Business Music Service – On-Hold Technologies
Ever wondered why music is played while you are on hold? Yes, certainly to prevent boredom. However, the answer is a bit more complicated. On-hold music for business is deliberately designed with people’s psychological reactions in mind when they are placed on hold. The ‘dead-time’ is a brilliant opportunity to use a Business Music Service to help define your brand, set a vibe, and enhance the caller’s experience with the choice of your on-hold music.
What Is On Hold Music?
Music on Hold (MOH) refers to an audio broadcast of music that is played when a customer is placed on hold and waiting to be served. It is a common business practice and reassures the caller that he/she is still connected.
Business Benefits of a Telephone Music Hold Solution
Customers are the most important aspect to any business and, therefore, their satisfaction is essential. When a customer is placed on hold, you want to make their wait as pleasant as possible. A business music service will help do just that. Which means hold music for business is not just a luxury; it is essential to your business. Here are some of the reasons why:
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Improves Call Retention
On-hold music helps keep callers waiting on the line. Statistically, callers who had information to listen to remained on hold up to three minutes longer. While a caller, when met with silence while on hold will on average hang up within 30 seconds. Worse, a large percentage of those callers will never call back.
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Manages Anxiety
MOH enables you to manage the on-hold callers’ anxiety. After all, the more anxious or irritated a person is, the more likely they are to hang up – the very thing you are trying to avoid.
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Time Travel
Time is perceived to drag on when there is dead air. However, if there is music filling this time, it seems to fly.
Questions to Ask Before Implementing Music on Hold
Did you know thousands of business owners are breaking the law every day? By using unlicensed music for their business on-hold music, they are guilty of copyright infringement, piracy, and theft. They probably don’t mean to break the law, they are simply not aware of on-hold music licensing requirements.
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What is Music on Hold Licensing?
Regardless of the type of business you operate, you will require a license to play commercial music through your phone system to holding customers. The license fees are determined by the number of lines you have connected to your business. Licensing does not cost thousands of dollars and is definitely cheaper than paying licensing fines.
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What is Royalty Free Music on Hold?
You can bypass the licensing fees by using royalty free on-hold music. However, neither the selection nor the quality you are looking for may be available.
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Is My Music on Hold Legal?
Determine if your on-hold music is legal by answering the following:
- Does your equipment supplier have permission to sell you the music?
- Is your music license a ‘Direct Performance License’?
- Are you paying BMI or ASCAP for music you use?
- Have you purchased a new license for each of your physical locations?
If you answered ‘yes’ to all four of the questions above, you should be in compliance with copyright laws. But, if not, you should consult with your on-hold music provider or attorney to make sure you are legal.
How to Choose the Right Hold Music for Your Business
When selecting on hold music for your business, you need to consider your brand, philosophy and the business image you want to portray. Understanding the demographics of your callers will also help you to choose the right on-hold music to set the appropriate mood. Not just any music will do: certain types of music calm a person; others may cause them to react negatively. Here are suggestions on how to choose the right MOH for your business:
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Trust Your Provider
If you can’t decide what music is right for you, consult a MOH service provider. They are the people who know the music library the best.
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Be Popular
There is evidence to suggest that recognizable pop songs are suitable for hold music, producing a more positive experience for callers. The worst hold music seems to be elevator music or bland, repeating melodies, which tends to frustrate callers.
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Beware of the Bad
- Telephone communications do not communicate the full audio spectrum. While voice quality is not affected quite as much by this, music can be, especially if it was not specially crafted to be played over a telephone.
- The audio files size is often compressed; causing a quality loss, which can result in the ‘static’ one hears over the phone.
- A clipped and garbled signal can be the result of an audio source that is too loud and being fed into the phone.
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Music on Hold Samples
Not all types of music will resonate well with every audience. Therefore, when it comes to enhancing your audio brand, the company you hire is a very important decision. Besides a proven track record, they should be able to offer you a diverse range of music selections and samples. On-Hold Technologies offers you one of the best selections to choose from. Here are some of our music samples:
Why Choose On-Hold Technologies?
It is easy to find on hold music service providers that claim to be the best. But, do they boast a proven record of accomplishment? Do they listen to you? Moreover, are they responsive to your individual needs?
On-Hold Technologies has been producing award-winning onmhold music productions for over 24 years. Taking your unique needs into account, we will assist you to select the appropriate on hold music for your demographics and business. Contact us today for a free demo.
