How to hold on to customers on the phone

Although this is a little better than the average hold time of 33.48 seconds for all business, previous research has found that half of all customers will hang up after waiting just 20 seconds.

“Callers are simply unwilling to wait on the end of the line. These results represent a significant challenge for garages and could pose a threat to profitability,” said PH Media Group Sales and Marketing Director Mark Williamson.

Williamson says it’s inevitable that some customers will have to be placed on hold, but urged garages to think carefully about what to play to callers in these instances.

With 34 percent of callers given silence, and a further 26 percent having to listen to beeps, there is plenty of scope to introduce ‘brand congruent voice and music’ says Williamson.