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A hold function that is convenient when you cannot answer a question from the other party immediately or when you want to confirm.
It can be tempting to rely on it when you are in trouble while answering the phone , but don’t overuse it.
In the first place, holding is to keep the other party on the phone waiting.
If you use it at the wrong time, it can make the other person feel uncomfortable.
Make sure you understand the purpose of the hold , how to use it effectively to make the phone call smoother , and how to avoid complaints.
Purpose of hold
In what situations would you use hold when answering the phone in your business?
- If you are not in charge or do not understand, you want the appropriate person to take over
- I can handle it if I check it, so I need a little time
- I can’t decide on my own, so I want to consult someone and decide how to deal with it
The main purpose of a hold is to give time to prepare for the next response if the person answering the call cannot answer immediately.
The other party will have to wait for a while, but it is possible because there is an expectation that the purpose will be achieved and the question will be resolved after the suspension.
- The original person in charge or someone with knowledge answers the phone and responds
- Understand the results of your research and solve your doubts
- The best response is decided after discussion and consultation
For this reason, in the situation where “no solution or progress has been made despite being kept waiting for a long time”, the other party will be left waiting.
When putting on hold, always try to think about what value you can provide to the other party.
[By case] Flow of suspension response
Let’s look at the flow of actually putting a call on hold for each case.
When transferring a call to the person in charge
At the company, I have to take calls for matters that I am not in charge of.
If there is a designated person in charge, or if you hear the matter and it is a matter of another person in charge, we will put it on hold and handle the call .
When forwarding by extension
This is the flow when transferring a call by extension.
With general business phones, it is often the case that the call is put on hold and then transferred.
- Say “I will connect you to the person in charge, so I will put it on hold” and press the hold button
- dial the contact’s extension
- When the person in charge appears, explain the matter and ask if it is okay to transfer the call.
- Hang up the handset to complete the call transfer
If the person in charge is on another floor or far away, make sure you can answer the call now before transferring the call.
When switching to a nearby representative
If the person in charge is nearby, it is faster to call out directly and take over.
Business phones have buttons with numbers such as “Hold 1”, “Hold 2”, and so on, so that multiple calls can be put on hold .
If you tell the person in charge the number of the button whose lamp was lit when you put it on hold , you can take it off hold and answer it at another seat .
- Say “I will connect you to the person in charge, so I will put it on hold” and press the hold button
- Talk to the person in charge and tell them “hold number 1”
- When the person in charge presses “Hold 1” at his desk, the hold is released
when doing research
If you need to look something up while answering the phone , put the call on hold .
The guideline for using hold is when the content is enough to finish the investigation within 30 seconds.
If it takes longer than that, the other party will have to pay for the call, so basically it is better to call back.
Also, if you tell the other party why you are holding it, and hold it after obtaining the other party’s approval , the other party will be convinced.
- After getting the other party’s approval, “I will check it, so is it okay to put it on hold?”, press the hold button.
- Do research in about 30 seconds
- Release the hold, apologize for making you wait, and then proceed to the matter.
When you don’t have enough time to research
Even if you don’t know even after researching or if you don’t have enough time, set a break for about 30 seconds and check whether the other person wants to turn back or wait.
- “I have done some research, but it looks like it will take a little longer.
If the other party wants to wait as it is, it is assumed that it will be short.
Let’s tell the estimated time, “It will take about 0 minutes,” and wait after you agree.
When you need help
Holds are also useful when you need to talk to your manager or other people about how to handle the situation.
If you feel like you can’t make the decision on your own, put the phone on hold and talk to someone in a position to help.
Depending on the content, it may be necessary to take over the correspondence.
The hold rule for consultations is basically within 30 seconds, just like the case of research, so use hold when you know that the person you want to consult is nearby and you can come to a conclusion in a short time .
If you anticipate that it will take some time, such as when your boss or another person in charge is busy, or when a discussion is likely to be necessary, you can avoid wasting time by calling back.
[Caution] Cases that lead to complaints
There may be many people who find it convenient to put their phone on hold, but it is important to keep in mind that holding your phone while answering the phone can unexpectedly cause complaints.
