The Waiting Game

Lines. You see them everywhere, especially this time of year. You wait in line at the mall. You wait in line at the grocery store. You wait in line to see Santa Claus.

As a retailer, you don’t like to keep anyone waiting. But if you are successful, then waiting will be inevitable. The best thing you can do is keep customers from feeling like they are just waiting.

One of the key rules of the waiting game is to keep people occupied.  Filled time passes more quickly than unoccupied time...they say!  And probably one of the most frustrating line is the "invisible line" that the customer can't see.  This typically happens on customer service phone calls.

An effective way to manage callers’ expectations and wait times is with effective on-hold messaging. An on-hold message allows your spa or wellness practice to project its brand in a positive way while also encouraging callers to remain on the line until a customer service representative can take their call.  Studies show how callers with messages on hold will stay on the line up to 3 minutes longer than with silence on hold.

But an on-hold message does more than occupy a caller’s time. Effective hold messages add value to customers:  informing the about your spas/massage clinic's products and services, special promotions and other company news. Other uses include promoting a company’s website and social media channels and answering some frequently asked questions.

So be a winner at "The Waiting Game" today and provide an effective means for managing invisible lines during the holiday rush and beyond!:)

Source:  B2C - Managing Visible and Invisible Lines of Customers