A recent caller wanted to know why they should choose On Hold Marketing as their “message on hold”. My natural response was because “we provide a better product and a better service.” Of course that’s easy for me to say because I truly believe that we do. But if you’re shopping around, you need a more objective point of view.

Questions For Choosing The Right Message On Hold Studio For You!

1. “How long have you been in business?”

You want to invest your time and money with someone who’s experienced in our industry, and who’s  going to be here to serve you next month, next year and for five years down the road.

2. “How long are your On Hold programs?”

Some providers will quote you a lower price, but they don’t tell you that you’re only getting a four minute program with just one voice. 6:00 has been the industry standard for over a decade, and a good provider will offer you alternating male and female voices on just about every program, unless you specify a different preference.

3. “Do you have voice talent samples on your web site?”

As good as any scripts might be, bad voice talent will ruin them. And not everyone has the same level of talent available. Make sure you’re able to listen to the talent available before you make final decision on an On Hold provider.

4. “Does your staff have experience or a background in telecommunications?”

While there are still plenty of old-fashioned PBX and KSU telephone systems out there, today’s newer systems offer many more features, and can also be much more complex. This can impact what you can play On Hold in a number of ways, including whether or not you need an external player, and if so, how it might connect to your phone system. Make sure your provider is familiar with your phone system before moving forward.

5. “Do you write and produce your programs in-house?”

Those providers who farm out the writing and/production aren’t really in the On Hold business. They’re in the sales business…selling something to you that somebody else produces. They typically don’t have very much invested in your success, or in the quality of your On Hold programs.

There are a number of other questions you can ask*, but these are probably the most important. Please don’t hesitate to call us if you want to know more about choosing a message on hold provider, even if it’s not us…although we hope it will be.

You can visit our FAQ for more answers to frequently asked questions!

Brian Illes Vice – President/Operations

about Brian:

Brian Illes joined On Hold Marketing after a 20-year career as radio station program director and on-air personality in markets in the eastern United States. Not only skilled as a writer, producer, and voice talent for On Hold Marketing, Brian is a true wizard at overseeing our studio production and tending to Customer Service.

Brian also has wide-range knowledge of auto attendant, IVR, and prompt systems. He works closely with On Hold Marketing customers to make these systems easy to use and customer-friendly.