Making the Most of Music On Hold

Find new ways to maximize return on your on-hold music and messages

You may not give your on hold messages and services much thought. You've chosen your hold music, and your provider, and you're done. But while you may not have to listen to your choices very often, your customers do. Are you making the most of music on hold? Is it a fresh and interesting selling tool for your business, or is it just stand by music and a generic "We'll be with you shortly" message?

On-hold music and messages are not new. Customers have literally heard it all before. How can you reach even the most jaded customer with your on-hold messages and services? And how can you get the most out of your business hold music? Here are three new ideas in on-hold music and messages and on hold music providers.

1. Update your on-hold messages and services to inform and entertain customers.

2. Get on hold music instantly via email.

3. Speak in your own unique voice with industry-custom messaging.

 

Offer something new in music on-hold services to returning customers

Why not let your on-hold message serve as a customer care rep? Include answers to a few FAQs in your message loop, and update them every four to six weeks. Or mix things up a little with a short dramatic audio-play about your business.
Try: Let eNthem create your on-hold messages with their on-staff, professional lyricists. You get to hold the copyright for the final product and use it how you like. See Leave Me On Hold for samples of dramatic mini-plays designed for music on hold services.

Bring your telephone hold music into the digital age

In the old days, on-hold music and messages were recorded onto cassettes and sent to you through the mail. Changes took days or weeks to implement. Now, you can get on-hold music and messages emailed to you in the MP3 format, making it easy to instantly update your on-hold experience.
Try: Easy on Hold offers an analysis of Digital MP3 Email Delivery solutions for business hold music. You can find a variety of Digital Music On Hold players at TWAcomm.com.

Be yourself with custom on-hold messages and services for your industry

When customers call your spa, do they hear an assertive male voice while they're on hold? Why not a calming female voice? Custom-tailoring your on-hold messaging to suit your particular business is a smart move.
Try: Browse different custom messages for industries from casual dining to taxi services at Muzak.com. See Commercials On Hold for samples by industry, with several voice and tone options for each industry.

 

• Augment the professional voice-over artists on your on-hold messaging with your own star turn. Customers like to hear a personal message from a company executive. It makes you more than a name and a number.

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