Both individual customers and businesses will seek reassurance they are in safe hands whenever making a purchase that relates to security – anything less might suggest their property will not be properly safeguarded.
This is why it is crucial firms in the sector make a strong first impression through branding and marketing.
But although company owners are well aware of the importance of visual branding, few give enough consideration to how their company sounds and what effect this might have on perceptions of trust.
Audio is rarely regarded as anything more than an afterthought when it comes to marketing and branding. However, hearing is a powerful emotional sense, making sound a strong tool for provoking feelings and, on a business level, enhancing brand recall and recognition while boosting customer satisfaction.
73% of consumers won’t do repeat business with an organisation if their first call wasn’t satisfactorily dealt with
Too few companies harness its value as a key marketing apparatus, perhaps due to the preconception that audio branding is only for large multinational corporations with an unlimited budget at their disposal. Yet, in fact, one of its main uses is through the voice and music heard on the telephone, an essential medium for security firms communicating with potential or existing customers.
The problem, however, lies with how it is implemented. If a caller telephones a business and is left hanging with only repetitive beeps or poor music for company, it creates the wrong image in the customer’s mind.
This forms a long-lasting negative perception which is hard to shake. In fact, a recent study of 1,000 British consumers by PHMG discovered 73% of respondents wouldn’t do repeat business with an organisation if their first call wasn’t satisfactorily dealt with.
It isn’t just as easy as using a random music track or getting an employee to read a script either. Different styles and tones convey different values so it is essential to pick attributes which are congruent with the existing visual branding to strengthen the company’s image and enhance customer service.
When it comes to constructing an audio profile, security firms should approach it much in the same way as they did with the visual branding. Start by considering the desired company values and image and work forwards, creating a bespoke voice and music solution that is unique to the business.
Research has found that the voice of the security industry is a deep-toned, mature male with a calm yet confident delivery. A masculine voice is generally perceived as authoritative and experienced, ideal for portraying the security firm as a reliable business. On the other hand, a female voice is seen as soft and soothing which works best in industries where a comforting tone is needed.
The age of the voice also has different associations. For example, using an older voice portrays dependability and, combined with the male voice, helps to reassure customers of the company’s expertise and reasserts its trustworthiness.
Regional accents can also be harnessed to positive effect. If your business has a strong local identity in a particular geographical area, employing an accent in the audio messages can help speak to callers in a manner they can relate to and induce a sense of belonging in the customer.
Security businesses often choose a popular music track to played over the phone or on their premises, believing that it represents the best way to engage with customers.
However, sound has a potent effect on the subconscious, meaning it has the ability to take the listener back to a certain memory. In simple terms, think of how couples sometimes ‘have a song’’. This is a track which will remind them of each other whenever they hear it.
Equally, a song could trigger a negative recollection of a certain time or moment in their life so using a piece of commercial music is a lottery of the individual’s previous experience of the track and could prove detrimental.
For the security industry, the composition often has an electronic basis to reflect the modernity and innovative nature of the sector
As with voice, there are a number of different attributes – such as volume, tempo and pitch – to consider when it comes to creating a music track.
For the security industry, the composition often has an electronic basis to reflect the modernity and innovative nature of the sector. It also has a professional and corporate style to reassure customers that the business is reliable while a feeling of simplicity is maintained by the minimal arrangements of the track.
Most of us have realised that it’s easy to burn out on songs when they played on repeat. Eventually the freshness of the song disappears, our brain deems it boring and you will start to switch off.
The same goes for audio messages. If a customer hears the same thing each time they ring an organisation, the familiarity will prompt disinterest and the messages will mean nothing and will ultimately hold no business value.
Changing the audio content ensures caller engagement but it can also keep callers up-to-date business information, such as advertising newly-offered security services or promoting recently-gained personnel qualifications. If a clear framework of the ideal tone and style of the voice and music is set out before the process begins, the brand values can still be adhered to while still refreshing the audio identity.
Unlike its visual counterpart, sound works as a subtle marketing tool and customers may assimilate sales messages without even knowing they are doing so. Security companies should consider how brand-congruent voice and music can form an invaluable part of the marketing plan.
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