GPI 344 – What do your customers hear when your employees put their incoming telephone call on hold?

When a customer is put on hold through the company switchboard, do you know what this patient person is hearing while waiting? Do you know what is playing or repeating in the background? Is your listener listening to music?  Is that music pleasant or screeching? If not music, is the silence filled in with a recording of someone speaking about your products or services?  Is the speaker interesting and seemingly knowledgeable about your company?  Is the person speaking clearly?  Does your patient caller hear screeching or is the recording difficult to understand?

Find out yourself – dial in and ask to be put on hold.  Whatever your answer, find out for yourself. Listen and measure it against what you are trying to sell to the market.   When you physically leave the company, call your firm through the switchboard and ask to be put on a prolonged hold for several minutes to hear the entire recording until it begins to repeat itself. Decide whether you are drawing people to your company or driving them away.

See if your company’s recording is relevant, irritating, informative, incorrect, out-dated or helpful to your marketing program.

• Does it sound scratchy or clean?
• Does it sound dated?
• Does the music selected fit your company’s marketing image?
• Does the copy and announcer’s voice seem to fit well with your current marketing objective?
• Does the music drown out the speaker or is the blend well done?
• Does the speaker seem pleasant and smiling while speaking?
• Does he mention any current specials or new products?
• Is your website clearly referred to in the recording and spelled out, more than once?
• How often is the recording updated?
• Is it done professionally or does the HR department ask someone to stay after hours and work overtime?
• Does the voice sound weak, unprofessional, hesitating or monotonous?
• Does the announcement refer to your website and list of items now on sale?
• Has anyone considered recently what plays in the background when customers are put on hold at your 29 locations or 134 stores or 256 facilities? Hopefully it is standardized and sounds similar in any region of the country.