Know before you go”…”Look before you leap”…that’s what they say.Good quotes and all. Handy for telling your friends AFTER they’ve done something that wasn’t too smart. Now they’re suffering the consequences, and you’re coming up with brainy quotes. Helpful of you.

I was in a meeting of store managers recently, and asked “who knows what you’re callers are hearing On-Hold right now? Because right now, a customer or prospect has called your store, and is waiting On-Hold. What are they hearing?”

I was met by silence and blank stares.

Until it was broken by one brave manager: “I have no idea.”

This is so often the case. Top level managers, business owners, and especially employees, have no idea what happens when they push that Hold button. It’s just something they’re supposed to do.
1. Answer call
2. Speak to customer
3. Push Hold button
4. Retrieve call by lifting receiver
5. Speak to customer

Except that if you don’t know what that customer or prospect is hearing while they’re On-Hold, they might not be there for step 5. They may have vanished. Oh, they’re still around. As a person. But they’ve vanished from your business…and you’ve become invisible to them. While your competition has become they’re latest love.

Think about it the next time you push that Hold button. What ideas are you putting in your customer’s head?

If you do use an On-Hold message, to you play it for your employees? If they knew what your caller just heard, right before they picked them back up, could they help reinforce that message? Of course it would!
(Side note: Do you involve employees in your On-Hold updates? You should! They’re on the front lines of your business!)

And do me a favor, will you?
Pick up your cell phone, call your company right now, and ask whoever answers the phone to put you On-Hold.

Does your Caller Experience need some help?

“Know before you go!”

Today’s post comes from Dan O’ Day, the highly opinionated radio advertising guru and radio talent/morning show coach. He talks about the 10 mistakes you’re making every time you leave a voicemail.

See, great Caller Experiences start before your customer or prospect even calls your business. After all, something has to get them to call in and experience your company. Whether it’s a cold call or a warm lead follow-up, the message you leave on that prospect’s voicemail will have the biggest impact on whether they decide to call you back or not.

Are you surprised by having to leave a voicemail?

Do you know exactly what you’re going to say before you pick up the phone?

Are you measuring the wrong numbers?

Read Dan’s excellent commentary on how to leave an effective voicemail. (hint: he defines “effective” as “getting people to call you back”. Isn’t that the point?)