Pretty much the last thing that anybody wants when they call into a business is to sit on hold. Be that as it may, callers can reach a level of acceptance, for a few specific reasons, and decide it is worth their time to put it on speaker and wait it out until they can speak with you.
1. Billing Issues
One of the foremost reasons that people are willing to stay on hold is not part of any strategy—it’s just one of those things that isn’t much of a choice for your customers.
People are very likely to call in for a billing question or problem, and though they may not be excited about it, they’ll probably accept being on hold if necessary.
2. Great Customer Service
If your business provides excellent customer service, and people expect that when they contact you, then they’ll usually be fine with sitting on hold because they know that when someone answers, they’ll be well-taken care of.
It’s an important point to consider because this means that better quality service breeds a higher rate of customer retention. You won’t lose them if they have to hold.
3. Excitement About Your Product
Do you have a truly great product? You’ll probably be able to tell by how many callers will listen to the elevator music for a while for a chance to speak with someone at your company.
Find a way to generate a positive buzz about your business, and you won’t have to worry about potential customers hanging up while they’re waiting for you to answer.
4. Guaranteed Resolution
It’s a little tougher to achieve, but to have a phone support staff who can solve any problem once they’re connected with the customer is an incredible asset. People get tired of calling into a business and coming away with no solution or answer after the call is finished.
When everybody on your team is well-trained and knowledgeable, your customers won’t mind waiting on hold at all because they know their problem will be solved after they speak with one of your representatives.
Stephanie
Stephanie is the Marketing Director at Talkroute and has been featured in Forbes, Inc, and Entrepreneur as a leading authority on business and telecommunications.
Stephanie is also the chief editor and contributing author for the Talkroute blog helping more than 100k entrepreneurs to start, run, and grow their businesses.