You’ve almost certainly experienced on hold messages, but do you know the difference they make to business? When you consider that 34% of callers who hang up when placed on hold never call back, you begin to understand what a crucial role these messages can play.

What are your options?

Promotions and sales offers

Your on hold callers are a captive audience, making it the perfect time to let them know of any promotions or special offers that you’re currently running. As the software is incredibly easy to use, you can quickly change the message being played to keep it up to date.

Music

Music on hold is easily the most common form of on hold message, but you can do far more than play a piece of classical music. If you have a particular target audience and know the music they’d enjoy then that can be a great choice and it’s also a way to display your company’s personality and style. You must, of course, have the right to use the music in question which can usually be bought for a small fee.

Business information

Another great use of the time is to keep people up to date with business information. Perhaps you’re running a charity event, or promoting a good cause; the on-hold message is a great time to convey what you’re doing beyond your normal business. Similarly, letting customers know of your hours of business is another good way to use the time, particularly when usual hours may differ such as Christmas and New Year.

Comedy sketches

One of the more up-and-coming uses of on hold messages is the comedy sketch. Playing audio from a well-known scene can help to make light of the wait the caller is experiencing. As with musical pieces, you will need to obtain the right to use this material.