Your on hold message shouldn’t run any longer than two minutes… in fact one minute should be enough. Why? Heck, how long are you planning on keeping your customers on hold for? Make your messages short and sharp. My suggestion – Just five to ten-seconds per thought. If you tease their intrigue — they can ask you for more detail when they come off hold.
What to say? What’s the primary reason for most of your customer calls? Now, what’s the up-sell? That’s your first key message.
You can also use your on hold to tell customers about new developments or to answer frequently asked questions. But always make sure you’re telling them something of benefit, something to make their primary reason for calling easier.
Lastly — don’t repeat your business name every ten-seconds – After all, your customer called you — they already know who you are.
(By Sonya Winterbotham, Wizard of Ads Partner, @ WizardofAdsAustralia)