Q: Why do I need a Thanks For Holding Message?
A: It's inevitable that some calls will be placed on hold. Here are some key statistics:
- Executives spend 15 minutes a day or 68 hours a year on hold.
- USA Today - 41% of American consumers have initiated a purchase over the phone in the last year.
- American Teleservices Association - On average, seven out of ten callers are placed on hold.
- Inbound/Outbound Magazine - Callers stay on the line up to 25% longer when provided with On Hold Messaging versus "dead air" or "background music," and up to 17% longer than radio.
- Infomax, Inc. - The average person will spend 1.2 years on hold.
- Woman's World Magazine - Survey results found that 88% of callers preferred On Hold Messages to other hold options, and 16% made purchases based on an on hold offer.
– MaxiMarketing - 55 seconds is the national average hold time for companies with more than two telephone lines.
- CNN Survey
Q: How does an on hold message give me a competitive advantage?
A: Do you want callers hanging up? If you play silence to your callers, the facts are clear.
- Silence makes an estimated 90% of callers hang up after just 40 seconds. One third of those callers don't call back.
- 72% of first time callers who hang up wind up shopping the competition.
- Sales & Marketing Management Magazine - Message-On-Hold reduces hang-ups by 50%.
- Telemarketing Magazine
Q: How long does it take to get my message completed and playing on our phone system?
A: We make new clients a priority and generally have everything up and running within 5 business days from agreement.
Q: How often should I change my message?
A: That depends on the type of business you have and what you want to accomplish with this Captive Audience Marketing tool. Some businesses have monthly or weekly specials, special or holiday events and need to change often. Others need more of an image enhancing service and change once or twice a year. We can help you decide with a personal consultation.
Q: Who will write the script?
A: Your sales consultant will work with you gathering the information you want to present. Then one of our professional script writers will develop an effective script and email or fax it to you for approval or changes.
Q: How long is the script?
A: Short scripts that don't have enough content will repeat too often and can annoy callers. We recommend 10-12 individual segments with a total message and music mix of 5-6 minutes.
Q: Do I need to contact you when my next update is due?
A: Feel free to contact us anytime, but rest assured that with our unique scheduling program, we will be back in touch with you so you get the updates you are paying for. We will not forget you and allow outdated information to be played on your message.
Q: Does the message start over when we put someone on hold?
A: On most phone systems, the message plays in a continuous loop so callers will hear what's playing at different times. This is a benefit for frequent callers so they can here different information each time they are placed on hold.
Q: How do I know if my phone system is compatible?
A: Just let us know the make and model of your phone system and we'll make sure it's compatible. Most phone systems made in the last 10-15 years are compatible.
Q: What equipment will I need?
A: That depends on how often the message will be updated and how much or how little you want to be involved. We provide systems where we administer any changes of content over the internet as well as systems where a CD is dropped into a digital player for loading into digital memory.
Q: I have a 4 line phone I got from an office supply or retail store. Can I get a Thanks For Holding message without having a professional phone system?
A: The answer is yes, in most cases. We provide special digital players with an analog adapter that will allow our service to work on most standard phones. There are some that are not compatible however. Contact us today for confirmation of compatibility.
Q: We have been using (or would like to use) a background music service in our business. Do you offer that service?
A: Our affiliated company Best Business Music offers a number of choices for music to play on speakers in your business. Visit the Best Business Music website for details.
Music For Your Business.
In addition to great sounding and effective telephone on hold and other audio productions, our affiliated company Best Business Music offers lots of music choices to play on speakers in your business. Learn more at Best Business Music.
Buy It Now service now available.
If you already have a script and simply need professional voice talent and licensed music, use our Buy Now feature. This simplified process will get you a great sounding message within 2 business days.
Greener Business Practices.
For efficiency and environmental reasons, we are now offering all communication and invoicing via email. No more wasted paper and delivery delays.
Premium Voice Talent option.
Thanks For Holding now offers the services of internationally recognized voice talent. We now feature special Premium Voice Talent for clients that want familiar voices for their marketing messages. More at our Message Samples page.
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