Being on Hold Sucks! But I have a solution

This is going to be interesting to business geeks, but probably no one else. I had to make this video because the issue was burning a hole in my brain.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• business
• hold
• muzak
• nasdaq
• irritation
• sirus
• xm
• radio
• satellite
• world
• better
• place
• wasting
• life
• away

[bugfood]

Anything that got rid of those annoying messages about how much they value my business, and how they'll be with me shortly. I appreciate companies that give relatively accurate estimates of wait time, and update them every 5 minutes or so.

[ExperimentsinHonesty]

Me too!

[sirusboy]

Secondly, the hold message, in our company at least, is excellent for advertisements. I can't tell you how many people after listening to the hold messages forget about the problem/question they had and ask about something on the "on hold" message.

Third, most of the questions people ask CAN be found online, again with the company I work for. People resort to calling simply because they want immediate response, instead of going online and searching through the seemingly endless FAQ's.

[ExperimentsinHonesty]

I completely agree with you when you say "...most of the questions people ask CAN be found online..." I own a website hosing company and we don't even provide phone support because it would be a waste of time. However, I have never purchased anything that is being pushed to me while being on hold. Your company sounds like a rare exception (i.e., valuable products pushed during short hold times). Thanks for posting your views. I welcome different perspectives.

[sirusboy]

Ok well, I work at customer service for a calling card company and I don't think this is a very good idea.

First off, I highly doubt you are waiting ~40 minutes on a call. Working as customer service for 7-8 months and talking to people from other companies who have worked for years, having someone on hold for 15+ minutes is extremely rare. It seems like a long time because you are just sitting there... Waiting.

[ExperimentsinHonesty]

I am not saying every vendor I call it happens. I sometimes hold for less than 5 min. Usually the shortest hold times are the companies that tell you how long your hold time is in the queue. Having said that. I have held for 40 min several times while working with Dell on building my data center - see my geek girl at data center video. It got so bad, I got a timer and kept a log. I am glad your experience is different.

[JHFunny1000]

Sony's phone service sucks it said approx.12 mins its been 30 and the stupid jazz music is fading in and out

[kaijakitty]

Also, the content/verbiage of the on-hold messages really depends on whether the client insists on writing the script themselves, or if they have Muzak's copywriting dept create it. It can make quite a difference.

[kaijakitty]

FYI - Muzak does offer satellite music for on-hold. It's just up to the individual companies (IE whoever you're calling) if they want to get it, or go for the cheaper generic instrumental music on hold. Muzak has approx 30-40 different music programs -- rock, hip-hop, jazz, blues, classical, latin, etc. Pretty much whatever you can think of, they have it.

[ohanamana]

Fantastic idea. Generally I spend very little time on hold as it's just easier to return their product and move my money where I am valued. You, you, YOU on the other hand are savvy enough to see their money and their solutions that THEY actually might steal your idea. The ones that have those neat approximate wait times know the true cost of a per minute 800 number.

[areyoumad2]

They would just leave you on hold longer, the solution is for people to complain until the company get more staff.

[olddman]

you're cute, and smart too :)

[Rashisha]

Oh my god I love that Idea....

[UberGringo]

I think this is a great video. Well presented and a thought out.