As you probably know from being on hold yourself, on-hold messages can be an easy way to retain callers and advertise a business, especially for promoting events, new products or specials. On-hold sales messages can offer you a targeted marketing tool that is difficult to match in any other medium. You also can use an on-hold system to save valuable employee time by answering commonly asked questions, such as your location and hours of operation. Think about your own business. When a caller is put on hold in silence, you not only are missing an opportunity to sell, but you may be alienating your callers.
People often feel neglected when placed on hold in silence.
Often they are not sure whether or not they have been forgotten or possibly even disconnected. Keep in mind that 90 percent of callers on hold with silence will hang up within 40 seconds. And 34 percent of those callers who hang up will not call back. Many businesses combat the silence by hooking up their on-hold system to the radio or a CD player. Unfortunately, this can be risky business.