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in-queue_handling [2018/06/20 11:03] miket_forty7ronin.com created |
in-queue_handling [2019/08/08 13:08] (current) lisa.illgen_concentrix.com Added Anchor Links |
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| ==== In-queue Handling ==== | ==== In-queue Handling ==== | ||
| ==== The psychology of waiting for service ==== | ==== The psychology of waiting for service ==== | ||
| - | When an IVR puts a caller in a queue, that caller must wait for service. People are not equally sensitive to the perception of lost time when waiting for service (Kleijnen, de Ruyter, & Wetzels, 2007). Those who are sensitive experience a buildup of anxiety and stress due to a sense of waste and uncertainty inherent in the waiting situation (Osuna, 1985). Findings from psychological studies of waiting for service (Durrande-Moreau, 1999; Unzicker, 1999) indicate: | + | When an IVR puts a caller in a queue, that caller must wait for service. People are not equally sensitive to the perception of lost time when waiting for service ([[references#kleijnen|Kleijnen, de Ruyter, & Wetzels, 2007]]). Those who are sensitive experience a buildup of anxiety and stress due to a sense of waste and uncertainty inherent in the waiting situation ([[references#osuna|Osuna, 1985]]). Findings from psychological studies of waiting for service ([[references# durrande-moreau|Durrande-Moreau, 1999]]; [[references#unzicker|Unzicker, 1999]]) indicate: |
| * Unordered List ItemThe longer the duration, the more negative the wait | * Unordered List ItemThe longer the duration, the more negative the wait | ||
| * Unoccupied time feels longer than occupied time | * Unoccupied time feels longer than occupied time | ||
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| **// Provide an expected wait time //**\\ | **// Provide an expected wait time //**\\ | ||
| - | Most IVRs provide callers with an expected wait time, especially if the estimated wait is over some criterion, such as 30 seconds. Knowing an expected wait time decreases anxiety during the wait. Furthermore, knowing the expected wait time helps the caller decide what to do while waiting. Although the system should provide audio to fill time while the caller waits (next section), many callers on hold pay minimal attention to the system while waiting, and typically pursue secondary time-filling activities such as talking with others in the room, working on email, watching television, etc. (Kortum & Peres, 2007). So, as long as the system can provide a reasonably accurate expected wait time, it should do so. | + | Most IVRs provide callers with an expected wait time, especially if the estimated wait is over some criterion, such as 30 seconds. Knowing an expected wait time decreases anxiety during the wait. Furthermore, knowing the expected wait time helps the caller decide what to do while waiting. Although the system should provide audio to fill time while the caller waits (next section), many callers on hold pay minimal attention to the system while waiting, and typically pursue secondary time-filling activities such as talking with others in the room, working on email, watching television, etc. ([[references#kortum2007|Kortum & Peres, 2007]]). So, as long as the system can provide a reasonably accurate expected wait time, it should do so. |
| **// Optionally provide a Web address, but only if it will be of use to the caller //**\\ | **// Optionally provide a Web address, but only if it will be of use to the caller //**\\ | ||
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| **// Use music to fill the wait //**\\ | **// Use music to fill the wait //**\\ | ||
| - | There has been quite a bit of research on the effect of music on the waiting experience (for a review, see Lewis, 2011, pp. 62-71). The research generally supports the importance of playing music during the wait. Music does not appear to reliably reduce the perception of how much time has passed, but it can make the wait more pleasant, which then increases satisfaction with the wait and attitude toward the service provider. | + | There has been quite a bit of research on the effect of music on the waiting experience (for a review, see [[references#lewis2011|Lewis, 2011]], pp. 62-71). The research generally supports the importance of playing music during the wait. Music does not appear to reliably reduce the perception of how much time has passed, but it can make the wait more pleasant, which then increases satisfaction with the wait and attitude toward the service provider. |
| - | Callers prefer music to simple audio tones (e.g., ticking) or natural sounds (e.g., pouring water) (Fröhlich, 2005; Polkosky, 2001; Polkosky & Lewis, 2002). Regarding the type of music to play, the only research on this topic of which we are aware is Ramos (1993), which suffered from a critical flaw in its experimental design making its results uninterpretable (Lewis, 2011). The Lewis (2011) reanalysis of the data from Ramos (1993) suggests that the different styles of music studied (classical, popular, relaxation, country, and jazz) had no apparent effect on lost call rates. | + | Callers prefer music to simple audio tones (e.g., ticking) or natural sounds (e.g., pouring water) ([[references#fröhlich|Fröhlich, 2005]]; [[references#polkosky2001|Polkosky, 2001]]; [[references#polkoskyl2002|Polkosky & Lewis, 2002]]). Regarding the type of music to play, the only research on this topic of which we are aware is [[references#ramos|Ramos]] (1993), which suffered from a critical flaw in its experimental design making its results uninterpretable ([[references#lewis2011|Lewis, 2011]]). The [[references#lewis2011|Lewis]] (2011) reanalysis of the data from [[references#ramos|Ramos]] (1993) suggests that the different styles of music studied (classical, popular, relaxation, country, and jazz) had no apparent effect on lost call rates. |
| - | There is some evidence that the hold experience is better when music plays that the caller likes. In general, callers prefer music in a major key that matches their expectation of how hold music should sound. Without going overboard, try to match the style of hold music to your typical caller. “The complexities of music and changing styles will keep the selection of hold music more of an art than a science” (Lewis, 2011, p. 70). | + | There is some evidence that the hold experience is better when music plays that the caller likes. In general, callers prefer music in a major key that matches their expectation of how hold music should sound. Without going overboard, try to match the style of hold music to your typical caller. “The complexities of music and changing styles will keep the selection of hold music more of an art than a science” ([[references#lewis2011|Lewis, 2011]], p. 70). |
