Beware of the ones that get away

If callers are hanging-up when you ask them to stay on the line, it’s a sign they are not hearing a Message On Hold that is interesting and informative.

Keeping callers from hanging up the phone is a bit like fishing. You know you have the right bait because the fish keep on biting. What you don’t have is the right hook! A flick of the head, a swish of the tail and they’re off the line.

Your onhold program is the only defence you have to prevent clients and new customers from hanging up and taking their business to your competitors.

It’s vital that with every Message On Hold in the program you give callers a reason to stay. Once they drop the phone they are just as likely to drop you! And more likely to never give you a second chance.

And another one bites the dust

Let’s imagine the phone rings and it’s a particularly busy time. Staff are dealing with other customers so the phone system plays the Welcome Message and next the caller is placed in the queue and listening to a Message On Hold.

Research has shown that the first thing that happens to a person on hold is they lose all perception of time. Even if they are on hold for less than a minute they’ll tell you “I’ve been waiting for hours”.

It’s human nature to complain about an unsatisfactory service experience. Unfortunately it’s rare for someone to make a compliment when something good happens. This applies even if the service given is way above expectations. People love to whinge!

The problem of a bad onhold experience is compounded when the complaints start. It’s hard enough losing one customer, but when others are scared off when hearing about the problem, the whole debacle snowballs. All for the sake of a Message Onhold that didn’t keep the original caller interested or entertained.

Nip the problem in the bud

Take a long critical listen to the program callers are hearing when you place them onhold. If you have to ring your front desk and ask to be put onhold do it!

As you hear the first Message Onhold try to imagine yourself as a client or a new business prospect. Are you going to be content to stay on the line? Or are you going to contact Media Group, the business audio specialists, and get an effective onhold program of music and messages?

Media Group are ready to demonstrate how your onhold program should sound. For starters you can get a Message Onhold sample absolutely free.

All the details are on the Media Group website. Plus you can find out all about package prices, voice over artists, Royalty Free Music and how easily you can keep your Onhold program up-to-date and interesting.

Don’t let the next caller off the hook! Head to www.mediagroup.com.au