The Value of Customized On-Hold Messages For Your Business

With the rise of digital marketing, it’s unsurprising that many business owners have turned their attention from phone calls to emails, Google messages, and direct messaging on social media. However, that’s not to say that customers never call your business. In fact, a phone call is often the quickest and most convenient way to gather information or get questions answered.

Considering this fact, customized on-hold messages could be a missing piece in your business’s puzzle. On-hold messages fill the air time when a caller is placed on hold, creating a more engaging and professional atmosphere.

Do Today’s Customers Really Use The Phone?

It’s a valid question – with everything that you can do with a few swipes of a smartphone, calling up a business may seem obsolete. But:

• 36% of people over age 56 and 30% of people over age 40 consider phone calls to be their top method of communication, according to the Customer Communications Review.
• 65% of people have called a business at some point in the last month, according to Invoca. Only 22% of participants in the same study had contacted a business using social media in the last month. 
• According to Avochato, the majority of consumers expect to be put on hold for at least 5 minutes while calling a business. 
• 90% of respondents in the Avochato study noted that they’d rather talk to a company employee about their questions than use an automated answering service or chat bot. 

With these statistics in mind, it’s fair to say that phone calls are far from dead as a method of communication between businesses and customers. On-hold messages are a way to make phone communication more inviting and pleasant for customers. 

How A Customized On-Hold Message Can Benefit Your Business

While most customers expect to wait on hold for a few minutes whenever they call a business, they don’t expect to have to wait in silence. Most callers who are left on hold in silence will hang up, and can you blame them? 

Being placed on hold in silence gives the impression that the business has neglected the customer experience. Some customers may even be confused by the silence, thinking that you hung up on them. In either case, silence on the other end could translate to lost customers and potential sales. 

On the other hand, a customized on-hold message can contribute to your business’s success. On-hold messages can inform customers about upcoming promotions, new products, and other news relating to your business. With an engaging message, your callers are more likely to stay on the line and perhaps make a purchase. 

Why Customize Your On-Hold Message?

By customizing your business’s on-hold message, you can ensure that it’s the best possible length and tone to engage – not irritate – your callers. Additionally, as we mentioned above, a customized on-hold message can provide relevant information about your business that may even inspire callers to make a purchase. 

Watt Media, Inc. provides leading customized on-hold messages for businesses in South Florida. Contact us today to learn more about our full-service approach!