PROVIDENCE – Those in the Northeast are the most patient when it comes to waiting on hold during calls to businesses, according to a study from PH Media Group, an audio branding specialist.
The study of 2,234 consumers by London-based PH Media Group found that 57 percent of respondents in the region are prepared to wait on hold longer than one minute. That puts Northeasterners slightly ahead of those in the West for the most patient title as 56 percent of those in the West will wait on hold longer than one minute.
In comparison, the study found that both those in the Midwest and South were found to be the least patient with 53 percent willing to consider waiting for more than 60 seconds.
“Traditionally, waiting on hold is perceived as an annoyance for customers, so these figures might come as a surprise, suggesting people in the Northeast [are] fairly patient when waiting to have a query answered,” Mark Williamson, sales and marketing director, PH Media Group, said in a statement.
“The fact that consumers are willing to wait shows that businesses should prioritize improvements to call handling practice rather than necessarily aiming to answer each call within a matter of seconds. When customers do need to be put on hold, it is essential they are kept engaged and entertained. Poor-quality audio messages, beeps or silence will only serve to test their patience. Companies should instead give careful consideration to how they sound over the phone, combining voice and music that reflects their brand with informative, targeted messaging,” he said.
The survey also discovered Northeastern women are more patient than men, with 62 percent willing to remain on the line for longer than a minute, compared with 53 percent of men.
People were also found to become more patient with age. Sixty-three percent of 55- to 64-year-olds in the Northeast are prepared to wait more than 60 seconds compared with less than half, or 45 percent, of 18- to 24-year-olds.
