So you’ve been searching the internet looking for a Music On Hold provider because you’ve finally decided to do something about “on hold” time for your callers. You know that silence or fuzzy radio that callers endure while waiting for someone to come back on the line is not doing anything to enhance your brand image, keep callers on the line or generate revenues. Your internet search has brought back thousands of resuts, so how do you cut through all the clutter to choose the right Music On Hold & Messages vendor?
Here are a few tips: some things you should consider when shopping for a music on hold & messages company.
1.CONTRACT OR PAY-AS-YOU-GO?
As you’ve probably discovered by now, no two Music On Hold providers are alike. However the one standard amongst industry providers is the purchasing options made available to you. There are providers with “long-term” ongoing contracts, and there are “buyout” message-on-hold providers. If you want to own your equipment and messages, mention this up front. You may also want to consider service plans in which you pay a low-monthly fee for complete service (equipment, message changes, scripting). Some music on hold providers only rent or lease the equipment ,so it's important to remember that at the end of the contract you'll have silence on hold once again. On Hold Inc does not rent or lease the equipment. As a client whether you choose a buyout plan or message package plan, you always own the equipment which is included in our on hold message pricing.
2. WHO WRITES THE ON HOLD MESSAGE SCRIPT?
Some companies will leave the task of writing the on hold script up to you and your staff, while other providers will create the on hold script for you. For those providers who prefer that you handle the script yourself this is usually a situation in which you should be cautious. While certainly no one knows your business better than you do, in order to craft the perfect on hold script to maximize your marketing efforts, you should seek the expertise of a professional copywriter who knows how to effectively communicate your marketing messages. Most full service Music On Hold providers employ a staff of professional copywriters to assist you in the on hold script creation. After all, this is a part of what you’re paying for.
3. WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU NEED?
Before you even purchase a professional Music On Hold system, first your potential vendor should be asking you the right questions to determine your music on hold capability and what music on hold equipment you require. While most all current telephone systems are music on hold ready, some older phone system may require additional hardware to make your telephone system music on hold accessible. Some of today’s newer IP based telephone systems require a music on hold player, while some simply will accept an audio file to the server. This also poses another question, while more modern IP based systems can accept an audio file, some require a specific file format type. Any Music On Hold provider with its salt who produces their on hold messages in-house can most likely accommodate your needs. And finally, You might have a 2 or 4 line phone you purchased at an office supply store. These types of phones cannot play music on hold without the help of a special player or adapter to be piped into the phone line.
4. HOW OFTEN WILL YOU CHANGE YOUR MESSAGE?
The on-hold message industry calls message changes “updates”. Like any other type of marketing, in order for you to continue to reap the benefits, the on hold message content should remain fresh to reflect current information about product offerings, specials or promotions, seasonal items, tradeshows, technology changes, etc. You should inquire with your prospective provider on available message packages. On Hold Inc offers a variety of packages referred to as MVP Plans (Messaging Value Package) which can cut the per-production cost considerably. Whether you are new to on hold marketing or you’re a savvy marketer we have a plan that’s right for you – and your budget! Whether you want to update your on hold messages 2,4, 12 times or more. We are also one of the only Music On Hold providers who have streamlined the message update process with our user-friendly, on-line self-service on hold message updating system called Message Xpress. Whether it’s 2 am or 2 in the afternoon, you can quickly and conveniently change on hold script content as your marketing needs evolve. We encourage to try our Message Xpress Demo and see the future of on hold messaging.
5. BEWARE OF UNNECESSARY SETUP AND HIDDEN FEES!
Like in most industries there are those who operate strictly with profit in mind or with less than ethical business practices. Some Music On Hold providers offer an attractive price, however many clients find out after the fact that they are now having to pay unnecessary or hidden fees that were not disclosed during the initial purchase. Some provides have set-up fees, and we haven’t quite figured this one out as of yet. What exactly are they setting up? Music On hold message systems are fairly straightforward. You purchase the player and a production(s), so why would there need to be set-up fees. This was a ploy used for years in the cell phone industry until consumers became smarter. The annual license fee! This is another problem within the Music On Hold industry. Some providers do not inform you when you make the purchase that you have to pay an annual license for the rights to use the music that has been produced with your messages. Guess what, you don’t pay- you don’t get to continue using the product! On Hold Inc as well as other professional Music On Hold providers ensures that its production music is properly licensed, therefore we do not make clients continuously pay for the same product over and over.
6. DOES THE PROVIDER OFFER A FREE DEMO OF WHAT YOUR MUSIC ON HOLD MESSAGES WILL SOUND LIKE?
Typically, music on hold & messages providers will play an audio sample of on hold messages they’ve produced for other businesses. That’s fine, but it doesn’t really show you what they’ll do for you. Will your on hold message production be of the same quality of what you heard? Will the script be custom for your business, or boiler-plate that everyone else in your industry uses? On Hold Inc eliminates any of these concerns with our Risk-Free On Hold Message Trial Offer. That’s right, we’ll actually create a custom script for your business for you to approve, and produce it with your chosen voice talent and music for you to audition without making any commitment and all within 3 days or less! You either love it, or you pay nothing.
In closing, when it comes to selecting a professional Music On Hold & Messages provider there are many things to consider such as whether the music is properly licensed, whether you can hear a custom made sample specifically for your company before purchasing, do they provide playback equipment and how long the company has been in business (why not get references?). On Hold Inc has been a leader in the Music On Hold industry for more than 20 years, with thousands of satisfied clients in almost every industry around the globe