Retain Customers with Music on Hold

Posted by Charlie Jones

November 10, 2009

Whatever the size of your business, music on hold is an important addition to your phone system, and it helps to retain customers. Customers appreciate music to listen to as opposed to silence while holding on the line. Not only that, but it lessens the perceived time they are waiting. Choose music that fits your business model, building custom made play lists that will only include the music that you want. In addition, on hold advertising and messages on hold help to inform customers of new products and services and news from your company.

Professional phone systems like Avaya and Aria come ready made with the ability to play on hold music. All that is required is a quick and easy set up. Even if your business does not have a phone system, firms can still set up on hold music or messaging, offering a high level of production featuring original messaging and advertisement content.

On hold music firms offer, among other things, digital audio processing, professional copywriting of messages and advertisements approved by you, fully orchestrated on hold music that customers find pleasing, full BMI and ASCAP licensing, voiceover talent of the highest caliber, and customer satisfaction. If you think you can produce your own on hold music, consider all that goes into the production, and then reconsider a specialty on hold music firm.

Other specious options to on hold music include the radio, but this is against the law, for you are not allowed to rebroadcast the radio without license. Even if it was not illegal it would be impossible to customize it. Playing CDs, you might think, is an option, but performance licensing laws prohibit that too. And if you were to produce your own music to play over a CD player or an MP3 player, you run into issues of reliability, sound quality and looping that would be problematic. Either way, it is best to choose a professional when you factor in cost, convenience and quality.

When you offer messages or advertisements on hold, the customers who are waiting will not only hear the same message repeated continually. They will hear different parts of the message so that the on hold time does not become overly repetitive. With the on hold music and voice provider you can have several different messages on a cycle. The purpose of on hold messaging is to reduce perceived hold time for customers, limiting hang ups. Professional firms are in business to keep you customers on the line.

Encourage sales in other departments with on hold advertising, or help to build the image of your company with on hold messaging, building relationships with customers on many levels. You may even choose to sell advertising space to other firms for your customers on hold, increasing revenue and creating new marketing opportunities.

Installation of music on hold is often as simple as plugging a jack into a phone system. Many professional phone systems are equipped for on hold music already, you just need to find the provider. Costs are not as high as you think. You have the option of switching music or messages quite often, but that is not incredibly necessary. Most firms find switching their on hold music and messaging options 4 times a year adequate.

Silence is a bad thing for customers on hold because it makes customers feel like they have been waiting for longer than they have. When coupled with the fact that the business placing someone on hold usually underestimates how long they make the customer wait, the terrible effect is doubled. Do your business and your customers a favor with on hold music and messaging. It will create an enjoyable wait time for the customer and retain business.

About the author: Kirby Whitehall is a telecommunications specialist from Infiniti Telecommunications, who are market leaders in phone systems and phone system services.

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