Creating a great customer experience is essential for every area of your business. You probably have the perfect script for answering the phone – but what about when you can’t answer or have to leave a caller on hold for a certain length of time?
In the ever-evolving digital age of e-commerce and social media, customers still expect a great experience and personal service. So why not delight callers with a personalised IVR experience rather than a robotic sounding, impersonal generic greeting?
IVR stands for interactive voice response. This system directs callers on what steps to take based on their need. A great IVR system prevents customers being in a queue for so long that they hang up and doesn’t confuse them with too many options.
Here are some ways to best utilise your IVR system and on-hold messaging to create a great customer experience.
Using a professional voice
Many companies have the CEO or admin staff member create the pre-recorded messages that welcome customers and give them information. But a professional brand voice is a better option because it can:
- ensure that the customer’s first interaction with your business is a positive one that gives them exactly what they were after
- match your brand voice – whether your brand is serious, youthful, and fun, or warm, empathetic, and helpful
- create a script that is clear and unambiguous to get customers to the right place quickly and not confuse them.
A professional voice can advise callers on their number in the queue or offer them a call back, so they don’t lose their place. They can also tell callers where else they can find the answers they need, such as on the website or via email. Then they don’t need to stay on hold at all!
While we do have the technology for a computer voice to relay this information, customers still want the personal touch and appreciate hearing from a real person in a digital world.
Collecting customer data early
Another way to improve the customer experience while on hold is to collect relevant data before they are connected. This could be a phone number, birth date or other necessary information.
Then the agent answering the call has the details they need, which will shorten the call time resulting in a more meaningful customer experience.
Making the most of on-hold messages
No business particularly wants a caller/customer to be on hold, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. So, use the message on hold as part of your marketing strategy. Give them information about your products and services, upcoming events, latest news, and special offers. Your customer will appreciate this much more than tinny repetitive music or unending silence!
Your audio messages don’t need to be complex or expensive. We have an audio solution for businesses of all sizes and our script writers are always on hand to suggest content or will create some industry related content from scratch, so contact us today to discuss your very own personalised audio recordings and how an on-hold message and IVR can effectively improve your ‘customer experience’.
Nell Sanderson – McGirvanmedia.
