put yourself in the caller shoes! Call your business and ask to be put on hold. If all you hear is silence, don’t delay. Not only will on hold messages help drive sales and revenue, they will dramatically improve caller experience. It’s time to change the way you look at your on hold button. Any time you have the attention of your customers and prospects, you have a marketing opportunity. Contact Original On Hold, or start your risk free custom on hold demo today! Related Post Don’t Let Caller On Hold Time Kill Your Customer Experience Join Our Newsletter Stay informed. Our newsletter is packed with marketing tips, ideas, strategies and best practices.
Here are a few things to keep in mind to have a killer script your callers will be receptive to: Speak to your audience: When creating a script, make sure you know WHO you’re talking to above anything else. Is it moms, teenagers or middle-aged men who like golf? Appeal to their interests in relation to your business with a captive voice, and they’ll be much more willing to listen (and be patient while doing so). Time it appropriately: You know your business better than anyone else, so as such, you’re probably aware of a caller’s average hold times. While this can vary with growth and other factors, make sure you record enough messages to fill the time so a caller isn’t stuck hearing an eternal loop of the same 3 messages. They’ll thank you for it by being far less irritated. Stay current: Some companies have seasonal sales and changes, so including this in your script as the year progresses means you remain relevant with the latest and greatest. For example, during the holidays you can say “Seasons greetings from Fletcher’s Flowers...” or something similar. You can also include event notifications, advertisements, and other informational messages so they learn more about your business. Be natural: Think about how you’d like to be talked to. Typically, a robot isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Writing for auditory purposes elicits a different approach than writing for digital or print. Make sure whatever your script is that you read it aloud, and test it out on coworkers or friends. If they get bored or disengage, chances are, your callers will too. Know their path: What’s your end goal for what you’d like your caller to accomplish? Tailor your messaging to them based on what you come up with. If you’d like to upsell, consider using some on hold time to discuss a company-wide promotion they can take advantage of, or a fun fact about your industry they wouldn’t know. Give a call-back option: If your phone system has the feature and a caller doesn’t have time to spend on hold, offer them the option to receive a callback without affecting their position in line, or to leave a message. This can alleviate the stress of waiting.
On-hold messages interact with your callers when your operators and representatives can’t. Present a quality first impression while reducing call abandonment. We’ve been creating custom Message on Hold programs since 1987. Every on-hold program is a unique creation for your brand, highlighting what you do and what you do best. Listen to our demos.
With music and messaging that appeals to your target market, you will captivate your audience. Your Message On Hold program can be more than a time filler for callers waiting, it can be an informative, entertaining, and educational tool. With the right content, callers will not only stay on hold, but will have an emotional reaction to your message.
For those of you who are familiar with the veritable purgatory that is being “on hold,” I don’t have to tell you that you have just been thrust into a parallel universe where time slows down, and both your patience and sanity cannot survive.
Birmingham Telecom have handledour transition from 30 year old analogue lines to VOIP/SIP 3CX phone system brilliantly.The pricing has been very competitive and their technical service is second to none. They are always on hand to guide us through and problems and answer the 'silly' questions we have had.I would Thoroughly recommend them to anyone. Need a Quote from us? Get in touch and receive a call back from one of our specialists within an hour …..
Ensure that you have your on Hold scripts in place, and then take your pick from these 5 engaging Hold music Options to keep your customers coming back to you happier each time 5 Options for Your On-Hold IVR Music that you can use with your Cloud Telephony Software 1 – One Hour Of Default Call Centre Music 2 – One Hour of Best On- Hold Music 3 – 10 Hours of Default Call Centre Music 4 – One Hour Super Generic Call Centre Music 5 – Simple two Minute on Hold Music CONCLUSION:
That’s a big piece of a trillion dollar pie! The good news is, you don’t have to let all these callers off the hook. Studies show that with creative, professional sounding on hold messages your business will retain customers holding on the line (in fact callers will wait up to 3 times longer than silence or music), but you can also generate revenue by marketing additional products and services.
A script is the product of your message and our expertise. A Message on Hold program is more than a script with words and music, it reflects your marketing objectives, current advertising and promotions, dedication to customer service, and long-term goals. When it’s time to write your script, you have two choices: You can use your knowledge of your business to write your own script or provide your information to one of our Script Consultants who will do the writing and send the copy to you for final approval.
On-hold messaging is also great time to encourage consumers to spend. For example, you can offer customers who spend more than $99 free shipping, customers who order 3 items a 4th item free, etc. Think “upsell” with your ads on hold – you’ve got the customer on the line patiently waiting to (hopefully) spend money.