When you have reached the end of your options, allow the caller to repeat, but let the caller know that is what is happening. You can give him the choice to repeat (“To repeat these options, press *”), or you can automatically repeat them (stay on the line to hear these options repeat). Sometimes people [...]

“Please choose from the following six options.” When designing the options for your IVR or Auto-Attendant, make sure they match your customer’s expectations. Presenting a caller with four or five clear, concise options will allow him to navigate through your system quickly, without wasting time waiting to hear options he is not interested in. Using [...]

Have you ever been “invited” to be put On-Hold, and found yourself listening to the static of an unknown radio station? It happened to me recently. I called a prominent, nationwide company‘s local office, and when I was put On-Hold…I heard a radio station that was just slightly off the channel, resulting in a lot [...]

“I’m spending too much time On-Hold” or “Every time I call, I get put On-Hold, and I don’t like it!” You usually won’t get this kind of straightforward feedback from customers. So when customers do take the time to speak up and tell you what you’re doing wrong, it would be best to listen. But [...]

In a study released in January 2010, Consumer Reports revealed that waiting to talk to a live human when calling a company ranked as the second most annoying thing you and I deal with daily. (The first? Hidden fees.) There’s no doubt why. We’re all busy. We want to accomplish our goals while taking the [...]

Adam Alter has written an interesting article about the quirks in time perception that we all share. Why does the first hour of a long flight seem sooo long, while the last several hours all cram together in your mind? I’ll bet you’ve had a similar experience in micro…the last time you called a company and [...]

You’ve just called the Wagon Yard, a furnishings and collectibles store in Texas. You’re calling about the 54″ cherry roll-top computer desk you heard that it carried. That would look great in your office! And while you are transferred to the furniture department, you hear this: Wagon Yard On-Hold Message Now you’re interested in more [...]

Speak to the Felt Need   For the 2011 Super Bowl, Old Spice started a series of fantastic ads that got a lot of media attention. Here is what was so amusing to me about their ads: You have no idea what Isaiah Mustafa smells like in that commercial! I was kind of surprised that [...]

When First National Bank of the South adopted Jack the Dog as their new mascot, they also gained a unique marketing opportunity. No other bank could use the same mascot to differentiate themselves to customers. And in the world of banking, where little seems to stand out from one bank to the next, Jack the [...]

I was recently placed On-Hold at a financial institution, and heard this On-Hold message: Anatomy of an On-Hold Message I was struck by a couple of things, and since Prosound did not produce this On-Hold message, I’m going to break it down for you here. First of all, it’s not just a “thank you for [...]