How Balanced, Compassionate Messages Can Benefit the Company and the Caller
The telephone is often your business’s first line of communication and how you manage in-bound calls determines the relationship you form with callers.
In the funeral services industry, the delicate nature of the calls you receive make the need for an effective yet sensitive solution all the more important. Although your staff work quickly to attend to both at-need and pre-need callers, wait time is often inevitable.
One of the most straightforward, cost-effective ways to ensure you’re meeting the needs of every caller every time is an on-hold messaging service; custom produced messages with professional voice over and music.
On-hold messages are a valuable tool for providing vital information to both at-need and pre-need callers. So how do you create messages that both nurture and inform? Like most things in life, it’s all about balance.
Creating content that is appropriate for both at-need and pre-need callers is the answer.
Many of your callers are in the midst of dealing with the loss of a loved one and don’t want to feel like they’re being “sold” anything during one of the most difficult times in their life. On the other hand, with the rising popularity of pre-planning, many of your calls could be to inquire about these services and you don’t want to miss out on this opportunity. Sharing information not only speaks to the pre-need caller, but can also provide the at-need caller with vital details about the importance of pre-planning their own arrangements and sparing their loved ones the grief that they are currently experiencing.
Through careful, deliberate wording, a qualified on-hold messaging company can help you maintain a compassionate environment while providing valuable information about your services.
Balanced, effective on-hold messages should include:
Direction – Address common questions about funeral etiquette, necessary paperwork, etc. Also, physical directions and other important details about your site.
Support – Provide resources for after-care support, counselor services, and online grief forums. Special holiday and memorial events should be mentioned as well, welcoming callers to join your community and celebrate the life of their departed loved one.
Education – Relay the benefits of pre-planning and how making your final wishes clear spares loved ones from undue stress in the future.
Placing calls “on hold” is a routine part of every business, even funeral homes. By choosing the right tone and pertinent information, you can give value and comfort to your callers while strengthening your brand.
