A little creativity for your phone on hold messages?
Did you know that tipping in Iceland is considered rude? Or have you heard that hunting mice without a license is illegal in Cleveland? Singing the alphabet publicly at night in Topeka, Kansas, is also illegal. Trivial, you say? Indeed, but it could be the kind of fun facts your customer enjoys hearing while waiting on hold. Idea: why not try a little creativity for your phone on hold messages? Read on to pick up some fun phone-on-hold script tips.
Educate callers
The first phone on hold script tip here is to educate callers while they wait. Easy On Hold customer Staker Parson, a provider of quality sand, rock, landscape products, and paving materials, uses hold time to provide useful information. Some examples are:
- Please help our professional drivers by providing a clear and safe path for placement.
- A ready-mix truck is approximately 40 feet long, 10 feet wide, and 14 feet tall. A fully loaded truck weighs just under 80,000 lbs.
- You can also text a Customer Service Representative from your cell phone to our dispatch number.
Creativity In Phone On Hold Messages
“There are pros and cons,” explains Easy On Hold President Julie Cook. “We’ve never recommended a trivia-only script for messages on hold, but with hold times upwards of 5 to 6 minutes, a bit of creativity and fun can work. A lighthearted approach might work for your company.” Cook says you need to think about your brand and company image. “Trivia can come across as cheesy, which is an image you may not want to be connected to your brand,” Cook says. The trivia you use can be about your company or product. In that way, you’re bringing in some listener interaction while staying on-topic. “Use it as a segue to a branding point about your product, she recommends.” The result is a caller experience that’s good for business.
Script Ideas With Trivia
Did you know that more than three million miles of dental floss is sold every year in North America? In case you’re wondering, here at Dr. Colby’s office, we still provide free floss with your check-up! Make your appointment soon. You’ve probably heard, “That’s a 10-4 good buddy.” It’s trucker talk for “OK”. Any idea what a 10-36 is? That’s like saying, “What time is it? Right about now it’s time to say, “thanks for calling Sterling Logistics” — we’re coming right back to your call. You get the idea!
What About Humor On Hold?
Cook suggests that brief and interesting trivia can be used in proper proportion to meatier, helpful content callers appreciate. Avoid all-out humor, however. “What one person thinks is funny may not be to someone else, ” Cook says.
Phone On Hold Tips For Creativity and Greater Variety
If you’re looking for some creativity in your on hold message mix, here are 5 tips:
- The mix of content must be balanced against the length of hold time. If hold times are under 2 minutes, use trivia sparingly.
- It’s best to keep paragraphs focused on a single topic.
- Change up the music. Variety makes hold time seem shorter and more interesting.
- Use both male and female voices for additional variety.
- Try, try again. How something looks on paper may be quite different from how it sounds when spoken. Use the option to refine and re-record, provided by Easy On Hold.
