I Object---Overruled!

There are a handful of objections we get over and over again, mostly birthed out of an honest mis-understanding of the message-on-hold application and opportunity.

My favorite objection though has to be the one where they tell me "We really try not to put people on hold!"

Good for you!

The first business person I encounter who responds to my product offering with an enthusiastic "YES....that's just what I've been looking for since keeping our callers on hold is the cornerstone of our marketing campaign" will be the first person to see me curl up into the fetal position, start sucking my thumb and whimpering while rocking back and forth, for I will have given up on mankind as a whole.

That isn't going to happen.

Guess what? I try not to get a cavity. I try to hit all green lights and I try not to get sued. I think you get the point.

When the inevitable happens and you have to put someone on hold or transfer a call, don't aggravate the situation you've tried to avoid altogether in the first place!

See, the folks who say that they "really try not to put people on hold" are my perfect candidate! They just don't know it yet.

I was talking with someone just today who works at a local hearing-aid center. I said to him, "You know, we talked to your company several years ago and you guys gave us a legitimate objection that we couldn't overcome." He said, "Really, let me guess...because we want a live person to answer the phone?" (Honest mistake.) "No" I said, "We provide the messages your callers hear once the phone has been answered and the call is put on hold or is transferred!"

"Oh, OK" he said, "I get it. I bet it was because they're only on hold for 15 seconds!!" (Another good, honest answer...but wrong as well.) I said "No, that wasn't it and actually, that isn't a real strong objection either! Let me sit here with you for 15 seconds and not say a word...15 seconds is an ETERNITY in silence isn't it?" Nodding his head in agreement, I could see he was trying to figure out what objection they offered up to us that we couldn't address.

I looked at him and said, "Your patients all have hearing losses. Your company didn't want to run the risk of confusing them if they heard a voice on hold. So your company just plays music. That is a sound and logical reason to not play messages on hold!!"

Here's my challenge to you: submit your objections, c'mon give me the best you got. Let me see if I can legitimately address them. If I can't, as in the application above, I will professionally defer to your unique situation.

So bring 'em on....let the objection submission begin!!!