We call random companies out of the blue just about every day to check on their caller experience, and we’re often amazed by what we hear. Or don’t hear.
A surprisingly high number of large national brands – names you’d know – subject their callers on hold to nothing but silence.
…Or the same 30-to-60-second loop of music, interrupted by a single generic message over and over.
…Or the canned music and messaging that came installed with their phone system.
That lack of care and attention speaks volumes to callers on hold. It says to them that the company they’re calling doesn’t value their time. It says they haven’t thoughtfully considered this touchpoint or that they don’t think it’s worth worrying about.
Instead of using the on hold environment to provide concise, useful information that benefits their callers, those companies must believe that the phrase “your call is important to us” repeated with a minute of looping music is “good enough.”
Of course, callers are left to wonder, “how important could my call actually be if it’s handled like this?”
So, regardless of your company’s size or how well-known your brand is, ask yourself if you’re missing an opportunity. No matter how short or infrequent you think your hold times might be, are you missing the chance to treat your valuable callers – each one a current or potential customer – to a better, more unique branded experience?
We’re ready to talk about all the possibilities. In the meantime, you’re sure to find inspiration in the stories and audio on our On Hold Marketing of the Month page.