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Thread: On hold messaging.

  1. #1
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    On hold messaging.

    Just got off the phone with a member and they put me on hold. To keep me entertained while on hold they were playing their local radio station over the phone. It just happened that one of their competitors was advertising on that station at that exact time. I got an education on the other practice while on hold to talk with them. This happens to me at least a couple of times a year.

    Don't let this happen to your practice. If you don't already have an on hold message about your practice it is not very expensive. You have a captive audience so take advantage of it and market your practice and your services to them.

    I have no vested interest in any on hold message company.

  2. #2
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    Nothing, absolutely nothing irratates a customer or patient more than to be put on hold and have to listen to endless commercials for the business's enterprises.
    Rule #1: Answer the phone and find out who is on the other end and what they need (we are mascarading as a medical practice, you know. The patient might acutally have a problem that requires immeadiate attention!). Then if you do need to put the patient on hold, but only after you have determined this is a permissable thing to do.

    Second most important wrong: Answering: "Drs. Smith & Jones, would you hold please." This before you find out what the problem is.


    Chip

    Chip

  3. #3
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    Chip,
    you are absolutely right about the need to ask to put someone on hold. But, if you have to they might as well be listening to what you want them to be versus something you don't.

  4. #4
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Barry Santini's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ADO View Post
    ..."You have a captive audience so take advantage of it..."
    Gee...sounds like the thinking behind the big vendors that we all deal with.

    Never leave any money on the table. Unless, of course, your own personal worth as a human being counts for anything.

    Nothing personal intended here.

    We've got to ween ourselves from the "MARKET MARKET MARKET" mantra, please!

    Barry

  5. #5
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    Not expected from Barry.

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Santini View Post
    Gee...sounds like the thinking behind the big vendors that we all deal with.

    Never leave any money on the table. Unless, of course, your own personal worth as a human being counts for anything.

    Nothing personal intended here.

    We've got to ween ourselves from the "MARKET MARKET MARKET" mantra, please!

    Barry
    Barry,

    My point was to not let the competition sell themselves to your customer.

    I would sleep well knowing that I have educated my customers about my services while they were on hold. They may even learn about my extended hours that would allow them to not be away from work and miss that pay.

    Marketing can be so much more then a money grab!

    Or it can be an opportunity tell them about these new FF SV lenses that are so great they will see through walls.

  6. #6
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Barry Santini's Avatar
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    Yeah, I *knew* my reply was too crabby!

    You make some good points, ADO.
    I used to have message on hold.
    But My clients told me loud & clear that they didn't want it, and preferred to speak to a human being, or hold (a short time) in silence.

    FWIW

    Barry

  7. #7
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    Maybe you can put some jokes on the line when they are on hold. May get them laughing. Especially dirty jokes.

  8. #8
    Ophthalmic Optician
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    You can't win with on-hold messages.

    If it's music it's the wrong type. If it's info it's a commercial.

    What's wrong with a little bit of silence? Just don't leave 'em hanging!:finger:
    Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry

  9. #9
    OptiBoard Professional RT's Avatar
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    Theoretically if you rebroadcast a radio station, you owe royalties to the artists whose songs are performed.
    RT

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