Most companies are failing to make a good lasting impression on customers. A lot of them are known for all the wrong reasons. Customer service is one of the keys to a successful business, but unfortunately businesses are doing a bad job at it. We’ve wasted billions of minutes on hold, waiting to talk to a live person. We’ve all been victims of pressing 1,2,3 and getting disconnected. It’s time to bring the 800 number to an end. Businesses can do better. Customers deserve better.
ATT invented the 800 number, this group wanted to bring this to light in a humorous demonstration/protest
“Can you please hold the line!”, “Could you hold on please?” or “Just a moment please.” are some of the most frustrating words you don’t want to hear from customer service reps. If you are desperate for a solution to you problem, you could be on the line for a very long.
Nobody likes to be put on hold. It’s frustrating. Don’t try and convince the customer that it’s really not as bad as he or she thinks. Really! Is that how you want to approach it. That feels like patronising, which makes things worse. And guess what, when the call ends, your customer could be heading to Facebook or Twitter with a message to your prospective clients. And bad reputation sells. A bad customer review spreads faster than a good one. It’s your own interest to deliver your most amazing customer support. You don’t want to be that company with a negative reputation.
53% of Americans say they spend 10 to 20 Minutes on hold every week, which adds up to 13 hours annually. In the same survey, 86% consumers report being put on hold every time they call a business. And a further 71% of people are tremendously annoyed when they can’t get a live customer service agent.
Nobody likes picking up a phone just to make a random call. Some customers even try to do something about it before calling customer service. You made the product, so you are in a better position to fix it, do your job and get them the help as soon as possible. It’s in your own interest if your customers are happy. They will sing your song in a social room.
If your customers are calling, they have genuine reasons for making contact. The longer your customers wait on hold, the more frustrated they become. And be rest assured that the bad experience they received at the other end of the line will be shared with their friends and most likely their social audience. It’s now more important than ever to get closer to your customers than ever.
In the past, customer had little or no option but to call customer service. Now, you have lots of options. Making a call is now the sixth most common use for a mobile phone, according to a Hailo survey. The same survey also noted that texts, emails and even the alarm clock are more popular than calls. As of January 2015, more than 30 billion messages are sent a day on whatsapp– that’s 50% more than every text sent on every carrier across the world.
Time is money, it’s precious, yet there is no accountability for these companies to respect and value our time. Holdnomore.org has launched a movement against brands who have no regard for their customers and their precious time. Go check out the site and nominate the brands who’ve kept you on hold and give them a taste of their own music.
Join the #HoldNoMore campaign. Post your worst hold face to help end 800! #holdface #holdnomore.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Holdnomore.org. The opinions and text are all mine.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Holdnomore.org. The opinions and text are all mine.