PRESS RELEASE
Savvy Businesses Put Holiday Greetings On Hold
Holdcom Helps Customers Promote Sales and Spread Cheer during Holiday Rush
GLEN ROCK, NJ - December 8, 2003 – Gearing up for the holiday season is big business. Retailers extend hours, add sales help and decorate on a grand scale. Catalogue companies and call centers, too, staff up to handle the spike in calls and orders. Even offices get in the spirit with holiday galas for staffers and clients, and holiday cards and customer appreciation gifts.
But there’s another holiday preparation that often gets overlooked: changing the message callers hear when they contact the company during the holidays.
“Many businesses spend tons of money to promote their products and brand during the holidays, but don’t leverage the potential of their telephone systems as marketing tools and a means to build goodwill year-round,” said Neil Fishman, president of Holdcom, a leading provider of message on hold services based in Glen Rock, NJ. “There’s more hold time during the holidays due to the increased volume of business, so it makes sense to use that time wisely.”
Research shows that 70 percent of all business calls are placed on hold. And, after only 58 seconds of silence, the average caller perceives he or she has been on hold for over two minutes. The good news is message-on-hold programs reduce caller hang-ups by 40 percent and increase the time callers will wait, allowing them to hear messages for special offers, new products and seasonal greetings.
Fishman said the types of holiday greetings customers request vary from business to business. Some companies simply play holiday music as background to their existing messages, while others take the opportunity to thank customers and wish them a healthy and safe new year. Some clients prefer a customized approach tailored to their businesses.
“We produced a message on hold for a client in the veterinary supply business that featured dogs barking to the tune of Jingle Bells,” he said. “Another company asked us to develop a script using every employee’s name in ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,’ crafted for the lumber business.”
Holdcom has been providing audio marketing services to businesses and organizations since 1987. Begun as a partnership between two musical theatre writers and producers, the company has grown to include a full-time staff of script consultants and copywriters, an experienced, in-house production team, and a dedicated customer service group. Specializing in message on hold and voice production for telecommunications, Holdcom serves more than 6,000 clients nationwide including Verizon Wireless, Madison Square Garden and the National Basketball Association.
Though many holiday messages are primarily entertaining, most messages on hold are designed to help each client maximize communications year-round with both customers and prospects. “Message on hold service offers an effective way for any organization to influence, motivate and communicate with callers while they’re on hold,” Fishman said. “It keeps people on the line and often impacts the bottom line.”
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About Holdcom
Holdcom, a leading provider of message on hold services, is a privately- held New Jersey corporation based in Glen Rock. With more than 20 employees and some of the most respected voice talent in the industry, Holdcom has more than 6,000 clients for its audio marketing services including voice production for telecommunications and the Internet, copywriting and multi-lingual recording. Find more information on the Web at www.holdcom.com.
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