Music On Hold News

Survey Confirms “Being On Hold” Makes Customers Angry

In an article called, “Know What Makes Your Customers Angry”, guest writer Marco Pacelli (CEO, ClickFox) writes in Bloomberg Businessweek about customer service slip-ups that can get customers hot and bothered.

In a survey, ClickFox asked more than 1,500 consumers what really makes them get ticked off. Their top three responses:

• Speaking with multiple agents and starting over every time.

• Dealing with rude or inexperienced representatives or service technicians.

• Being kept on hold for long periods of time or unable to use self-service options successfully.

Losing customers is not an option… so why not pull out all the stops to help your callers get to know you or fall in love with you all over again. In addition to the tips in the original article, we would like to offer a few ways your music on hold message can be utilized to help with common customer irritations.

Be consistent. If using an auto-attendant, use the same voice as your on-hold messaging. This helps gives the impression of a seamless operation and cuts down on the feeling that the caller is being bounced around to different connections and agents.

Remember why callers are reaching out to you. Do the callers want technical help? Price quotes? Need to make an appointment? Convince your callers that you know their needs by targeting specific announcements in your messages on hold. Stay away from generic hold music solutions.

Promote web service. If callers can get help online, carefully instruct them to use your site to their benefit.  Be certain to use this information in your hold music message. You may be able to save them a phone call–and save them the frustration of having to wait on hold.

Don’t put it off! Ask yourself, which caller can I do without? Which caller is going to bring in business? Can I afford to lose even one call?

How To Use Your Hold Button

Before you say, “I already know how to use my hold button“, let me ask you about the time YOU spend on hold. Can you think of some “on-hold time” you’ve experienced lately that was painfully awful? Yea, me too. Obviously, plenty of businesses don’t have the hold button thing figured out.

One guy I found has been recording terrible-sounding hold messages and music on his iPhone. Neatorama Blog writes, “Clearly, I spend a lot of my life on hold, as this short list represents only half the total I recorded over the course of the last year.” You can visit the blog and hear samples of actual music on hold messages.

Here are a few steps you can take today to best use that little red button that makes so many people angry.

1. Who is calling? Rule number one in marketing and PR is, “know your audience”. By profiling the callers, you’ll get a picture of who you have on the line, what it would cost to lose them and the potential they hold for boosting your bottom line.
2. How long are your hold times? Be honest. Managers say, “we don’t really keep people on hold”, but would your callers agree? Unless you’re operating a sophisticated call center, you really don’t know exactly how long your hold times are. Make the effort to nail down whether your hold times are 10 seconds or 50 or 60 seconds. While we all want shorter hold times, it pays to utilize the time callers are waiting on hold. Shorter hold times allow for short, meaty announcements, while longer hold times allow you to go into a bit more detail in your on hold message.
3. What is the desired outcome of the call? Are callers looking to make a purchase? Check on delivery times? Make an appointment? What are their concerns? Work with a music on hold expert to develop targeted messages that provide the best possible outcomes.
4. Get a free message on hold demo. By working with a qualified music on hold production team, you’ll be able to test your hunches about what callers want to hear. Share the demo with the people who answer phones at your company; get input; work closely with the production director who manages your script changes.

There’s a lot more to using your hold button than just pushing HOLD. Your hold button is a tool. Put it to good use!

Friendly Phone On Hold Wins Loyal Customers

Over the 13+ years Easy On Hold has been in the music on hold business, we’ve often asked clients to describe the style or tone of their custom spoken message. The terms heard most often are, “friendly” and “professional”. What drives this?

Most people complain that on-hold messages are filled with insipid brochure-talk and synthesized music, but the real trouble is that people can be easily offended just by being placed on hold. While standing in line at the bank, a man was overheard explaining, “I called your bank and you put me on hold.” He was angry—even offended—to have been placed on hold. People want personal attention and they want it now. While the bank manager could not avoid the man’s hold time, he could have had a voice on-hold that was so friendly and professional that the experience would have been at least tolerable for even the most irritable customer.

Tips For Sounding Friendly—Phrases To Avoid And To Consider

Never apologize for being on hold. If hold is so bad then we shouldn’t have put you there. Instead, prompt the caller to feel glad that they called in the first place.

• We’re glad you called.
• We’re looking forward to talking with you.

