One of the most strategic customer service decisions a company should consider is adding an on hold message system to their operations. In fact, research by the North American Telecommunications Association shows that 90% of customers who wait on hold in silence abandon the call in 40 seconds or less. Just as you don’t want your prospects and customers to have to wait, when it comes improving the customer service experience of your brand-- you shouldn’t wait either!
With corporate profits being the focus instead of the customer, larger corporations have forgotten the golden rule: “Service, Service, Service!” ... A recent RBA study shows that Customers prefer to deal with Small and Mid-size businesses by a margin of over three to one because they perceive the customer service to be superior to larger Enterprises. The study also shows that these same customers are willing to pay up to a 20% premium on the price of product when it comes with that superior customer service. Additionally, a Maxi-Marketing study shows that 88% of callers prefer on hold messaging, and hold three times longer versus any other on hold option. The music entertains callers, while the message informs them resulting in high quality hold time. This means that when you correctly set up your telephone system’s music on hold feature, you give your company the ability to really compete with larger enterprises without giving up the small business charm that customers prefer.
A happy customer directly impacts your company because loyalty will be established, therefore enhancing your image and reputation. Having a positive reputation among customers and the public leads to consistent customer retention. Building a good reputation starts with providing excellence in quality and customer service, so as your company develops a plan for adding an on hold marketing strategy, there are several key factors you need to make sure you take into consideration.
• You want your message on hold to offer callers a level of customer service that will drive up customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• You want to select the right music and voice that will appeal to your listening audience
• You want to be able to answer frequently asked questions as callers may not have to wait for longer periods if they hear the information they need right away.
• You also want your on hold message script to include information to educate callers about special offers, new product offerings, etc.
In the past, you had to have a big expensive pbx telephone system in order to reap the numerous benefits of on hold messages, but fortunately with industry advancements today it’s easy for almost any business to add a music on hold solution even if you use just regular off-the-shelf phones purchased from an office supply store. Today’s Message On Hold Equipment a/k/a Digital On Hold Players, allow even the small business or home-based business to take advantage of this tremendous business tool.
No matter what industry you are in, customers value quality. Especially when the competition is fierce, you are expected to provide the best quality for the right price. By focusing on quality in every step of your sales process, you can satisfy customers. As North America's premier audio & video branding and marketing agency, The Original On Hold,Inc welcomes the chance to show you, or better yet, have you hear what your brand can sound like with our Risk Free On hold system trial. Let us help you turn hold time into profitable time and a better overall telephone experience for customers, prospects and – your brand!