On-hold music tips to avoid hang-ups
On-hold music is just one of those things in business that whatever you do you’re not going to get 100% right! But, with some attention to detail there are ways to make it more agreeable to most users.
Please don’t let me be misunderstood
If customers are commenting on the on-hold music you use it can be a pointer for a few different things. Maybe your business is becoming so successful that you need to think about how you manage this new influx of customers that want to speak to you. Conversely it might point to an inadequate communications system that is ultimately letting you down. If the latter is the case then there are a great number of ways that Lanonyx Call Recording and Logging software might be able to help.
But we digress, back to the music….
I second that emotion
Music can be a very emotive subject for many people so if they’re in a queue waiting to speak to you and a song that they particularly dislike comes on there’s not much you can do about it. The bottom line is that whatever the reason, no one likes to be put on hold.
Whenever you place a customer on hold you’re taking a risk. Some will wait indefinitely, others will hang up immediately, with the reality falling somewhere in between the two. Having music playing does offer some hope of keeping customers engaged, but you do have to give some thought to the kind of people that you’re most likely to be speaking to and the right kind of on-hold music to play to them.
Instant karma
These days if someone doesn’t like something it’s very quickly announced across social media. If you’ve decided on some sort of elevator style muzak or the greatest hits of Bobby Crush you can expect to receive your fair share of attention. It’s now when you need to decide if there really is such a thing as bad publicity!
So, what tips exist when selecting the type of oh-hold music to use? Here are a few…
- Try to make the music fit your brand – If you’re a company that has an advert running that uses music perhaps it would be a good idea to use that and reinforce the message already aligned with your brand. If the music is for a customer care line where customers may be making a complaint perhaps something a little calming might be the best bet. Whatever your choice, the aim is to reduce the feeling of time passing by and distract the caller from boredom creeping in. People will be quick to notice if the music you use is inappropriate, so choose carefully.
- Think about the volume setting – It’s extremely important not to set the music too loud. This will be particularly noticeable if your on-hold music experience also includes an explanatory message of some sort too. You don’t want callers getting to the end of the spoken message and then having to hold the phone away from their ears once the music kicks in.
- Is it better to have music or silence? – Whilst there will be always be the occasional person who will prefer silence it’s probably better to employ some form of distraction. Make sure you use properly recorded on-hold music not just from someone’s IPhone playlist with background noise along for the ride. Also, if it’s likely that people contact you often, change the music you use regularly to show that some thought has been put into the process.
Pick of the pops
Of course there are some songs that should be avoided at all costs. Here are a few obvious examples –
Tired of Waiting – The Kinks
So tired
Tired of waiting
Tired of waiting for you
I was a lonely soul
I had nobody till I met you
But you keep a-me waiting
All of the time
What can I do?
It’s your life
And you can do what you want
Do what you like
But please don’t keep a-me waiting
Please don’t keep a-me waiting
Hanging on the Telephone – Blondie
I’m in the phone booth, it’s the one across the hall
If you don’t answer, I’ll just ring it off the wall
I know he’s there, but I just had to call
Don’t leave me hanging on the telephone
Don’t leave me hanging on the telephone
It’s good to hear your voice, you know it’s been so long
If I don’t get your call then everything goes wrong
I want to tell you something you’ve known all along
Don’t leave me hanging on the telephone
Telephone Line – Electric Light Orchestra
OK so no one’s answering,
Well, can’t you just let it ring a little longer, longer, longer oh,
I’ll just sit tight,
Through shadows of the night
let it ring forever more
If you’d like to find out more about call recording or call logging software please don’t hesitate to give us a call; we’d be happy to tell you everything we know – which happens to be rather a lot! Drop us a line on 0333 0022 440, or contact us. We’re here ready to help.