Never tell the caller that they’re important. At one time this was acceptable, but today everyone knows the line, “If I’m so darned important, then why am I on hold?” Instead, politely thank the caller.

• Thanks for your call.
• Thanks for calling us today.
• We appreciate your call.
• Thanks for connecting with us.

Never explain that you’re busy with someone else. The customer is king, and there can only be one king. Instead, show that they’re appreciated.

• Thanks for your business.
• As a valued customer (member, associate)…
• You’re our number one priority.

Keep the caller hanging on with short—brief—not lengthy “coming right back” phrases. Did we mention that these are very short?

• Hold on, we’re coming right back.
• You’ve got our attention! We’re on our way back to your call.
• You’ll find out more in just a moment.

Let the caller know that they are of interest; they’re needed; we must speak with them right away.

• If you’ve got a comment, we’d like to hear it.
• Your opinion counts.
• You’re about to get the answers you need.

Politeness demands that we are not too glib, sarcastic or self-centered. We are customer-focused, not on a soap box.

• Welcome to…
• Please
• Thank you
• If you thought_________, you’re right!
• Let’s talk about it.

70% of business calls are placed on hold. Spend some time with your Easy On Hold Music On Hold Expert to prepare for this inevitability. Focus on the caller and use the friendly phrases we suggest here (or, add your own-get a little creative!).

6 Characteristics of an Effective Message On Hold Script

If you’re considering a custom-scripted music and message on hold audio announcement on your telephone system, take a moment to ask yourself, “What do I wish to accomplish with my script?”

Keep in mind that you only have the caller for a short time. You’ll need to be succinct and to the point. You’ll need to use “economy of words” while keeping the caller engaged. Rather than provide a list of “dos” and “donts”, I have compiled a list of six characteristics of a message on hold script that can keep focus where it belongs: on the customer getting a good impression of your company and a better idea of why calling was the right move.

Authoritative. Take pride in being the expert in the field—the ultimate authority. The authoritative voice is reassuring and confident, but not boastful.

• You want_______ and we’re committed to providing it…
• Looking for _________? Turn to us, like more than 50 Fortune-500 firms did last year.
• We can give you the advantage…
• When second-best is not an option…
• When we started in (year), we set out to do things differently.

Compelling. Studies show that a well-crafted message on hold will make one minute seem like 40 seconds to someone waiting for their call to be picked up. The job of the on-hold content is to inform, yes, but its foremost task is to keep the caller from disengaging. Here are some ideas.

Use a short, familiar phrase that quickly engages the listener.

• Ready, set…
• Everybody likes…
• Nobody likes…
• The good news is…
• The best of the best -
• Time flies when you’re having fun –
• Stop me if you’ve heard this one –
• Need to stand out in the crowd?

Another way to compel the listener is to ask a question…

• Have you ever…?
• Remember when…?
• Have you hear the news…?

Conversational. Most people can spot a meaningless or manipulative presentation a mile away. A “one-on-one”, conversational tone can gain the trust of the listener.

Unreal Person (avoid)                         vs.                       Real Person (you)

We’ll be with you momentarily                                       We’ll be right with you

Thank you for your willingness to hold                        Thanks for holding

All of you should know…                                                    You should know (one-to-one)

Further,                                                                                       Oh, and one more thing…

Undoubtedly,                                                                            Without a doubt

It has come to our attention                                               We’ve noticed

In retrospect                                                                              Looking back

Credible. Want to be credible? Be specific.  In an effort to add real meat to the message, find some facts. See my previous post, Credibility Sells.

Friendly. Over the 13 years we’ve been in business, we’ve often asked clients to describe the style or tone of their custom spoken message. The terms heard most often are, “friendly” and “professional”. What drives this?

It’s not just the insipid brochure-talk and synthesized music that turn people off while holding. It’s the very fact that they have been placed on hold. While standing in line at the bank, a man was overheard explaining, “I called your bank and you put me on hold.” He was angry to have been placed on hold. People want personal attention and they want it now. While the bank manager could not avoid the man’s hold time, he could have had a voice on-hold that was so friendly and professional that the experience would have been at least tolerable for even the most irritable customer. Please watch for my upcoming post on this topic. Being friendly is critical… and we’ve got a lot to say about it. Stay tuned.

