When a customer is kept on hold for several minutes, they can soon feel neglected whilst waiting to get through to someone. 90% of callers of will hang up if met with silence. As a business owner, you may be concerned that you will lose their valuable custom through caller frustration.
But, what if you could educate and engage callers within your business’ music on-hold message? This scenario has become a reality for many businesses who use our Music on Hold Service as a prime marketing channel. Here are suggestions regarding the key information to include in your company’s message.
Hours of Business and Location
Often, a customer may contact you to simply confirm your operating hours or location. So, whilst telling them these two important details may mean they will not hang around to speak to someone, they will leave the call feeling satisfied because they know this information.
You can then rest assured they have experienced good customer service from your business, by answering their questions in your ‘on hold’ message.
A well-constructed message can also form part of a long-term strategy. Their query has been solved and they can visit your premises or call you back at a later time. Without the informative music on-hold message, the caller may have hung up and chosen one of your competitors.
Therefore, announcing your hours of operation and business address reduces missed opportunities to ‘close the sale’.
A Brief History of Your Business
We’d encourage you to tell your brand’s story as succinctly as possible. So, you may decide to show the evolution of the company and its products or services by saying:
“Opened over 50 years ago by the Smith family, we haven’t stopped innovating within the hospitality sector. You can be sure of a warm welcome – refined by decades of delivering top-class customer service to our guests”.
This reminds the listener of your authenticity and heritage, building trust through having an established history of providing excellent hospitality to guests.
If, however, you are a fairly new business, we’d suggest using this to your advantage. Instead, you can convey how you are ‘disrupting’ the industry and bringing about improvements, better deals and tailor-made services. This could be phrased as:
“We’re a fresh hotel who prioritise boutique room décor alongside simplifying the bookings process, to improve your stay”.
A music on-hold message will suit most businesses – regardless of when they were founded.
Promote the Products and Services your Business Sells
Never miss an opportunity to remind people what products or services you could be offering them.
Someone may be calling on behalf of their employer or friend, so maximise this opportunity to gain their favour. Being helpful and educating them on what you can do for them is the way forward.
Build a professional image from their very first encounter with you, with a professional recording. And be sure to add your website address so they can get to know your business better online.
Details of Special Discount Days
Think of your on-hold message as a key advertising space.
A customer hoping to speak to one of your advisors or contacts is already receptive to using your services/products. So, why not tell them about a regular promotion (or special offer) that’s worth shouting about?
Restaurants and caterers can advertise a lower-priced set meal for customers, for example, a lunchtime offer on weekdays. State this in clear terms and list the hours when the promotion applies.
Whatever product or service you offer, use this previously ‘wasted’ time to generate more bookings.
Look to Your Most FAQs
Is your business often asked the same recurring questions from existing and new customers? Perhaps you have a ‘FAQ’ (frequently asked questions) section on your company website that resolves common enquiries from B2B and B2C customers?
A music on-hold message could be the perfect way to repurpose content you’ve already invested in, to address their queries during their time waiting ‘on hold’. This shouldn’t be in the same question and answer format as the website copy – instead, rephrase them naturally into the script.
Once again, a well-crafted message is a ‘win win’ situation as the caller feels pleased to have their question answered, whilst your company is presented in a customer-friendly light.
Covering these topics in your pre-recorded message will communicate your values and market your business positively. Call 03303 200 222 or reach out to us if you would like to further discuss our Music on Hold service.