| If it is possible for callers to experience unusually long hold times, there should probably be some stylistic variation in the music. We know of no published studies, but it seems reasonable that callers will tire of any short musical piece (say, 3 minutes in duration) looped continuously for 15-20 minutes. If you have to deal with this as part of your design, make sure you have an idea of how long the hold times can be and plan accordingly for a long hold. | If it is possible for callers to experience unusually long hold times, there should probably be some stylistic variation in the music. We know of no published studies, but it seems reasonable that callers will tire of any short musical piece (say, 3 minutes in duration) looped continuously for 15-20 minutes. If you have to deal with this as part of your design, make sure you have an idea of how long the hold times can be and plan accordingly for a long hold. | ||
| **// Generally, avoid advertisements and other verbal messaging once the music starts //**\\ | **// Generally, avoid advertisements and other verbal messaging once the music starts //**\\ | ||
| - | Callers appear to find commercials irritating, interpreting them as holding up progress while the ad plays (Fröhlich, 2005). Simple apologies appear to at best provide no measurable benefit to the hold experience and at worst may annoy callers (North et al., 1999). Each time a verbal message begins to play, it potentially tricks the caller into thinking an agent has taken the call, only to immediately disappoint the caller when this turns out not to be the case. See the next item for an exception. | + | Callers appear to find commercials irritating, interpreting them as holding up progress while the ad plays ([[references#fröhlich|Fröhlich, 2005]]). Simple apologies appear to at best provide no measurable benefit to the hold experience and at worst may annoy callers ([[references#north|North et al., 1999]]). Each time a verbal message begins to play, it potentially tricks the caller into thinking an agent has taken the call, only to immediately disappoint the caller when this turns out not to be the case. See the next item for an exception. |
| **// For long expected wait times, consider playing verbal messages that provide a sense of progress in the queue //**\\ | **// For long expected wait times, consider playing verbal messages that provide a sense of progress in the queue //**\\ | ||
| - | Verbal messages that provide a sense of progress in the queue appear to be effective in reducing abandonment rate and increasing caller satisfaction (Munichor & Rafaeli, 2007). To date, we know of no research on the optimal timing of such messages, and they seem likely to apply primarily when expected wait times are fairly long. There is no data on how long an expected wait should be for these messages to be effective rather than disruptive or annoying. | + | Verbal messages that provide a sense of progress in the queue appear to be effective in reducing abandonment rate and increasing caller satisfaction ([[references#munichor|Munichor & Rafaeli, 2007]]). To date, we know of no research on the optimal timing of such messages, and they seem likely to apply primarily when expected wait times are fairly long. There is no data on how long an expected wait should be for these messages to be effective rather than disruptive or annoying. |
| There are two ways to provide verbal information about progress in the queue – the number of people ahead of the caller or the time remaining before service. No published experiments have directly compared these two methods. Rational analysis, however, suggests that the better choice is to tell callers how much longer they should expect to wait. For callers to effectively use information about the number of people ahead of them in line, they would need to know how many service representatives are available to take calls and how long it typically takes to provide service. Customers have this information when they are standing in a line at a bank, but not when they are on the phone. | There are two ways to provide verbal information about progress in the queue – the number of people ahead of the caller or the time remaining before service. No published experiments have directly compared these two methods. Rational analysis, however, suggests that the better choice is to tell callers how much longer they should expect to wait. For callers to effectively use information about the number of people ahead of them in line, they would need to know how many service representatives are available to take calls and how long it typically takes to provide service. Customers have this information when they are standing in a line at a bank, but not when they are on the phone. | ||
| **// Avoid auditory progress bars //**\\ | **// Avoid auditory progress bars //**\\ | ||
| - | Several researchers have experimented with auditory progress bars (APBs), which are “tonal cues that continuously convey information about the time left in the hold queue” (Kortum et al., 2005) – such as pitch or volume. There is some evidence that some types of APBs can reduce the perceived duration of a wait, but caller reaction tends to be strongly against them (Fröhlich, 2005; Kortum et al., 2005), making them unsuitable for use in IVRs (at least, in their current forms). | + | Several researchers have experimented with auditory progress bars (APBs), which are “tonal cues that continuously convey information about the time left in the hold queue” ([[references#kortum2005|Kortum et al., 2005]]) – such as pitch or volume. There is some evidence that some types of APBs can reduce the perceived duration of a wait, but caller reaction tends to be strongly against them ([[references#fröhlich|Fröhlich, 2005]]; [[references#kortum2005|Kortum et al., 2005]]), making them unsuitable for use in IVRs (at least, in their current forms). |
| - | Kortum and Peres (2006) conducted a study of an alternative to APBs, matching known musical selections from the Billboard Top 40 to estimated wait times so the song fit in the expected wait. Participants in that experiment estimated wait times as accurately as with the best APBs (about 50% overestimation) and rated satisfaction with a musical filler significantly better than any of the tonal APBs. | + | [[references#kortum2006|Kortum and Peres]] (2006) conducted a study of an alternative to APBs, matching known musical selections from the Billboard Top 40 to estimated wait times so the song fit in the expected wait. Participants in that experiment estimated wait times as accurately as with the best APBs (about 50% overestimation) and rated satisfaction with a musical filler significantly better than any of the tonal APBs. |
| ==== Handling requests for agents while on hold ==== | ==== Handling requests for agents while on hold ==== | ||