5 Ways to Engage Callers with Message On Hold

No one wants to be put on hold, but sometimes it’s difficult or even impossible to help every single customer the moment they call. Investing in professionally written, voiced and produced messages on hold can help make the annoyance of being put on a hold more tolerable and even enjoyable. Don’t leave your customers sitting in silence or listening to elevator music. Keep them engaged so they stay on the line longer. Here are some ideas to help:

“Did you know?”

It’s important to tell your callers things about your business like your location, website and opening hours, but giving them something to think about can keep them from tuning out of your messaging completely. Add a little piece of trivia that is related to your business.

For example, a plumber might use this piece of information to get a caller’s attention: “Did you know that your leaky faucet can waste of 8 gallons of water a day. That one drip per second adds up to over 3,000 gallons per year!” It’s interesting, relevant and could even spark some plumbing repair business.

Switch up the voices.

At On Air, we write our message on hold scripts in 8 to 10 prompts. Each prompt is voiced in about 30 seconds and the prompts are spaced out with music in between. Instead of having the same voice talent voice all your prompts, consider alternating a male and female voice between prompts. The switch will capture the caller’s attention, especially if they’re starting to zone out, and alternating between male and female voices might help you reach a broader audience.

Add a personal touch.

While it’s important to share information about your products, services and any events or sales you might have coming up, you should also try to reach your callers on a personal level too. Make sure your message on hold is conversational, friendly and inviting. Instead of just telling customers about your business, invite them to visit you. Thank them for calling and let them know how important they’re interest in your business is to you.

Choose good music.

Messages on hold have a bad reputation of being filled with boring and sometimes annoying elevator music. Gone are the days of terrible music on hold! On Air can help you choose music that will entertain callers, resonate with your business and match well with the messaging. We will make sure the volume is right and can mix it up between prompts to better engage customers on hold.

Make them smile.

Try adding a little humour in your messages on hold. Having the odd joke or witty pun sprinkled throughout your messaging will surprise listeners, bring back their attention and make their customer experience more enjoyable. Remember, every customer would prefer to talk to a human being when they call, so giving them a reason to smile will make for happier customers when you have no choice but to ask them to wait.

On average, callers who hear information and music when they are put on hold will stay on the line 3 minutes longer than callers who are left in silence. If you’re worried you’re losing customers by putting them on hold, get in touch with us!

Learn more about our message on hold services.