Silence during a phone call is often taken as a sign that the call was dropped. There’s no use staying on the line, so people hang up. It’s therefore no wonder that a CNN survey found that among Americans who are put on hold in silence, 70% of them hang up within 60 seconds. But with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems, you can fill the silence — and keep people on the line for longer periods of time, too.
VoIP phone systems help make waiting on the line bearable or even downright enjoyable via the sharing of fun anecdotes and info, playing of on-brand music, and the conveyance of engaging messages.
Information
Providing customers with new information and intriguing anecdotes will keep them from thinking that they aren’t being served — when, in fact, you are hard at work addressing their concerns at the other end of the line! You can also initiate a playful trivia or “Did you know?” kind of contest where providing a correct answer once the call resumes wins them a prize.
Music
Callers who hear music while on hold tend to stay on the line compared to those who experience silence. While traditional phone systems also have a music on hold feature, VoIP services enhance this feature and offer more options.
Instead of being limited to legacy tools’ music loops, VoIP systems let you easily upload your audio of choice. Just a couple of tips: use music that suits your brand, and take your clientele’s demographics into account. The upbeat music that a sporting goods brand uses might not work for an investment bank.
With VoIP systems, you can customize the frequency and duration of a track and configure whether the music restarts or continues where it left off when a caller is placed back on hold. You can also set the order of different tracks or randomize them for callers.
Messages
Customers who are put on hold are captive audiences for your marketing messages. VoIP systems let you record a variety of messages for different numbers according to the purpose of the caller. For example, if the caller wants to get in touch with the sales department, the on-hold message could inform them of current special offers, promotions, or sales.
“Hold message” scripts that utilize your company’s TV and radio ads might elicit an “I think I’ve heard this somewhere before” response. Conversely, you could put a totally new spin on the usual tone and style of your marketing messages and really get creative with humorous advertisements that make your customers chuckle. A little bit of levity never hurt nobody!
For the service department, you can use messages that assure the customer that an agent is taking care of their concerns. Using a service-appropriate message makes them feel like they’re getting personalized care.
The rich on-hold functionality of VoIP systems allows you to turn the on-hold experience into a positive customer service experience. Make sure this window of opportunity is taken full advantage of. Get in touch with us today and we’ll help you increase the odds that your clients will happily stay on the line and continue to do business with you.