Let’s look at an example of how to use holds that are prone to complaints.
Long hold/frequently
If the call is put on hold for a long time, or if the call is put on hold repeatedly during the same call, the other party will become increasingly irritated.
In the case of a call from the other party, the other party will be charged for the call on hold , so some people may not be able to endure being kept waiting unreasonably.
If you are likely to have to wait for a long time for your own reasons, it is good manners to hang up and call you back.
Noisy music on hold
Some people find clattering music on hold or endless one-sided announcements annoying.
What kind of noise you find annoying depends on your personal taste, but if you keep the other person waiting, you’re putting the cart before the horse.
It is safe to choose music on hold that you can listen to without doing anything for 20 to 30 seconds.
be passed around
“Tarai-mawashi” is the most likely to result in complaints over the phone .
I was told, ‘I’m not in charge of this,’ and was put on hold and another person came out, but I didn’t know who that person was.
Customers have to tell the same story over and over again with each new caller, and they end up getting sick of it.
To avoid duplication, the first person to answer the call should be responsible for the last call, or they should find the best person to call and make a referral.
If you don’t know the person in charge or if you can’t get through because they are absent, don’t respond haphazardly, tell them that the person in charge will get back to you later, check the original person in charge, and respond directly. is certain.
I heard the conversation that should have been put on hold
I thought I was on hold and had a conversation, but it wasn’t on hold and I could hear the entire conversation…
It is a situation that makes you turn pale just by imagining it.
To avoid such accidents, after pressing the hold button, make sure that the hold lamp lights up properly before talking.
Points to keep in mind while answering a call
When putting a call on hold , it is necessary to be aware that “waiting” = “using the other person’s precious time.”
Not many people like being kept waiting.
Remember to be considerate of others when on hold .
put a disclaimer before withholding
If you have a lot of experience in answering business calls, or if you have made an inquiry call, you may have a vague idea of ”Don’t put it on hold” if you are told “Please wait a moment” on the phone. However, it would be more courteous to say “I’m going to put it on hold” before hitting the hold button .
Sudden on hold without notice may interrupt the person who was still trying to say something.
When using hold , say “I will put you on hold” and then press the hold button.
giving reasons for holding
Tell the other party the reason for the hold, such as “I will put it on hold because I will connect you to the person in charge” or “I will put it on hold because I will check it” .
It feels very long to be kept waiting without knowing what it is .
If you know that the caller is forwarding the call to you and that they are looking into it, you can wait with peace of mind even if it takes a while.
Hold time up to 30 seconds
If you put it on hold here , it cannot be canceled by the other party .
If the hold time is too long, some people get frustrated and some even hang up while they are on hold.
In business etiquette, it is said that the maximum hold time is 30 seconds.
If you wait 30 seconds while listening to music, it feels longer than you imagined.
If it takes more than 30 seconds, cancel the hold once and tell them that it will take a while longer.
If the customer approves, you can wait, but if it looks like it will take a long time, you can ask them to call you back, as it will cost you money. It’s better to do it without burdening the other person.
Apologize after releasing the hold
Even tens of seconds on hold can seem long to the person waiting.
After canceling the hold , don’t get straight to the point, and apologize by saying, “Thank you for waiting.”
AI supports phone calls !
It is convenient to put the call on hold , but the other party has to wait, and we have to deal with the trouble of intermediary and research.
If possible, it would be more beneficial for both the other party and you to connect the call smoothly without putting it on hold.
In NEC Networks & System Integration’s call forwarding service “Canario,” AI is in charge of the primary response to calls.
The name of the designated person in charge is voice-recognized and transferred directly to the mobile phone, eliminating the need for intermediary work at the company.
If the person in charge is unable to respond, the message will be converted into text and sent, so cooperation is smooth.
Minimize unnecessary waiting time and realize stress-free phone calls.
Article Summary
We have summarized the points when using hold for telephone correspondence.
- Holds need to be resolved instead of making the other person wait
- Holds that are too long or too frequent are sources of complaints.
- Don’t forget to be considerate so that the other party can wait comfortably.
The hold function, which allows you to secure the time you need while answering a call, can be a powerful ally for answering calls if used properly.