In today’s advanced technology era, it’s easy to forget about technology that’s been around for many years. On hold messaging is one of those. But, customers still value and use the phone. Even with multiple options for communication, customers are still using the phone to connect with businesses when they need them. Spectrio is one of the nation’s leading end-to-end technology-enabled audio and video marketing companies. Here’s what they report about the importance of on hold messaging.
- 61% of customers prefer phone over e-mail and online knowledge when they need assistance or support.
- 69% of customers rated voice as the method that provided the highest satisfaction for receiving support.
A bad calling experience can cause customers to hang up. Most marketing budgets are spent on getting customers to call. All of that marketing can go to waste if the customer calling experience is bad.
- 60% of callers hang up when left on hold in silence.
- 34% of callers who hang up don’t call back.
The messages that customers hear on hold can lead to sales. Hold messaging is an opportunity to connect with a highly engaged audience, which is why it can lead naturally into sales, up-sales, and cross-sales.
- 16-20% of callers make purchases based on the information they hear on hold.
- 45% of customers initiated a purchase over the phone in the last year.
What Makes Great Custom On Hold Messages?
To get the most out of custom on hold messages, the content must follow best practices. The best messages use the:
Correct Length. A hold message can frustrate if it includes the same message repeated over and over. You want your message to be long enough so that callers hear new information during their wait.
Correct Tone. Like all important customer touch points, the custom calling experience must accurately reflect your company vibe and values. It should reinforce brand consistency, match what is expected in your industry, and also use the language and tone that resonates best with your specific target audience.
Correct Messages. In order to use custom on hold messages to initiate sales, inform customers, promote specials, and keep callers on the line, you need to use the right language and copy. The script must speak directly to your target audience while delivering the most important messages in a salesy, friendly, and concise way.
This list is a basic look at the elements that make an effective hold message. Each of these categories includes a variety of strategies that can make your message more powerful and impactful.
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