I’m sure that no matter what sector your business belongs to or you work in, you’re no stranger to calling other businesses. On hold marketing is where you form your first impression of a company; I’m sure you’ve already had a look at their website but the likelihood is that they used a fancy web designer for that, it’s not a true reflection of their customer service.
If you haven’t called your own business for a while, or if since you’ve had your on hold messages in place you haven’t really thought about them, then it’s definitely time that you picked up the phone and called yourself.
‘Why would I call myself?’ I hear you asking…
Do you know how your on hold audio and IVR menus sound? Are they muffled, crackly and full of echoes? Do the voiceover and music track suit your business? Do you even have anything for your callers to listen to?
Does your script make sense?
Are you being as clear as possible in your messages about what your company does and the services that you offer?
Do your menus make sense?
Is each option clearly described and will it make navigation a breeze or will your customers select an option and still be passed around from department to department?
Is everything up to date?
Have you mentioned your opening hours and contact details? Are these still correct? Do you promote a service you no longer offer? Have you expanded to offer more that you should be informing your callers about?
Can you navigate your own menus?
Do you find yourself thinking ‘None of those options are suitable for why I’m calling?’ If your caller doesn’t find an option that reflects why they’re calling, they’ll likely press any button just to get to speak to someone. This means that callers are in a, unnecessary queue and will likely need to be transferred somewhere else, taking not only your customer’s time but also your team’s. You can accommodate these kind of callers by making sure you’re aware of the most common queries and addressing these in your on hold messages, or having a menu option for ‘all other enquiries’.
Are your call handlers able to offer the best possible advice to your callers?
You might think this has nothing to do with your on hold marketing or navigation, but sadly you’re mistaken. If calls are coming through and your team aren’t able to help your customers, then you need to ensure training is topped up! This is a double edged sword, your on hold messages need to be organised in a way that quash quick queries, often by directing callers to your website as an alternative source of information. If you have an IVR menu you need to ensure that when callers are connected to their choice, the call handling team has the ability to help them.
We hope this has given you something to think about, having up to date on hold marketing and menus is not only the first impression a customer will get from your company, but also affects how they will perceive your customer service. Nail both of these and you’ll soon be as well known for your customer service as these guys.
