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Written by SNAP Recordings, a professional voice recording service provider with over 100 male and female voice talents recognized as a leader in professional voice recordings for business phone systems. Order professionally recorded On-Hold messages and other phone system messages for your business through our partner, Snap Recordings. Click here to learn more.
Let’s get right down to it: no one likes being put on hold. Unfortunately, waiting on hold is a part of doing business, and the abandoned rate for these callers is very high. An estimated 70% of business callers are put on hold. When left on hold with silence, approximately 60% of those callers will hang up, and an estimated 30% don’t call back. But the on-hold stats aren’t all doom and gloom.
Callers given information while on hold will remain on the line for up to 3 minutes longer than those waiting silently. People want information, and taking advantage of that with a custom on-hold message allows you to turn those “please hold” lemons into lemonade.
Whatever your industry, your business’ on-hold program can help you build your brand, educate callers, and tap into your phone system’s marketing potential. But where do you start? How do you write an on-hold message? We’re breaking down all the basics of your on-hold system so you can create professional quality, custom on-hold messages that increase hold times, reduce caller frustration and improve your bottom line.
Understanding Your On-Hold System: Traditional vs. Cloud
You need to know how your phone system’s on-hold message feature works to design a great on-hold program. There are two types of on-hold messaging systems: traditional and cloud-based.
Traditional On-Hold Message System
Traditional or legacy phone systems require an external audio player to be installed on-site and operate continuously. Picture it like a carousel that continues to go around and around whether someone is riding. When a caller gets placed on hold, they “jump on” the carousel at whatever point the message plays. It may be mid-sentence, at the third message, or anywhere in between, but all callers holding will simultaneously listen to the same portion of the message.
With the continuous loop player, callers may hear a different portion of your message each time they call. However, you can’t prioritize the importance of your greetings. So, it’s important to keep messages concise and add an acknowledgment message (thank you for holding, we appreciate your patience, etc.) between every three or four announcements.
Cloud On-Hold Message System
Newer, cloud-based systems do not require the installation of an audio player, and unlike legacy systems, they start the on-hold message from the beginning for every caller placed on hold. This lets you craft your on-hold announcements, putting the most relevant information first.
In addition, some cloud systems offer multiple touchpoints for on-hold message functionality, allowing you to play individual messages for each queue in your call center or broadcast targeted announcements, depending on which department or extension the call is being transferred to.
While this allows you to target your audience better, it also means you will want to update your announcements regularly so callers aren’t hearing the same repetitive message each time they are placed on hold. If you don’t have the bandwidth for continual message updates, it’s important to use messages with a long shelf life and a neutral, indistinct musical track.
How to Choose the Right On-Hold Message Length
Regardless of your system type, you will want to factor your average caller hold times into your scripting process. This may require you to survey your customers or monitor hold times.
How to Calculate Caller Hold Times
Many providers track this and offer reports if you use a cloud solution. If this isn’t available, you can conduct a one- to two-week test by having employees mark down when they place callers on hold and for how long. Average out times over the duration of your test and use that as your reference point.
If callers are on hold for an average of one minute, keep your message concise and focused on the most important information. If you experience longer hold times, like a couple of minutes or more, slightly longer messages may also be appropriate.
Average on-hold lengths can vary from industry to industry, but generally, an on-hold program is three to four minutes long and an average of 200 to 300 words. The message usually begins with a three to five-second musical intro and has 12 to15 second musical interludes between announcements.
However, this structure may not be appropriate for all industries. If your business has extensive hold times of eight minutes or more, you should keep messages brief, but you may want to space them out further and utilize longer musical breaks. Likewise, if your business deals with distressed or grieving callers, you may want to limit the announcements and opt for more soothing music. Consider the needs and preferences of your typical caller and adjust accordingly.
What Should You Include in Your On-Hold Message?
On-hold programs vary from industry to industry. A doctor may tell you what insurance coverage they accept, while an auto body shop may want to share directions for after-hours drop-off information. Regardless of your industry, there are a few things all businesses should consider including in their on-hold program:
- Tagline or mission statement
- Website URL
- Product/Service and Benefits
- Hours and location
- Social media pages
- Experience or years in business
- Awards and/or accreditations
- Request for referrals
- What sets your business apart from the competition
Aside from sharing the basics, your on-hold messages can be a powerful marketing tool if you cross-market and brand appropriately. Before writing your messages, review samples and consult our on-hold message checklist blog.
Selecting Voice and Music for On-Hold Messages
Your target audience should be the most important factor when choosing a voice for your on-old message recordings. Who would one of your prospective clients take advice from? Whom would they find the most captivating and trustworthy? Whether they’d prefer a conversation with a friend, a command from an authority figure, or advice from their mom, keep your audience’s needs at the forefront when listening to voice samples.
The music you select should also reflect the tone of your business and the sentiment you wish to portray to your callers. If you are an Italian restaurant, go for the tarantella; a doctor’s office should stick to light, easy listening; a gym might choose an electronica track. If you’re self-recording, avoid licensed music to avoid a potential fine.
Most companies turn to professional agencies, like Snap Recordings, to produce their on-hold messages. Agencies specializing in phone recordings will give you access to professional voiceovers, pre-licensed music libraries, and many other resources that make it easy to have high-quality brand voice messaging for your business
Regardless of your route, understand your on-hold system and follow the best practices outlined here. Implementing a great hold program is an easy and effective way to directly market to your audience and create a positive caller experience, which helps you get the most out of your Mitel phone system.
