The Complete Buyers Guide for Custom On Hold Messages

Are you shopping for on hold messages and finding it very confusing? I don’t blame you. After all, there are many choices out there, plus a lot of technical terms and know-how that  the average laymen is likely unfamiliar with such as pbx, key, analog, hosted voip, moh, adaptors, ulaw, vox, and so on…. But the the upside you have made the decision to make the most of on hold time at your business, and for that we applaud. you. We’ve developed the Complete Buyers Guide for Custom On Hold Messages to provide some clarifications and to help you get started.

For the on hold message newbie.

There’s a tremendous amount of studies and evidence that show custom on hold messages is a great way for businesses to improve the caller experience. As you embark upon your journey to search a professional on hold messaging service provider there are several things you’ll need to know, so that you make an informed decision. We cover some of these important items below.

It’s all about the caller.

While on hold messages have proven to be a highly effective marketing and public relations tool, and with that said your on hold messaging script is the foundation for creating engaging content that callers find interesting. Not only does on hold messaging reassure the caller that they’re still connected, but custom announcements keep callers focused on your business. So, what you’ve discovered is that the foundation of a successful on hold marketing program is the script, and that fact that you need to pay close attention to your callers.

Ask yourself:

• Why is the caller reaching out; what is the purpose of the call?
• What topics and information will the caller find interesting?
• What action can the caller take after learning about something interesting?

What’s best choice for voice and music for your messages?

An on-hold message is often the first thing a customer will hear when calling an organization. It is very important that the voice and background music used in your an on-hold recording creates a great first impression, as  your phone on hold message certainly will affect the customer’s perception of your brand, their satisfaction with customer service, and their sense of loyalty.

Callers will inevitably have some expectations about what they’ll hear when they call a company, and the voice must first of all match the general image of the company. For example, an elder care business would be unlikely to have an on-hold message read by a person in their early-20s, and for this reason there is a science to choosing the right voice for each individual company.

When we work with clients, we go through an audio branding process by looking at their industry, location, whether they have a regional, national or global client base, whether their company outlook is corporate or quite informal. Once we establish the correct profile, we then assist the client in matching up suitable voice and music to properly reflect their brand.

Understanding how on hold messages get played on your type of telephone set-up?

It’s important to know a little something about your own phone system before making a purchase for messages  on hold.  On hold media equipment has evolved over the past 30 years form clunky cassette tape players, to smaller, digital audio systems that play mp3 audio files, to internet based devices, and streaming media equipment for a simplified, hands-free way of updating message content.

As equipment has evolved over the years, so has the business telephone. Today, more and more businesses both large and small are opting to use feature rich, cloud-based (aka hosted voip) phone set-ups. equipment no longer resides at the clients site, thus no on hold media equipment is required. Instead, you simply upload audio files via your dashboard for your hold music. Different voip systems require different file format types for the on hold audio. Few can take a native .mp3 file, while most require a .wav file either in pcm or ulaw specifications.

What about the smaller businesses and home-based businesses that use a regular plain old telephone from an office supply store that plugs in like a typical landline phone at your home? 2 to 4 line phones that are not part of a “system” , but can still be able to use on hold messages with the use of a MOH adaptor. Adapters are not music on hold source devices or on hold players. Adapters are “activators” that allow audio from your on hold media player to pass through to callers when you depress the hold button.  A few of today’s off-the-shelf phones to come with an audio input to connect an on hold media device (V-Tech, AT&T SynJ), however most do not and require the use of an adaptor.

Have a strategy and think about how often you would like to change the content?

Ask yourself these simple questions:

• Do we have repeat callers?
• Do we have seasonal fluctuations?
• Do we introduce new services, features, products, etc. over time?
• Are we marketing elsewhere (eg. media, social, web) that could be supported with on hold messages?

You can either get a one time message with nothing more to buy, or sign up for an affordable monthly plan. However, think about on hold marketing  this way: first, “no successful business runs a once-for-all-of-time marketing campaign, and secondly, it’s your job to keep callers focused on your business and top of mind!”

Therefore, there will not only be lower up front cost when you opt to go with a monthly program, but you also have the flexibility in changing your messaging throughout the year.

Final Thoughts..

In today’s business environment custom engagement, and the customer experience are tops on every marketers list. But, businesses often forget about the telephone both as a marketing and customer service tool. Silence on a hold doesn’t usually go over well as customers will wonder if they are really still in hold or if they’ve been hung up on. If holds happen frequently, your customers probably spend those hold times frustrated and angry. In fact, they’re probably more likely to hang-up and call a competitor.

So, there you have it. Our complete buyers guide to custom on hold messages. Still have questions? Are you on the fence about getting started with on hold messaging?  Contact Original On Hold and our team will be happy to answer all of your questions, or try before you buy with our risk free custom on hold demo.