How to Talk to Customers During Waits: Scripts, Metrics, and Operational Best Practices

Why clear communication during waits matters

When customers enter a queue, the quality of what they hear in the first 5–30 seconds determines perceived service quality more than the total wait length. Contact-center studies and industry benchmarks use the “80/20” service-level rule (answer 80% of calls within 20 seconds) because early communication reduces abandonment and negative post-call sentiment. Operationally, clear messaging reduces repeat calls and email surges that cost an average support organization between $4 and $16 per incoming contact depending on channel complexity and region.

Transparent wait messaging also directly affects conversion and retention. In retail and financial services, abandonment during peak hours can exceed 10–18% if callers are not offered alternatives; by contrast, centers that offer scheduled callbacks and real-time estimated wait times typically reduce abandonment by 30–50%. For marketing, this means improved Net Promoter Score (NPS) and fewer lost sales — useful when a single resolved phone sale may be worth $40–$400 depending on ticket size.

Essential things to say while customers wait

Customers need three things while waiting: an accurate estimate of expected wait time, an alternative (callback, chat, FAQ), and periodic assurance that their call hasn’t been forgotten. Start with a concise promise (“Your estimated wait is 2 minutes”) and follow up every 60–90 seconds with progress updates or position-in-queue if the estimate changes. Do not promise exact seconds unless your system can reliably deliver it — use ranges (e.g., “about 2 minutes”) to avoid broken expectations.

Language should be human, not robotic. Use: acknowledgment (“I appreciate your patience”), transparency (“There are four callers ahead of you”), and options (“Press 1 for a callback at no charge, press 2 to continue waiting”). Avoid filler like “Your call is important to us” without action; combine that phrase with meaningful choices. Keep each on-hold message to 15–20 seconds to respect time and reduce perceived wait.

Concise, actionable on-hold scripts (use as-is or adapt)

• Immediate answer (IVR connect): “Thank you for calling Acme Customer Solutions. If you know your party’s extension, dial it now. For account support, press 2. For sales, press 3. Estimated wait to speak with an agent: about 2 minutes. To receive a callback, press 1. You can also visit www.acmecustomersolutions.com/support.” Example contact: 1-800-555-0123; HQ: 123 Service Ave, Suite 400, Austin, TX 78701.
• After 30 seconds on hold: “We’re still working to connect you. Your estimated wait remains about 2 minutes. Again, press 1 for a callback at this number. We appreciate your patience.” Keep tone calm, slightly apologetic, but confident.
• After 2–3 minutes: “Thanks for holding. A specialist will be with you shortly. If you prefer not to wait, we can call you back — press 1 now and we’ll keep your place in queue.” Offer chat URLs or business hours if outside peak support windows.
• Escalation-ready phrase (agent to customer returning after hold): “Thanks for waiting, Ms. Jones. I reviewed your account while you were on hold and here’s what I can do…” This shows proactivity and reduces repetition.

Operational metrics and targets to measure

Track these KPIs consistently and display them on dashboards updated every 60–300 seconds: Average Speed of Answer (ASA), Abandonment Rate, Service Level (e.g., 80% in 20 seconds), Average Handle Time (AHT), and First Contact Resolution (FCR). Set practical targets: ASA ≤20 seconds during business hours, abandonment ≤5% in mature programs, AHT 4–8 minutes for complex support, and FCR ≥70% for technical products. Benchmarks vary by industry—retail peaks will have shorter AHT; B2B technical support will be longer.

Use cost-based KPIs to justify investments: calculate cost-per-contact (agent hourly rate ÷ contacts per hour) and compare that to lost-revenue cost of abandonment. For example, if an agent’s fully loaded cost is $25/hour and they handle 10 contacts/hour, cost per contact is $2.50; if abandoned calls lead to 0.5 lost sales per 100 calls at $100 average order value, you can quantify cost of reducing ASA via callback technology or staffing.

