How can you handle long wait times on hold?
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If you work in customer support, you know how frustrating it can be to deal with long wait times on hold. Whether you are calling another company for assistance, or your customers are waiting to reach you, long hold times can damage your reputation, increase your stress, and lower your satisfaction. In this article, we will share some tips on how to handle long wait times on hold, both as a caller and as a provider of customer support.
Before you make or receive a call, make sure you have all the information and tools you need to handle the issue. For example, if you are calling another company, have your account number, order number, or any other relevant details ready. If you are receiving a call, have your CRM system, knowledge base, or any other resources open and accessible. This way, you can avoid wasting time on hold while you look for something or transfer the call to someone else.
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Nayeem Khan
Senior Manager Business Growth Digital Learning Products at BYJU'S (Think & Learn Pvt. Ltd.)
Handling long wait times on hold can be frustrating, but there are several strategies you can use to make the experience more bearable 1. Stay Patient 2. Multi Task 3. Queue Status Update 4. Explore Online Resources 5. Time your Call 6. Stay Polite and Respectful 7. Follow up
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Tal Porat
Senior Collector at Schindler Israel
In my experience at older jobs, all of the comments are true. Firstly, gather all the information or the details to what is needed including tools, prospects, and especially needs for getting the result or other words the target for that particular call. Secondly, be polite but also a listener to the receiver of the call (answers, requests). Thirdly, put a line between you and the receiver at what point or step are you in. Lastly, the final step is to solve the solution and also give him a solution for the next calls for how you are going to contact or code questions for future understanding. Be focus with him so the relationship for these understanding (questions and answers) will be easier and delightful
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No matter how long you have to wait on hold, always be polite and respectful to the other party. Remember, they are not responsible for the hold time, and they are trying to help you or your customer. Use courteous language, such as "please", "thank you", and "I appreciate your patience". Avoid expressing anger, frustration, or sarcasm, as this can escalate the situation and make it harder to resolve. Instead, focus on finding a solution and building rapport.
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Paul Eder, PhD
TOP, TOP VOICE 🔥 79x LinkedIn Top Voice 🔥 Author of FIRESTARTERS 🔥 I've Generated $20M+ in Consulting Revenue | AI, Data, and Change Champion | Artificial Intelligence | President - High Value, LLC | ENTP
If a long wait time is anticipated, always have another task ready to work on. If you view the 'waiting' as your sole task, it can be extremely frustrating. But it doesn't have to be that way if you plan ahead.
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Andrew Grushetsky
Content Development Executive at Mendel Chemicals
Being polite on hold is like a secret superpower! 🦸♂️📞 It's not just 'please' and 'thank you,' it's about building a customer connection even when you're on hold limbo. Remember, you're not just resolving an issue; you're crafting an experience. So, 'patience-you-must-have' and keep the 'courteous force' strong. The hold time might be long, but the politeness is your lightsaber! 💫😄
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If you are facing long wait times on hold, don't just sit there and do nothing. Use the time to do something productive, such as checking your emails, updating your notes, or completing other tasks. You can also use the time to communicate with your customer or the other party, if possible. For example, you can send them a text message, an email, or a chat message to let them know that you are still on the line and working on their issue. You can also ask them if they have any questions or concerns that you can address while you wait.
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Andrew Grushetsky
Content Development Executive at Mendel Chemicals
Proactivity during hold times is the secret sauce of a customer support superhero! 🦸♀️💼 Why waste precious minutes when you can tackle emails, plan world domination, or even draft your Nobel-winning speech? 🏆 And let's not forget the potential for on-hold 'micro-chats' with customers – who says hold time can't be an opportunity for small talk?
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Koumis Poyiadjis
COO at REVSTO
Being proactive during long hold times is valuable. It maximizes your efficiency by allowing you to multitask and complete other tasks, improving productivity. However, it's crucial to maintain the right balance; while engaging with customers or colleagues is useful, be mindful not to overload yourself with too many tasks, potentially affecting your ability to focus and provide quality service. Ensure that your communication is concise and professional to convey that you're still attentive to their needs.
Sometimes, long wait times on hold are unavoidable, and you have to accept that you can't control everything. In such cases, you have to be flexible and adapt to the situation. For example, if you are calling another company and the hold time is too long, you can ask them to call you back when they are available, or you can try a different contact channel, such as email or chat. If you are receiving a call and the hold time is too long, you can offer your customer an alternative option, such as scheduling a callback, sending them an email with the solution, or directing them to a self-service option.
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Koumis Poyiadjis
COO at REVSTO
Flexibility is key during long hold times, but there are considerations. While adapting to the situation is important, it should not become a routine practice. Ideally, companies should aim to minimize hold times and improve service efficiency. Offering call-back options or suggesting alternative contact channels is beneficial. However, it's vital to strike a balance. Frequent rescheduling or redirection might inconvenience customers, so a proactive approach to reducing hold times remains essential. Flexibility should complement, not replace, efficient service delivery.
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Donna Keenan
One way to manage long wait times is to utilise email instead waiting for your call to be answered. Many organisations will tell you how long their queue is - and it can make your experience more productive if you put the enquiry in writing. This is especially useful when it comes to making a complaint or requiring a response.
Finally, one of the most important skills to handle long wait times on hold is empathy. Empathy means putting yourself in the other person's shoes and understanding their feelings and needs. By showing empathy, you can make the other person feel valued, respected, and heard. You can also reduce their frustration and anxiety, and increase their trust and loyalty. To show empathy, you can use phrases such as "I understand how you feel", "I apologize for the inconvenience", and "I appreciate your cooperation".
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Koumis Poyiadjis
COO at REVSTO
Empathy is indeed a vital skill during long hold times. Understanding and acknowledging the customer's feelings is essential for providing excellent service. Expressing empathy helps customers feel valued and respected, fostering trust and loyalty. However, it's important to ensure that empathy is genuine and not just a script. While phrases like "I understand how you feel" can be useful, they should be backed by meaningful actions to address their concerns effectively. True empathy goes beyond words, focusing on tangible solutions to improve their experience.
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Jasrina Allion-Wallace
Customer Success | Inclusive Leader | Ex-Shopify
Empathy is such an essential skill in customer relations. I find that when paired with active listening, it can massively impact a customers experience and de-escalate their frustration.
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Mayumi Inoue
Customer Service Representative at Ibex Davao
One thing I've found helpful with regard to long wait times on hold is to get back to the customers from time to time to assure them that I am still on the other line working to help them resolve their concern. Sometimes, I do inform them of the things that I'm doing or walk them through to make them feel involved so long as it does not compromise the company's data privacy policy since I know that waiting on the other line with that hold tune can sometimes cause anxiety and makes us feel blind sided.
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Safira Amin
Customer Success Leader | Driving Customer Excellence and Retention | Powering Prosperity for Customers
Keeping customers on hold is a 1990’s problem in the area of customer support - the technological era has opened up so many doors in this space the experiences that can delivered in this situation are incredible. Here are Some high level options - I find that upfront messaging on the current wait time and presenting an option to leave a phone number for a call back without losing your position in the queue is the most impactful. Secondly , providing an exit into any self help resources is also an option and there are many more based on the type of product or service you are looking for help on. Though it is critical that any deflection option being provided is supported - the call back does happen or the self help resources are perfect etc
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