Think about industries that have become synonymous with terrible customer service, such as cell phone and internet providers. What is one thing they all have in common? That’s right: extremely long wait times. Being on hold is a well-known irritant and one of the biggest factors when it comes to determining customer satisfaction. Basically, the shorter you keep your customers on hold, the happier they’ll be.
Let’s look at the numbers. According to a recent Consumer Reports study, 57% of people have been so frustrated customer service over the phone that they simply hung up the phone without a resolution. Additionally, another study found that the maximum amount of time (on average) that a customer is willing to wait is 13 minutes. If you’re not dealing with customer issues in a timely manner and resolving phone calls fast, you could be losing business.
Additionally, poor wait times impact more than just your business, they impact the customer experience as well. As a service-based company that relies on word-of-mouth referrals and online reviews, long customer hold times can cause your scores to plummet. After all, you really don’t want a person who’s just been on hold for too long to leave a review, even if they are humorous to outsiders
If you’re in a service-oriented industry, however, there isn’t really any way to avoid customer calls or shorten customer wait times – or is there? Yes, there is, and it’s by getting rid of the wait time all together with business texting. Next time, instead of putting customers on hold, try:
Including a number they can text on your contact page
If you’re using a business line to text customers, inbound calls and questions might not know that they have the ability to text you as well. On your contact page, make sure you put a number where your customers can text you. That way, you can at least text them back and schedule a good time where they are available to chat.
Adding ‘Text Us Now’ to all online listings
Your online listings are often one of the first places people will go to find out information about your organization, including your contact info. Always include a text-enabled number on these sites that can receive inbound text messages, even if it’s the same as your main phone number (which is preferred). Having a text option shows customers you are innovative, tech-savvy, and really care about their time.
Updating your hold music with a CTA
If a customer has already called in and been put on hold, it’s still not too late to save them from the wait time. Instead of a generic ‘Your call is important to us…’ message, update your CTA to say ‘For faster service, text us at…’. Your customers now have the option of waiting to be helped or to text and skip the line. Just make sure you have some templated responses at the ready so they aren’t jumping out of the queue for nothing.
Texting them first
If you have an update for a customer, such as letting them know their RV is ready for pickup or an order is ready in-store, don’t call them first. If you leave a voicemail, it will only mean they have to call you back and could get stuck on hold. Instead, text them a quick service update asking them to respond if they’ve received the message. That way, you can bypass the dreaded phone tag and get down to business sooner.
Don’t leave customers on hold – move forward with Kenect
Texting customers can improve customer satisfaction, boost reviews, and increase customer retention. Get started today with Kenect’s two-way business texting platform. Learn more by talking with a specialist today!
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