Imagine you walked into a department store you frequent, knowing exactly what you wanted, but the product was behind a locked door. All you need to do is find a staff member to unlock this door for you, and you will be on your way. You walk up to a staff member standing at a counter, but before you can ask, they raise their hand;
“I’m busy, I will be with you shortly.”
You stand, waiting idly for a few minutes before they turn their attention to you.
“How can I help you?”
You let them know that you need a door unlocked, but they cannot help- they arent the right person for the job, they say. They point you in the direction of another staff member, and turn away.
You wander through the store in the general direction of their point, a bit lost until you find the queue for the person who can assist you. There are nine people ahead of you in the queue, and only one staff member working. Customers in front of you are becoming agitated as the minutes drag on and the queue doesn’t move. The overhead music plays a mix of the company jingle and classical music that never ends.
Finally, you are at the front of the queue. What was your question again?
“Could you please open the locked door for me so that I can complete my purchase.”
The staff member looks at you.
“The item behind the door is out of stock until tomorrow. Can you come back then?”
You know it isn’t the fault of the staff member but you can’t help but raise your voice, you have been waiting for what seems like hours with no reward. The staff member’s eyes well up as you storm away- come back tomorrow? You will just find the item somewhere else, they clearly didn’t value your time anyway.
This business has lost the sale, lost your future patronage, and lost brand trust and credibility.
It is easy to look at this scenario and pick apart the faults; the first staff member being dismissive and unengaged, the ridiculously long queue that was woefully understaffed, and an altogether poor customer experience. As a business owner, you would never put your customer through this, would you?
Now take this scenario, and think about your customer who makes contact over the phone. On hold, waiting idly, to be told “your time isnt important, and we will be with you soon”. Wasting time being put back on hold, redirectred to another department and put in another queue, only to eventually be told that this time spent was for nothing, and no one can help.
Why is it acceptable to treat your customer this way, simply because they chose to connect with you over the phone?
Reduce the risk of customer disengagement with an IVR that connects them to the right department, every time. Time spent waiting idly can be utilised to share branded messages, promotions, and customisable content that adds value to the service. Offer tailored solutions that exceed all expectations, and delight your customers today.
Enjoy On Hold.
