Google Survey About Callers Willingness to Wait On hold and Why Your Phone System Needs an Audio Marketing Make Over
There’s an old saying: “what you can’t see, may hurt you”, and if you haven’t take the necessary steps to maximize your telephone brand image and marketing – then it may be hurting your business more than you even realize. A recent Google Survey About Willingness to Wait On hold showed more than 57.8 percent of callers were put on hold when calling a business, and that over 27.6 percent were willing to wait slightly more than a minute, and businesses who keep callers waiting longer will lose 90 percent of those calls, according to the survey.
As a business owner you put a lot of effort to differentiate your company from competitors. From your logo to business cards, website to television advertisements – you ensure all this to present the right image to customers. But what about your telephone brand image and marketing? Many businesses are so focused on their other marketing efforts, that they either don’t pay attention to, or even consider how to maximize the full marketing potential of their telephone system to differentiate themselves from competitors and increase sales.
Let’s look at three key areas that with an audio marketing make-over, will improve your telephone brand image and help enhance sales opportunities at your business.
Custom Automated Attendant Greetings:
I’m not just talking about a nice welcome greeting at the beginning, although that’s important so the caller knows they dialed correctly. The welcome message also needs to include a menu of options to guide the caller properly. It should be simple to understand. Not overwhelming, not ambiguous, and not confusing. Much too often I have called companies and heard a confusing list of options, press “0” When I call a company and I’m feeling rushed, I press zero and I expect to be connected to a receptionist or operator who can apply human intelligence to properly route my call to the right department or person. Of course I don’t always get through this way and I end up running in circles. Sometimes never getting anywhere.
Don’t frustrate callers, create a simple easy to understand menu of options is all that’s required. Good planning is all that is required to achieve this. Think about what callers usually call about and include menu options to cover those needs. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Now if you’re one of those businesses owners whose head is stuck in the sand and you still believe that you don’t place caller’s on-hold, or that you don’t have a lot of hold time – Well I’ve got a bridge to sell you! I’d prefer you tell me there really is an Easter Bunny before you tell you me you don’t have any hold-time, because if you have no hold time, then you’re either the only business on the planet that doesn’t, you’re not being truthful to yourself or you have no customers.
Deploying an on-hold message can mitigate frustration and keep callers on the line longer. A North American Telecom survey showed callers will stay on the line up to 3 minutes longer with an on-hold message versus silence, canned music or radio on hold. And a U.S. West Communications study found a 40 percent increase in caller retention with on-hold messages. Want more facts? In an OHMA survey, 88 percent of respondents said on-hold messaging was a useful marketing tool that added value to their business. And 24 percent said they could attribute actual sales to their on-hold messaging.
On-hold messages are another platform that you can use to sell your business to a potential customer or form loyalty from clients. In fact, it is one of the first impressions callers will have of your business. When clients call, what they hear influences their opinion of your company. Having a Message on Hold that keeps callers engaged, allows you to promote the latest products, announce any time-sensitive information, or let them know of any upcoming company events or trade shows. Show callers you care, and are dedicated to providing good customer service experience.
What’s the probability that the next time you call someone, that you’re going to get voice mail? I’d say it’s pretty high. And if you’re like most of us, you might be making an assumption about voice mail that might have been true in its early days, but couldn’t be further from the truth today.
The assumption is that voice mail is the SECONDARY point of contact for the caller and that YOU will be the primary contact. I’m not so sure that this is true any more. These days it seems that voicemail has turned into the PRIMARY contact and you have become the secondary contact. The only exception to this might be if you’re calling someone on their cell phone.
I really can’t believe that I have to say this – but I still run into generic voice mail greetings that come standard with your phone system. This is a sort of “incomplete” way of dealing with voice mail. Leaving the generic greeting either says that you don’t care or that you don’t know how to change the greeting. From the people that I know who do that — neither is true. But it just seems that way. Another peeve is that some people have a secretary record their greeting. This seems wrong on so many levels.
Getting your voicemail greeting professionally recorded, sounds great and can have a strong “corporate” or “important” feeling to callers. These recorded messages definitely get attention when they are done properly. Our professional voice talents can make your greeting sound fantastic, and . and give callers a positive impression. Remember, a professional sounding voicemail greeting can make a positive impression on your callers or it can alienate them before you even speak to them.
So, Think about it! The vast majority of a company’s marketing budget is spent to generate leads, with the ultimate goal of converting those leads into customers. Whether you efforts are in print, radio, tv, or the internet in your businesses the phone is still the primary source of contact with customers, so it is important to make the right impression every time the phone rings, and capitalize on the marketing opportunities you’re presented with. The way that a caller is treated by a phone system can make or break a business relationship. First impressions count with phone systems just as much as face-to-face Interactions. There you have it. These are recommended tips from The Original On hold Inc. on how you can get an audio marketing make-over, so callers feel important and you capitalize on inbound marketing opportunities.
