Insurance companies risk losing custom by playing generic music to customers while they are on hold, and firms are undervaluing the importance of the waiting experience, a new study has revealed.
We all know that waiting on hold is a major bugbear for customers already – previous studies have found that up to a whopping 73% of customers will not do business with a company again if their first call isn’t handled satisfactorily – which could be bad news for some insurers.
“Call handling remains a critically undervalued element of customer service and marketing… Therefore, it is important companies do their utmost to improve the experience,” Mark Williamson, sales and marketing director at audio specialist PHMG, which conducted the latest research, said.
PHMG, which has offices in New York and Chicago, as well as in the UK, audited 360 insurance firms for its research and found that almost half (42%) of insurance companies still leave customers listening to generic music while on hold.
Many even leave customers in silence or subject them to listen to beeps or an ongoing ringing tone.
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“Generic music, beeps, ringing or silence convey a message that the customer is not valued, which will only serve to compound any annoyance felt as a result of being made to wait on hold,” Williamson said.
“It’s essential to give careful consideration to what people hear whenever they make contact with your company,” Williamson said.
Williamson stressed the importance of choosing the right sounds or music when it comes to leaving customers on the phone.
“Hearing is one of our most powerful emotional senses so the sounds customers hear when they call a business will create a long-lasting impression,” he said.
“Every element of a music track, whether tempo, pitch or instrumentation, will stir different emotions so traders should ensure they convey the appropriate brand image.”
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