Technology, routing and process improvements

Invest in three capabilities to improve wait experience: accurate estimated wait time (EWT) engines, virtual hold/callback, and dynamic IVR routing that promotes self-service when appropriate. EWT engines use real-time traffic, agent availability and AHT to produce ranges; good ones are accurate within ±60 seconds 80% of the time. Virtual hold reduces abandoned calls by offering callers the option to be called back while preserving queue position; implement this when average waits exceed 45–60 seconds.

Routing logic should use skill-based routing plus overflow plans: route to Tier 1 for 60–90 seconds, then to overflow teams or callback. Log every on-hold message and play variants for different wait stages. Ensure licensing for on-hold music (ASCAP/BMI compliance in the U.S.) and test messages with A/B tests (measure abandonment, time-to-resolution, and post-contact CSAT).

Training, tone and governance

Agents should be trained to re-set expectations after holds with a 3-step script: apology/acknowledgment, summary of what was done while customer waited, and next steps. Example: “Thank you for holding. I reviewed your billing history and I’m ready to help. Here’s how we’ll proceed…” Role-play these transitions in 15-minute daily coaching huddles; track agent-specific hold handling via QA scoring (target >90% compliant).

Create a governance checklist: update wait-time messages weekly during seasonal peaks, audit callback fulfillment within 30 minutes, and publish a monthly report with ASA, abandonment, and callback success rates. Example governance contact: Service Ops Lead — Jamie Rivera, [email protected], (512) 555-0199. For vendor evaluation, collect SLA proofs that guarantee EWT accuracy, callback completion ≥98%, and 99.9% IVR uptime.

What is proper verbiage?

An AI Overview is not available for this searchCan’t generate an AI overview right now. Try again later.AI Overview The correct spelling is verbiage (v-e-r-b-i-a-g-e), which is a noun meaning excessive or technical words or a particular style of words. The spelling “verbage” is a common misspelling that should be avoided.
  What is verbiage?

• Excessive words: The most common meaning of verbiage refers to an unnecessarily large number of words, often making speech or writing wordy and difficult to understand. 
• Technical language: It can also refer to words that are too technical or specialized, creating jargon that a layperson might not comprehend. 
• Style or phrasing: In a more neutral sense, verbiage can describe the style or manner of composing sentences and using words, essentially referring to the wording or phrasing itself. 

Why “verbage” is incorrect 

• “Verbage” is not a recognized word in the English language.
• The misspelling likely results from mispronunciation, where the “i” sound is dropped when speaking quickly, leading to the incorrect “verb-ij” pronunciation and spelling.
• To remember the correct spelling, think of the word “i” being in the correct form, as in “I should use the word verbiage,” according to BusinessWritingBlog.

Examples of verbiage in a sentence

• Excessive verbiage: Opens in new tab”The legal document was full of technical verbiage that was hard to understand”. 
• Neutral verbiage: Opens in new tab”The final verbiage of the company’s mission statement was carefully crafted”. 

AI responses may include mistakes. Learn moreVerbage vs. Verbiage: What’s the Difference? – Writing Explained Verbage vs. Verbiage: What’s the Difference? * What does verbage mean? Verbage is not a word. Any time you are thinking about usi…Writing ExplainedWhat Is Verbiage? | Grammarly BlogVerbiage, pronounced VER-be-ij, is a noun that comes from the Middle French word verbier, which meant “to chatter.” The most commo…Grammarly(function(){
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What is a good verbiage for customer service?

“Thank you for being our customer.” “Thank you for contacting us for help. If this problem arises again, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.” “If you have any further questions and we’re not online, you can always check out our extensive help center.”

What is a good quote for customer service?

“Put yourself in their shoes.” “Always have an attitude of gratitude.” “The sole reason we are in business is to make life less difficult for our clients.” “Always begin with ‘So that I can better serve you, do you mind if I ask a few questions?”

What is a better way to say customer service?

Terminology. Today, we have dozens of terms for this basic idea, including customer support, customer success, client relations, and support service. Most of these are fairly interchangeable.

How long should I wait for customer service?

Generally, customers expect hold times to be no longer than two to three minutes.

What are positive statements for customer service?

Examples of Positive Words in Customer Service
“I will definitely make sure that it gets sorted…” “I will quickly run through this with you…” “That is a fantastic way to look at it…” “Great news!”