Helpful. Put more meat in your message on hold. When a caller is being helped, he/she won’t hang up. How can our script provide “help”?

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Solve A Problem
A caller may want to know, “have I called the right place?” It is reassuring to hear that my problem is about to be solved. One of the questions our sales staff is to ask the Easy On Hold client is, “What problem do you solve for your callers?”

• Nobody likes a noisy neighbor. That’s why you’ll be glad to know our air conditioners have been rated the quietest brand 3 years in a row. (Notice the familiar phrase lead-in, the focus on you and the specifics—3 years! This is almost a complete paragraph/segment. Just add a tease close such as, “You’ll hear a lot more about the quiet air conditioner when we pick up the line in just a moment.”)
• Identity theft happens millions of times each year. With Wachovia Bank’s “Crest Protect” program, you’ll be safe.
• Keeping your home’s carpets clean isn’t easy, especially in the winter. Fortunately, getting them to look like new again is easy.
• Will the new airline regulations cause you to change your travel plans? Pick up some great new travel tips on our website: Capital Travel dot com.
• Want to know how to get more miles per gallon? Clean filters and properly inflated tires can help, but for all around better performance, bring your car to the experts at Kyle’s Garage for a tune up.

I’ve shared with you some of the vast knowledge we’ve gained over years of working with thousands of music on hold messaging customers. There is a right way to do it. It is not as simple as it may seem. Work with an expert when it comes to properly handling your customers on hold. 70% of your callers will experience “on-hold time”. What they hear says a lot about you.

Credibility Sells

A custom music on hold message can make your company sound professional. Go a step further, however, and be sure to include trust-building statements that are backed up by facts.

What evidence does a decision-maker have that your company is a good choice? Making general claims such as, “We’re dedicated…” or, “No one beats our deals…” just won’t tip the scales in your favor any more. You need to provide proof.

Want to be credible? Be specific. As in numbers. In an effort to add real meat to the message on hold,  articulate specific, relevant facts. Here are some examples:

• Ten years in the business. Fifty-five parts professionals. Five-hundred-thousand parts in stock.
• This winter, four out of every ten homes will lose fifty dollars-worth of energy because of leaky windows.
• Last year we answered one-hundred percent of our service calls within five hours.
• One dealership offers free car washes for life. One dealership provides a one-hundred-thousand-mile warranty on every certified pre-owned vehicle.
• While many businesses are reducing staff, Omnicast increased our service staff by 25 percent in 2009.
• Our fourteen service vehicles cover all of northern Ohio, so you won’t have to wait when you need us.

Your hold music message is not a company brochure. It’s a golden opportunity to put forward facts and ideas that tell a potential buyer that they’ve made the right call.

APX Alarm Turns to Easy On Hold to Boost Brand Development

APX Alarm, the nation’s 7^th largest home security company, launched a massive, innovative North American sales effort last week involving 2,200 college students canvassing some 90 cities across the U.S. and Canada. A key part of the strategy? A custom on-hold messaging program from Easy On Hold that supports key sales messaging points.

“It’s the 10th year of marketing our service to homeowners door to door over the summer, and we expect to add 360,000 customers,” says Tom Coleman, APX Alarm  special projects manager. “The college student sales program has been a huge success and is the reason why we’ve steadily move up the ranks into the industry’s top 10 in terms of customers. And while potential customers are impressed by the well-trained student at their door, they want to make sure our company is legitimate, so they’ll call our office to find out more.”

That’s when the Easy On Hold program comes into play.

“With more than 500,000 customers, our call center fields thousands of calls a day, and inevitably customers are holding for assistance,” Tom explains. “It’s important that our hold message sound professional, convey helpful information and help us build rapport with our audience. On hold messaging gives us that added credibility. It just wouldn’t make sense to launch such a sales effort without messaging-on-hold as a part of the mix.”

Working with Easy On Hold producers, Tom created 14 short statements that pack a lot of punch while giving customers “think time,” he calls it. “We didn’t want an on hold message with too much talking; that can frustrate callers and they tune out. So we developed short little ideas that talk about the benefits and features of working with APX Alarm, followed by almost a minute of music between each idea. It’s a happy medium—simple, punchy content and fresh, great-sounding music. This is going to take us to the next level in our brand credibility,” says Tom.