The short answer
Ask before you put someone on hold, tell them why and roughly how long, and wait for a yes. If it runs longer than you said, come back and give them a choice: keep holding or get a call back. When you return, thank them and pick up where you left off. A simple version: “Would you mind if I put you on a brief hold while I check that? It should be about two minutes.”
Hold is where a good call can go bad. The caller can’t see you working on their problem. All they know is how long the silence or music lasts, and whether anyone told them what was happening. These are lines your team can say word for word, plus a few for live chat.
1. The four steps of a good hold
| Step | What to do | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ask | Ask, don’t announce | “May I put you on a brief hold?” |
| Why and how long | Give the reason and an honest time | “I’m pulling up your order. About two minutes.” |
| Wait | Let them answer before you press hold | “Is that all right?” |
| Come back | Thank them, then give the answer | “Thanks for waiting, Mrs. Lee. Good news…” |
The time matters most. “Just a second” that turns into four minutes feels far longer than an honest “about five minutes”.
2. Scripts for putting a caller on hold
Checking something
“Let me look into that for you. Would you mind if I put you on a brief hold? It should take about two minutes.”
Asking a colleague
“That’s a great question, and I want to get it right. May I put you on hold for a minute or two while I check with [Name]?”
A busy front desk
“Thank you for calling [Business]. I’m helping someone at the desk. Can you hold for just a moment, or would you like me to call you back?”
Before a transfer
“[Name] in our billing team can help you with that. I’m going to put you on a short hold while I let them know what you need, so you won’t have to explain it again.”
3. When it takes longer than you said
Come back before the time you promised runs out, even with no answer yet. A quick update is all it takes:
Checking back
“Thanks for holding. I’m still working on it. I need about two more minutes. Are you OK to keep holding, or would you rather I call you back?”
Offering a call back
“This is going to take a little longer than I thought. Rather than keep you waiting, can I call you back by [time] today? What’s the best number to reach you?”
4. Coming back to the call
With the answer
“Thank you for waiting, [Name]. I found it. Your order shipped this morning, and here’s the tracking number…”
Without the answer
“Thanks for your patience. I don’t have the answer yet, but [Name] does, and I’ve asked them to call you by [time]. Is this still the best number?”
5. When the caller says no to hold
Some callers can’t wait, and that’s fine. Have a plan B ready:
No problem
“No problem at all. Let me take your number and I’ll call you back by [time] with the answer.”
6. Hold messages for live chat
Chat has the same problem as the phone: the customer can’t see you working. Say what you’re doing and how long it will take.
Going to check
“Let me check that for you. It’ll take me about two minutes. I’ll be right back here in the chat.”
Still working on it
“Still on it, thanks for waiting. Just another minute or two.”
Back with the answer
“Thanks for your patience! Here’s what I found…”
7. Lines to drop
- “Hold on.” It’s an order, not a question. Ask instead.
- “One sec.” Nobody means one second. Give a real time.
- “Your call is important to us.” Everyone says it, so callers stop hearing it. Telling them what’s happening and when you’ll be back says the same thing better.
- Hold with no warning. Pressing hold mid-sentence leaves the caller wondering if they’ve been cut off.
8. What callers hear while they wait
Once you press hold, your phone system takes over. Silence makes people think the call has dropped, so most businesses play music with short on-hold messages in between. Those messages are a chance to thank the caller, answer a common question, or point them to your website. My on-hold script examples have ready-made ones you can copy.
Rather not record it yourself?
Phone package from $150
Your main greeting, after-hours message and voicemail (up to about 150 words), recorded by me in my professional studio. Delivered in under 24 hours, in the file format your phone system needs, with one free revision. On-hold messages and full phone menus are quoted.
Short, calm and clear about the wait. More phone and on-hold work.
9. Make it easy for your team
- Print the four steps and keep them by every phone.
- Agree on honest times for common tasks, like “finding an order: about two minutes”.
- Practise the call back offer. It’s the line people forget when they’re busy, and the one callers remember.
What you get from me
Your staff handle the words before and after hold. I can record what callers hear in between: on-hold messages, your main greeting, phone menu and voicemail, all in one voice so the whole line sounds like one company. I record in my own professional booth in Gloucester, Virginia and send each file in the format your phone system asks for. Most phone scripts are delivered in under 24 hours, with one free revision of up to 50 words, plus pickups.
Quick questions
How do you politely put someone on hold?
Ask first, give the reason and an honest time, and wait for a yes: “Would you mind if I put you on a brief hold while I check that? It should be about two minutes.”
How long can you keep a caller on hold?
As long as you said you would, and no longer without checking back. If it’s running long, come back, update them, and offer a call back.
What do you say when you come back from hold?
Thank them, use their name if you have it, and go straight to the answer: “Thanks for waiting, [Name]. I found it.”
What should callers hear while on hold?
Music with short on-hold messages in between, so they know they’re still connected. Avoid silence.
Can you record our on-hold messages?
Yes. Send me the scripts, or tell me what you’d like callers to hear and I’ll help you write them.
Want your hold time to sound better?
Send me your on-hold scripts, or just tell me about your business, and the name of your phone system. You’ll get a free quote, usually within a few hours.
More for phone systems: On-hold script examples and phone greetings · Voicemail greeting examples · Phone, IVR & on-hold voice over