The main tech tools for keeping customers on hold without testing their tolerance

Hardly can one attest to something more annoying than waiting minutes that feel like an eternity over the phone just to have the issue partially solved or unsolved at all. The long waiting pauses customers face today when working with customer service reps are justifiable, but this doesn’t mean they don’t make enough reason for inpatient users to quit the call and never return. Rubbing customers the right way when trying to solve their methods is easier than ever today, despite a growing tendency for individuals to lose their patients quicker and quicker. Luckily, the tech world’s continuous advancements have given birth to incredible tools a business can employ to make their customer’s waiting sweeter. Here’s a scoop on the tech tools and practices your company can adopt to raise customer satisfaction to unprecedented levels and facilitate the interaction between reps and callers.

On-hold music tools

Generally, and scientifically speaking, almost all individuals have a soft spot for some sounds, musical notes, instruments, rhythms, genres, subgenres, and so on. It’s just that not everyone acknowledges this or knows this by themselves. However, when it comes to being kept on hold, it’s not that individuals remain on the line out of the joy of listening to the hold melody per se, but that this trick has proven surprisingly effective in alleviating their impatience and making them feel like the waiting is not that long or annoying. Choose and customise the melody you’re using to keep customers on hold with a solution like Melody Loops, and you’re one step closer to not only making the wait more agreeable but also convincing them that customer-centric efforts are put into every step of their journey with your company.

If a long time ago, you’d be stuck with a nerve-wracking beep or, at best, generic elevator-like music, today, you can personalise the employed track from A to Z with the right tool, choosing the style, vibe, relevancy, length, impact desired, and other features. For instance, you can opt for a vibrant, energetic melody if your business exists in the sports area. For a conference, seminar, or other types of formal events, you can opt for sounds that exude professionalism, luxuriance, positivity, and different soothing and inspirational vibes. Select music that makes on-hold customers feel comfortable, reassuring them that their waiting time is not in vain but that their patience is helping you work like a team and solve their issues quicker rather than later.  

Co-browsing tools

While co-browsing may still be unfamiliar to many companies and call centre reps, some customers unknowingly engage in such customer-oriented practices; this method is becoming more prevalent in tech-savvy businesses today. Co-browsing emphasises a business’s commitment to improving the customer experience through hidden efforts and has been around long before the pandemic kicked in and pushed businesses down the virtual call road.

Before that period, around 7 in 10 customer support and service organisations were estimated to work as traditional call centres. Still, since the crisis led businesses to have no other option than to adopt virtualised call centres and the trend expanded incredibly quickly, co-browsing has become an effective and even vital method to keeping customers satisfied.

Say you’re on the phone with a client and must guide them into troubleshooting something. Asking them to explain what’s on display in front of their eyes doesn’t only complicate the solving. Still, it can also have the customer give up and submit a negative review, should their tolerance be tested beyond their limits. The better part of online communication systems is made precisely with the needs of both parties in mind, allowing parties to share the screen, facilitating the solving process, and enhancing two-way communication. It diminishes the daunting wait times and uncomfortable silence, eliminating the need for customers to describe what they see.

Chat widgets and online appointment schedulers

Last but not least, another less expected but still effective way to keep customers patient and agreeable while the reps have them on hold is not to answer phone calls in the first place. While having customers guided and explained important stuff over the phone is the better way to ensure their issues are solved and they’re delighted with your service, this practice is not obligatory if your company does just as well without over-the-phone calls.

You can use chat widgets and online appointment scheduling instruments as customers become familiar with these virtual tools. Sometimes, a live operator’s involvement might not be avoided, but a dialogue with them will undoubtedly take less time than an issue solved from A to B over the phone.

Explore your options, monitor the results, and always stay adaptive to adjust your strategies when customers’ changing behaviours ask so.

Whatever you do, always ask for permission

Having someone brutally tell you that they need to do something and you have no choice but to wait and adapt drives you up the wall? Then, you’re not to blame; it’s just a psychological response often encountered when threats are posed, and fear, anger, panic, or annoyance appear. This rebellious psychological reaction occurs when someone’s choices are unwillingly constrained, and the thing is that the same response, no matter how far-fetched it would sound, happens over the phone when customers are put on hold aggressively by representatives, too.

While there’s hardly anything more off-putting than this, the good part here is that training the customer centre staff to take a different, more malleable approach won’t be like pulling teeth. Just provide assigned employees with a similar example so they can empathise with those at the end of the phone and create a policy to nicely ask for the caller’s patience to stay on hold. When customers feel like they’re offering you help to assist their problems further, they’ll be more agreeable and unlikely to turn down the request.

Last words 

Your customers can take long pauses or on holds well and optimistically, assuming your customer service reps are adequately prepared to approach these unfavourable situations and your business employs the right, avant-garde tech tools to facilitate waiting times and communication. Stay updated with all the advancements in this ever-changing customer world, and remember that a relaxing, uplifting song in the background while they’re waiting can bring unparalleled advantages to your business.